


Explosive

by kaotic312



Series: Hyuuga Family Series [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Family Drama, Fun, Gen, Multi, Sequel to MMFP?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-10 01:23:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 83
Words: 424,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3271592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaotic312/pseuds/kaotic312
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cupcakes and Firecrackers are not a good combination.  Or are they?  Gaara and Hanabi have a spectacular non-courtship!  This is the sequel to "Marry My Father, Please?"  Can stand alone, but why let it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Happily Ever After

o.o.o.o.o

"Are you sure this will work?" Michi asked in a whisper, his light seafoam-green eyes looking on with evident worry.

Hanabi nodded absently, wholly focused on the tag she was setting up. In theory, this should work perfectly. The explosion would take out the practice target, the main force of the blast concentrated in a specified field of fire leaving the other areas relatively unscathed.

"It won't work." Rokuro said scathingly as he watched with barely disguised derision.

Michi grunted, but didn't comment, already used to the antagonism between his two teammates. "Shouldn't we wait for Ibiki?" He asked, holding his breath as Hanabi armed the exploding tag. They both started to carefully back away.

Rokuro snorted, looking bored. "Why do you think we're doing this before our new sensei gets here? He doesn't know a thing about what this cluck of an obocchama has planned.

Hanabi let the comment pass, but not without making note the verbal jab. She might be a Hyuuga, and descended from a long line of proud ninja, but that hardly made her a 'spoiled little rich heiress'. She'd file the comment away for now though.

Michi, however, not only noticed the comment, but wasn't happy about it. He scowled over at his other teammate. "Rocks." He said sternly, using the nickname Rokuro pretended to like, a leftover from their Academy days.

"What?" Sneered the air jutsu genin. "It's not like a shaped charge is anything special. I can do that all on my own with a regular tag." He bragged, referring to his ability to use an air-cushion jutsu to block a pre-selected area from damage during an explosion.

"You have to be there when it explodes for that to be effective." Hanabi said quietly, her eyes never leaving her own tag. "And it drains your chakra by quite a bit. This gives us greater freedom of movement and lets us not be anywhere in the vicinity when it goes. And it preserves chakra."

Rokuro didn't respond, knowing she was speaking the truth. Though he didn't have to like it. Then he too fell under the waiting spell as Hanabi remote triggered the charge.

The explosion wasn't very big, but then it hadn't been designed to be much. This was only a practice tag after all. Hanabi had been working for months to create her own shaped tags from the ones that Suna's Kazekage had given her when he'd left for home late last year. She'd been trying to replicate them perfectly, but it was more difficult than she'd thought.

As usual, the thought of Gaara made her frown. She'd liked him so much at first, he'd been very helpful with her 'stunts', even helping her research poisons. He'd been easy to talk to and hadn't turned her in for anything she'd pulled. Then he'd had to go and ruin it all.

Rokuro sighed. "See, I told you it wouldn't work." He jumped away from the tree he'd been casually leaning against. "Now let's get on to some real practice. Coming Michi?"

The water jutsu specialist looked over at Hanabi's scowling face. "It destroyed the target." He said helpfully.

The Hyuuga genin shook her head. "Too much damage along the side perimeters. Rocks was right, it didn't work. The calligraphy was perfect, so …."

"Not too perfect, or it would have worked." Rocks said in that mocking voice of his that drove her mad. Why oh why did they have to be on the same team?

"You two go on, I'm going to look at this a while before our sensei gets here." Hanabi told the two boys. Rocks laughed as he sauntered off, while Michi gave her one last appraising look before he followed the other boy.

Hanabi knelt down beside the damaged target, sighing. Her brows knit together as she activated her family's bloodline limit. The Byakugan allowed her to see through things, but this time it wasn't showing her what she wanted. How to make this damned explosive work right! She scowled. Gaara had left her all sorts of shaped tags and it frustrated her no end that she couldn't replicate them.

Maybe she should write to Gaara and ask him …NO. No, no, and again with the no. Pride might be a flaw, but she didn't want to ask that red-head for anything.

Thoughts of Gaara led back to where it had all started, with a plot and a list. She, Hinata, and their cousin had wanted to keep Lord Hyuuga Hiashi out of their business, especially when it came to marrying them all off. So they'd come up with a list and a plan in order to marry off her father, the prevailing theory that if he were too happy in his own life he'd leave them be.

It had failed and worked all at the same time. Turns out Hinata was already married and hadn't even known it! There'd been a marriage by proxy when she was one years old to Kankuro of the Sand Village, who'd been an older man at the ripe old age of three. But what looked to have been a disaster had turned into a love match with her sister due with twins by the end of the month.

Then there'd come those attacks on the Hyuuga family, one of which had nearly killed Neji and had almost cost Hanabi her very eyesight. One of their family elders had turned out to be a traitor, looking to take over the leadership of the Hyuuga clan by force and deceit. Turns out, the man had coerced one of Hiashi's mistress' into running away when she'd discovered herself pregnant. Misyu, the bastard of an elder, and his son Hajime had raised the boy in secret hoping to harvest the Hyuuga eyes when the boy manifested use of the Byakugan.

Hinata and the others had rescued the boy, Katashi and brought him back home. Hanabi was really glad too, she loved having a younger brother. She grinned wryly at the thought of the seven year old. Turns out that Katashi wasn't the only surprise though. The attacks on the family had caused the Hokage to station Mitarashi Anko in their home for the duration. Love had bloomed in the most unexpected of places. Now there were even more babies in the house!

Anko had given birth nearly two months ago to the newest Hyuuga, tiny Jishin whose name literally meant 'little earthquake'. And now Neji and Yugao had their new son too, baby Katsuro. Only Hinata was still waiting to give birth.

So. One big happy ending, right?

Hanabi scowled, standing as she kicked the offending remains of the target, all the while picturing in her head a certain Suna Kazekage. The sand in her ointment. Literally. Sand. Hah. Stupid Suna jerk. She deliberately turned away the memory of when he'd saved her life against that Cloud Village assassin. Frustrated and angry, she kicked the hapless target again, crushing it beneath her heel.

"Ah now, what did the poor target ever do to you?" The voice behind her grated her every nerve, but she turned with a blatantly false smile as she greeted her new sensei. Yugao had stared out as their genin team leader, but her marriage and unexpected pregnancy had put a damper on that. So now they were stuck with the ANBU torture division leader.

"Nothing." She said to Morino Ibiki, sweet as pie.

Ibiki's smile widened. He didn't trust her one iota. Experiencing her irksome ways first hand had taught him much about this particular Hyuuga. She'd been unhappy with him after he'd had occasion to torture her cousin Neji, even though his reasoning had been sound. So …the little genin chit had made his life a living nightmare during the time he'd been stationed in the Hyuuga household as a servant for two months. Which had been the Hokage's idea of an 'appropriate' punishment for exceeding the boundaries of his job. Now he was her sensei. And which position was worse, he couldn't yet say.

"Well, why don't you do 'nothing' on your way back home." Ibiki told her, his smile fading back into his normal stern expression. The scars lent him an austere quality, but she was Hiashi's daughter, she was not intimidated by much of anything.

"Am I being punished?" Hanabi asked, pursing her lips quizzically. "You don't want to train me?"

Ibiki cleared his throat and shook his head. "Hardly. I just got word though, your sister is in labor and I thought you'd might like to be there. But if not, we can always go over the trajectory variances of available weaponry during poor weather conditions in forest terrain."

Hanabi's ears perked up as excitement thrummed through her body. The twins? The twins were coming? Stupid Hinata hadn't wanted to know the gender and wouldn't let anyone else find out either. But Hanabi knew. Their father had supported her sister's wishes and had forbidden the use of the Byakugan to 'cheat' and look. Hanabi snorted. Right, like that had stopped her from peeking!

She bowed hastily to her sensei, her eyes never leaving his though as she did so. They were in an uneasy truce at the moment, but one never knew. With that, she took to the tree tops and rushed home, her excitement bubbling up with glee.

But at the back of her mind she did worry about whether or not this meant that Gaara would come back to Konoha for a visit. He hadn't bothered to show up to his own sister's wedding, so maybe the twin's birth would also go unheralded by the red-head? Somehow, she doubted it.

o.O.o.O.o.o

Kankuro was burning holes in the door with his eyes, even though he did not have access to his wife's abilities to see through walls.

The soft gurgle of a baby told him that he wasn't alone. But the puppeteer was having a hard time paying attention to much of anything right now, so focused was he on what was happening behind that damned door. "What's taking so long?" He asked gruffly, only to be met by a derisive snort behind him.

Blinking he looked around and saw Yugao cuddling with baby Katsuro in her arms. "I was in labor for nearly 24 hours, you've been out here, what? Not even one yet?"

Not even an hour yet? Kankuro sighed. If this was how long an hour felt like… then if Hinata's labor went into tomorrow he'd be a right mess.

"Greetings!" A bright voice called from the stairway. "If we're going to stand around the hallway and wait, may I suggest chairs?"

Kankuro spun around glaring, "What took you so long?!" He snarled at the newcomer.

Shizune drew back, a bit stunned by the ferocity in the former Sand shinobi's eyes. The headband protector might show a different symbol now, but he still had the rough edges of a Suna nin. "I'm not the midwife, nor is my specialty in obstetrics. I'm here to speak with Hiashi on a separate matter entirely."

"But …" Kankuro's voice faded as he groaned, running one hand absently over his face and smearing the Bunraku make-up rather heavily. He didn't know the other medic, and he trusted Shizune.

"However, I'd be glad to check in with the midwife and give you an update. How's that?" Shizune offered, knowing anxiety when she saw it.

The puppeteer nodded gratefully and shot her an apologetic look, which she accepted without comment before heading into Hinata's room.

Hiashi was the next one to join them. "How is she?" He asked, then blinked at the smeared mess on his son-by-marriage's face.

Yugao shrugged and then grimaced down at her increasingly fretful infant son. "Shizune just went in to check for us, but Katsuro's getting fussy. I'm going to take him over to the nursery." She nodded over at the agitated puppet shinobi. "I just wish Neji was here."

Hiashi nodded in understanding. Having just gone through this himself, Neji would have been a good choice to sit with the worried father-to-be. While Hiashi himself had just gone through this too, Neji and Kankuro were closer in age and both first time fathers. But the Hyuuga heir-apparent wasn't in the village at the moment. "She'll be fine." Hiashi said simply.

Kankuro paled further at those words, but he also stiffened his spine and nodded. He remembered when his and Temari's nurse had whispered the same thing to him when Gaara was born. It was about all he could remember though, having been so young. Just that …and the memory of when he'd found out the nurse had been lying.

The door opened, drawing the puppeteer's attention away from his morbid past. His eyes narrowed on Shizune as she shut the door behind her. The medical nin was smiling and he started to relax just slightly.

"Everything is fine. The medic is taking care of the labor pains and Hinata is smiling and happy. The boys are not quite in the right position and need to be turned head down, the midwife is preparing to do that when everything is ready."

Kankuro blinked, all thoughts ceasing. "Turned? Head down? BOYS?"

Shizune stopped and grimaced. "Oh I'm so sorry! I forgot you didn't want to know yet."

Hiashi grinned, pounding his son-by-marriage on the back enough to stagger the younger shinobi. "That's okay, he would have found out shortly anyway."

"Boys?" Kankuro repeated, looking dazed.

Hiashi grinned as Hanabi rushed up the stairs looking all expectant. "Not yet, not yet." The elder Hyuuga reined in his younger daughter before she could even ask. "It'll be a while, why don't we go down the hallway to the informal sitting room and wait? I'll have some food brought up and we'll all sit together."

"Boys?" Kankuro looked at his father-by-marriage, still looking lost.

Hiashi grinned. "Boys." He asserted happily. "I guess Minami and Suzushi are out." He said, referring to the names Kankuro had picked out for the twins that he'd been sure would be daughters.

Hanabi grinned and helped her father pull the hapless soon-to-be-father down the hallway. Only to stop abruptly as Kankuro suddenly dug in his heels, his eyes narrowing on the pair.

"You knew!" He said, raising an accusatory finger at the pair. "You both knew! You're not surprised at all, are you?"

Hiashi eyed the young man and nodded, completely unrepentant.

Kankuro sputtered a bit, but managed to follow after them to the sitting room. "I thought you told everyone not to peek with the Byakugan? You made it very clear." He said, still in a state of shock. "You said it several times."

The older man nodded and shrugged. "I lied." He said with a wide grin. "Neji broke first, interestingly enough. I thought it would be firecracker over here, but she held out longer than he did."

Hanabi growled at her father, somehow a bit surprised that she'd not managed to keep her actions from him. "How'd you know I looked?"

"The grin when you watched her and the presents you were picking out." Hiashi shook his head. "It's hard to hide gifts from a Hyuuga, and those were not dresses you were wrapping up."

Shizune, having followed them, laughed from the doorway. "I hate to intrude, especially right now. But Lord Hiashi, if I might have a moment?"

"Does everyone know but me and Hinata?" Kankuro growled, frustrated and anxious.

Hiashi leaned in and mock-whispered. "No, just you."

"And Hinata." Kankuro said.

"No. Just you." His father-by-marriage smiled in a placating manner. "Hinata caught me wrapping boy's gifts. She knew they weren't for Katsuro as they were identical outfits and obviously for boys. She guessed then."

The puppeteer sank into the nearest chair, feeling drained. Hanabi nudged his shoulder and handed him a damp cloth, then indicated his facial paints were smeared. He nodded a 'thank you' and wiped his face, completely discouraged. "Why wouldn't she have told me? Why didn't any of you?"

Hanabi shrugged. "I didn't because I didn't know that Hinata had guessed."

Hiashi sighed and held up a finger to Shizune, asking for just a moment more. "Hinata begged me not to tell you."

"But why?" Kankuro moaned, looking abjectly miserable.

"Because she knew you'd be worried." Hiashi said bluntly. "You were all wound up about her being too small to carry your child, much less a set of twins. Thinking it might be girls eased your mind as you thought they'd be smaller and easier on Hinata. If you'd known all this time that the twins were both boys, you'd have been driving her crazy with worry."

"That's stupid. Sweet, but stupid." Hanabi commented, but wiggled herself into the large chair next to the puppeteer. The seat wasn't meant as a double but it was over-large and she managed to wedge herself in next to him, though only barely. She slid an arm around his waist, leaning against him. "She's going to be fine."

"Don't say that!" He snapped.

Hanabi stared at him.

Kankuro dropped his shoulders and muttered an apology.

Hanabi kept staring at him. Kankuro sighed and watched as Hiashi left to speak with the Hokage's assistant.

Hanabi didn't move, nor did she blink.

"What?" He turned his head, glaring down at her.

She met him glare for glare, then smiled up at him. "She is going to be fine."

"How do you know?" He asked, feeling silly taking comfort from a girl barely more than a child herself.

"She's a Hyuuga."

That answer made no sense to him at all. But Hanabi's smile was sure and her stare never wavered. Her pale eyes stared into his darker gaze and suddenly, he actually started to feel a little better.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari sighed and stared down at the note in her hand, ashamed of herself for even thinking of saying it had never arrived. That she'd never read it.

Hinata was having her babies. Babies. Two of them.

Deep inside, the blond acknowledged her pain and jealousy as being unreasonable. She liked Hinata. A lot, actually. And she counted the long-haired beauty as a true friend. It was funny, she remembered, having actually offered to kill Hinata when she'd first found out her brother had been married to the girl against his will. Their father had arranged the whole thing seventeen years ago.

Luckily, Kankuro had already started falling for the girl and hadn't taken Temari up on her offer. The blond grinned, thinking about how hard her brother had fallen for the pretty Hyuuga.

If fate was a lady, like luck was said to be, then she was one with a sense of humor. Temari chuckled to herself, though not feeling light-hearted right now. Of the three Sand genin in on the attack against Konoha so long ago during those chuunin exams, two were now Leaf ninja and the third was the Kazekage of Suna. How improbable was that?

Temari crumpled the note up in her fist, sighing. And if fate and luck were ladies, then they were more in the line of sick bitches as far as she was concerned.

A tap on the door had her looking up, smoothing out the expression on her face. Shino poked his head inside and Temari felt some of her pain ease away just by the sight of her husband. Husband. She smiled at him, unable to help herself.

"I love you." Temari said plainly.

Eyebrows arching, Shino removed the glasses she hated to see him in and smiled at her with his gray-silvery eyes. "I love you too." He murmured, pausing. "What's wrong?"

Temari shrugged.

"Do I need to call the medic back?" Shino asked, watching her carefully.

"No." Temari told him, then held up the balled-up paper. "Hinata's gone into labor."

Shino didn't need to hear anymore to get to the crux of her upset. He sighed unhappily. He knew this moment would hold both pain and joy for his wife.

The seeds of this moment were in their past. The two had fallen in love on one of her trips to Konoha, even going so far as to become betrothed. They had waited to tell anyone though, at least until she'd had a chance to speak with her brother Gaara. What they hadn't known was that she'd returned to Suna already pregnant.

Brief happiness faded as Temari had miscarried before she'd even learned of the pregnancy. The medics had then dropped the news on her that she would never be able to carry a child to full term. Heartbroken, she'd sent him a note breaking off their relationship, but not explaining why. Temari had mistakenly felt that as the Aburame heir he would not want a barren wife. To spare herself the shame, she'd just broken it off without explanation.

Pain and recriminations had followed, but with Kankuro and Hinata's marriage, everything had changed. Shino and Temari had been forced together on a joint mission to protect the pair, and on that mission she'd finally confessed her reasons for breaking off their betrothal. They'd reunited during that long mission, and had returned to face down the Leaf's Elder Council, her brother Gaara and even Shino's father. Now they were finally husband and wife.

Shino turned away from those memories and poured the unhappy blond a cup of water, then sat down beside her. "We don't have to go."

"Yes we do." She sighed, ignoring the water glass in her hand and instead leaning her head down on his shoulder. "You know we do." She said wistfully.

"They will understand." He told her, hugging her tight and pressing a kiss on top of her blond head.

Temari sighed. "I'm not that weak. And I won't give in to this. We're going over there." She said adamantly and pulled away from him. "I'll be ready in a minute."

Shino nodded and watched her get up and move around the room, changing her clothes. It hurt him to see her in pain like this. He'd done all he could to prevent it, insisting he didn't want or need and heir as he already had two younger brothers and three nephews by his older sister. But Temari still wanted to try. Insisted on it, actually.

That was the reason for her surgery before they even married. A surgery that had increased her changes of carrying a healthy child to full term to sixty-five percent.

"Are you wearing that?" She teased him, hiding her hurt behind her light words.

Shino nodded and acquiesced, getting up to change into something nicer. He wondered if they were ever going to talk about it. No, 'it' was the wrong word somehow.

No one knew, just the two of them and the medics. His father and great-aunt might suspect, but they didn't know for sure. Shino smothered his sigh as he got ready.

Both of them silently mourning the child they'd miscarried just last week.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Takiji?" Hanabi said.

"No."

"Toko?" She tried.

"No."

The genin sighed. "Niji is a nice name."

"It means 'rainbow', I'm not naming one of my sons after a fucking rainbow." Kankuro growled. "Besides, it's too close to Neji."

Hanabi grinned. "I thought you were trying to watch your language around the house."

The puppeteer sighed and dropped his head. "You turned fourteen in March and will be heading out on a C-ranked mission next week. I think you can handle a bad word or two."

"Or teach you a few." She grinned, nudging him with her shoulder.

"You probably could, but I would thank you not to corrupt my brother." The newcomer said dryly from the doorway. "I hear I'm just in time for the big event."

Kankuro looked up in relief, not that his sibling could do anything to ease the situation. Other than just be there.

Hanabi frowned hard, feeling like she'd just been punched. "Gaara." She said, her voice carefully blank.

"Hanabi." The red-head nodded to her, his pale-jade eyes giving away nothing.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	2. Clouds on the Horizon

Stiff as a board, Hanabi stared at the red-head in the doorway. "Gaara."

He didn't smile, just a small shift of his eyes let her know he was amused. "You're repeating yourself." He said. "Should I repeat myself too then? I can do that. Hanabi."

She scowled and sniffed to show she didn't care what he thought. "Why are you here?" Hanabi asked in a snotty tone of voice. "It's not like you could have known Hinata was going to go into labor today, and you would have had to left Suna at least three days ago."

"Is it not enough that I am here?" He asked gruffly, taking perverse pleasure in poking at her not inconsiderable temper. "Dare I hope you missed my presence?"

Hanabi shook her head slightly, pushing her lips into the semblance of a smile. "Hardly."

"I didn't think so. But then, I didn't come to Konoha to see you." He paused for a moment, letting that sink in as her eyes hardened on him. "Specifically."

Kankuro snorted as he allowed himself to be distracted by the byplay between the two. He thought he'd probably find much more amusement in this, if it weren't for Hinata being in labor right now.

"Then why did you come now?" Hanabi snapped her fingers, as if she now understood something. "Oh! You're here for your sister's wedding! Wait. No, that can't be it. Temari got married last month. Funny, I don't remember seeing you here."

Gaara smiled tightly at her, as he leaned negligently against the door frame. "If you remember that, then it means you DID look for me. How touching."

Her color rising with her ire, Hanabi squeezed out of the chair she was sharing with Kankuro. Head held high, she brushed past the Kazekage with nary a look. "The atmosphere in here is not very healthy. I'll wait in the nursery with Yugao."

"Ah yes, the nursery. Appropriate. For you that is."

Hanabi stopped dead in her tracks and turned a cold fulminating glare on the red-headed shinobi. "What do you mean by that?" Hurt that he considered her a baby. She was no child! She thought he at least, knew that!

Gaara let his eyes widen fractionally. "Only that a nursery would be an appropriate place to await the birth of a child. Or two, as the case may be."

The young genin sighed, knowing that THAT wasn't what he'd meant, but was unable to call him on it right now. She growled lightly and turned to leave again, only to find that she was being held back. Snarling, she whirled on Gaara, only to find that it wasn't him keeping her from leaving.

Kankuro sighed and released the chakra string before she could sever it herself. "Sorry." He mumbled.

Hanabi nodded, puzzled. She turned to leave and caught the look in Gaara's eyes. The pale-jade eyes of the Kazekage looked worried as he watched his brother. Turning once more, Hanabi glanced at the puppeteer and sighed. Indecision made her squeeze her eyes shut, but in the end she walked back over to Kankuro.

"Can you see what's going on?" Gaara asked her quietly.

Jerking her head up, Hanabi nodded then grimaced. "But I really don't want to." She looked at both brothers, and though they said nothing, their eyes shone with inner pain. All of a sudden she felt like kicking herself. This wasn't normal new-father fears! She'd forgotten that their mother had died in childbirth.

Without thinking it through too much, Hanabi activated her Byakugan and trained her eyesight on what was taking place in Hinata's room. She frowned, making both men stiffen tightly. "That's so wrong." She muttered.

"WHAT?" Kankuro asked, his voice gruff and stiff with fear.

"Oh, sorry." Hanabi smiled apologetically, though still watching her sister. "They're chatting and smiling."

"What?" Gaara said, completely nonplussed.

Hanabi bit back a groan and looked away. "Oh, right, now she's having a contraction, but it doesn't look too, too bad."

Shizune laughed from the doorway. "Turn off the eyes, genin. Hinata's in the early stages. This is her first pregnancy, I promise you we'll be here a while."

Hanabi was relieved to find Kankuro relaxing as both Shizune and Hiashi came back into the room. That terrible tension in him letting go slightly.

"She's young, healthy, and strong." Hiashi said quietly. "She'll be fine."

Kankuro sighed and leaned back wearily in his chair, already a nervous wreck. "Anko cursed you throughout her labor."

Gaara actually cracked a smile at hearing that, while Shizune chuckled outright. The Hokage assistant shrugged. "I know for a fact she was medicated just fine. Anko was cursing Hiashi because she's Anko, not because of excessive pain."

The elder Hyuuga grunted, but didn't comment. Instead he turned to formally greet the Kazekage of Suna. Pleasantries aside, the two men nodded at each other. He and Shizune shared a look and started for the door.

Kankuro stiffened as they prepared to leave. Hanabi looked at him and shook her head. "Can't you discuss this here?"

Hiashi was quick to shake his head negatively. But Gaara nodded. "I do want my brother to know."

Shizune cast a glance at Hanabi who sighed dramatically. "Fine, I'm going. But I am a ninja of this village too you know!"

"Genin." Gaara commented as she passed him.

"Gaara-coon." She muttered before shutting the door behind her.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at that. "Gaara-kun? You must be making progress."

The red-head shook his head ruefully. "Less than you'd think." He said, not bothering to explain she hadn't called him an endearment, but a raccoon. Only the two of them knew the difference.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The midwife smiled as she tried to ease the largest, and lowest, twin to the head-down position. She had to wait between contractions, which luckily weren't that bad yet.

Hinata grimaced, but more from discomfort than actual pain.

"He's a fighter, this one." The midwife teased as the boy slid back into a head-up position the moment she let go of the pressure. "Stubborn."

"Just like his father." Hinata mused, trying to relax as much as she could. But for the first time since getting pregnant, she wondered if Kankuro had been right. Was she too small to birth his children? Right now, it felt like the actual birth would be impossible.

The medic tightened his grip on her hand, distracting her for a moment. Hinata blinked up at the older man. "Don't worry, this WILL work."

The purple-haired kunoichi sighed, shaking her head. "You read my mind?" She teased him, knowing that he couldn't have done so.

"No." The gray-haired balding man smiled kindly, his demeanor so calm she couldn't help but trust him. "I've just been through a lot of these. I know what that expression you were wearing meant. Trust me."

"He knows his business, as do I." The mid-wife said in a soothing manner, which did much to ease Hinata's nerves. "He trained with Tsunade you know."

"You trained the Hokage?" Hinata turned wide eyes on the older man.

"No." He chuckled. "We trained together. We're the same age, Tsunade and I."

Hinata's mouth formed an 'O' of surprise, having forgotten that the Hokage was older than she allowed herself to look. But before she could ask another question, the next contraction started.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba wolfed down his lunch, making his mother grimace. "Slow down, boy. Is there a battle to get to that I don't know about?" Tsume asked.

The young Inuzuka jounin grinned, but only slowed his chewing enough to swallow. "I've got to run, gotta date with Ise later and I need to get some things done before we meet."

"Like pick up a new shirt?" His mother said dryly.

Kiba shook his head. "No, Akamaru's flea bathwash is almost out, and I'm having my boots resoled, then there is …"

"Fine, fine. But slow down or you'll choke. You don't let Akarmaru eat like that." Tsume's smile showed off the Inuzuka fangs. "Though I wish you'd pick up a new shirt or two if you're going out on a date."

"Why?" Kiba asked blankly, looking down at his usual clothing. "I always look like this, if I changed maybe Ise wouldn't even know who I am. Besides, you hardly look any more groomed than I do." He said with a grin.

"But I'm not looking for a mate." She retorted dryly. "Might this girl be someone to become serious with?" Tsume asked as she reached down to pet her own nin-dog, Kuromaru.

Kiba nearly choked on his food as he laughed, shaking his head.

Tsume growled and leaned back with a sigh. "Don't feel like you got away with something just because your betrothal to that Cloud village veterinarian fell through."

Kiba shook his head. "I liked her well enough, didn't know her really. Though, I have to admit that I'm glad I'm going out with Ise tonight rather than having to sit at home with a boring wife."

She boxed his ears lightly. He knew it was a light strike as he didn't end up on the floor. "Is that how you see marriage?"

Kiba shrugged. "That's how I saw marriage to her." He admitted with a frown. "And I guess I'm spoiled now, seeing as how well my teammate's marriages have turned out."

Tsume pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "Both Hinata and Shino married one of the Sand siblings. Too bad there's not another one left." She waited until he took a large gulp of his water. "Unless you want Gaara, that is." She said with a deadpan voice, then ducked as water sprayed out over the table and her son sputtered in shock.

Laughing, she left her son looking utterly appalled at her. Still. She needed to have him get serious about finding a wife. Now that Hana had moved into a house of her own with her husband, Tsume was finding it too quiet at home.

She wanted puppies. Human and canine both.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"We don't have to go in." Shino offered, but Temari just shook her head mutely. "Princess, we really don't have to go in. They will understand, I promise."

The blond stiffened under his sympathetic look. She didn't even have to look at him to see his expression; she could hear it in his voice. Pity, though, was the last thing she needed. "This is family." She said stubbornly.

Shino sighed, he knew that tone of voice. Nothing and no one was going to change her mind. Foregoing an argument, he nodded and called for the gate guard to allow them entrance into the Hyuuga family compound.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shizune sighed as she watched Kankuro pace up and down the room. She looked over at Hiashi with a quirk of a smile on her lips. "You may have to replace the rugs in here sooner than you'd thought."

Hiashi nodded. "Perhaps the floor boards beneath them too." He added dryly.

Gaara scowled at them, but didn't comment.

Kankuro stopped, stared at the door a moment, then turned. Surprised, he realized he was the center of attention. "I thought you three had things to discuss."

"We did." Gaara commented, his expression never changing.

"Well?" The puppeteer prodded them.

Hiashi shook his head at his young son-by-marriage. "That was over an hour ago."

Kankuro drew up, surprised. He didn't remember any discussion. "Was it important?"

Shizune nodded. "Very."

"Aren't you going to discuss it then?" The puppeteer gestured toward them all.

Gaara sighed. "We already did."

"Where was I?" Kankuro shook his head, he still couldn't recall anything being said.

All three of the other ninja pointed at the rug where the puppet ninja was currently standing. Kankuro flushed slightly in embarrassment. "Were you whispering?"

"No." Hiashi said blandly.

"Oh." The puppet user sighed. "Did you decide anything about …whatever it was?"

Shizune shook her head. "We got distracted watching you. Besides, we're also waiting for Tsunade."

A knock on the door interrupted them. Kankuro's hands started shaking slightly and he slipped them in his pockets to hide his weakness. "Come." His held breath released as Shino's head appeared around the door.

Temari followed behind him looking pale in the face. He had a second to be worried about her before she smiled brightly. "Any news yet?"

"No." Kankuro said glumly.

Gaara watched his siblings and realized that while Kankuro was worried, Temari looked brittle. His eyes narrowed on his older sister speculatively. He flicked a glance at Shino and saw that he too was watching the blond carefully.

"Twins." Kankuro mourned, rolling his aching neck and shoulders. "Why does there have to be two of them? Boys."

"Boys?" Temari said, her smile turning a shade less fragile and more genuine. "Nephews! I guess I'll have to return the pink plush bunnies I bought."

Shizune, who knew what Temari had been through in the past week, shot a questioning glance at Shino. She caught his eye and he shook his head, telling her silently that they hadn't told anyone about their miscarriage.

"Ha, ha, ha." Kankuro mocked his sister. "Like you'd buy pink anything, regardless of gender. Damn. I hope Hinata's okay. I wish she'd never gotten pregnant."

Temari's heart clenched painfully at the thoughtless words, but she knew her brother didn't mean to hurt her. He didn't even know about …last week. Shino's hand found hers and she clutched it gratefully.

Gaara missed none of this as he watched. He just didn't have a clue how to fix it, especially since he didn't know exactly what was wrong. Battles he could fight. This was something out of his control. Uncomfortable, he shifted in his seat.

"Don't say that." She chided, unable to keep the tinge of jealousy out of her voice. "You're very lucky."

Belatedly, Kankuro realized his mistake and threw back his head in a groan before enveloping his sister in a bear hug. "I'm sorry." He whispered, kicking himself mentally. He knew how badly Temari wanted to get pregnant.

She hit him, then pinched his ear to make him let go. Temari gave him a big, bright, false smile. "Don't sympathize. That's worse."

"Right. No sympathy." Kankuro pulled one of her pig tails. "How about I glue your boots to the floor instead?"

Temari cracked a real grin, chuckling as she relaxed slightly. "You did that when you were four. I believe our nurse had to intervene to save your life when I caught you."

Kankuro pulled back his sleeve and showed her the faint line on his arm. "I told Hinata it was a battle scar. She called me brave. Don't ruin it for me." He lied through his teeth. Anything to get her to smile some more.

Hanabi stuck her head in the open door. "I hate to interrupt the very important meeting that I'm not allowed to attend, but …."

"Is Hinata alright?" Kankuro interrupted, looking ill.

Hanabi sighed. "I don't know. What I was going to say is that the Hokage is on her way up and Emi wants to know if anyone wants food?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade eyed the Suna Kazekage balefully once they were all settled in Hiashi's library. "Your mind is wandering."

Gaara nodded, not embarrassed at all. "I hate to leave Kankuro by himself."

"He's got Temari, Shino, and Hanabi." Shizune told the young man. "Not to mention that Yugao was heading in there as we left, now that Katsuro and Jishin are asleep."

Hiashi nodded. "And Anko will be home soon with Katashi. Kankuro's not alone."

Gaara nodded, but still felt torn. Regardless though, he was the Kazekage and his time was not always his own.

Tsunade sighed. "Let's get on with it, shall we? What have you already gone over?"

Hiashi grunted. "Only that the recent earthquake knocked down three buildings in Suna that should not have fallen. Shoddy workmanship. And when they fell, village defense plans were discovered, along with several coded missives." He stated matter-of-factly. "Then Gaara told me that most of the contractors who'd built the buildings disappeared. But they caught three of them and questioned them intensively. Two died without breaking, but the third admitted to being sent by the Cloud Village Kumokaze."

The Hokage nodded. "You didn't tell him the rest?"

Gaara shrugged. "We were waiting for you, and Kankuro was …distracting."

Hiashi leaned forward. "What else?"

The Kazekage looked to Tsunade, who nodded. Gaara nodded and continued the report. "What I haven't told you yet was that the village defense plans, weren't of Suna."

The Hyuuga clan leader felt his eyes widen as he took that in. "Konoha?" He guessed, then sighed deeply as Tsunade nodded.

"Gaara sent copies on to me, along with copies of the coded messages." The Hokage said. "Turns out the contractors were not only bad at their jobs, they weren't even real contractors. They were working here in Konoha until ordered to Suna by me, several months ago. Repairs were ahead of schedule here, and I needed a concession from Gaara and …we struck a deal. Only blind chance that the men I sent turned out to be infiltrators."

Hiashi took a moment to think it through as everyone waited for him to digest what he'd learned. Finally he looked up. "Interesting, but is this connected to the problems the Hyuuga have been having with the Cloud Village?"

"Yes." Gaara said plainly.

"How? What proof?" Hiashi asked.

Tsunade held out a sheaf of papers. "These are copies of what our people have been able to decode. They mention the Hyuuga as a specific target. They know no names other than Hinata and Neji, apparently we killed their assassins before they could relate that you still lived, rather than your twin brother." Names of ninja in each village were not for public knowledge. Occasionally someone would gain noteriety despite their secrecy, like Kakashi, but ninja's took secrecy very seriously.

"So. This is against the clan, rather than a specific person?" Hiashi mused.

Gaara nodded. "From what we could discover, the Raikaze hates all things Hyuuga. Except the Byakugan. He wants it. He's willing to kill or take any Hyuuga that he can in order to achieve this."

"Why?" Hiashi sounded bewildered. "I know they tried once before, when Hinata was small. But that failed. In the aftermath they thought me executed, rather than my twin." He said, frowning at that painful memory. "Still. We've had no problems with the Cloud Village since then until recently."

Tsunade shrugged. "The Raikaze is new from what we can gather. A few years on the job at the most. Could be he had a connection with the man you killed so long ago?"

Hiashi whistled, shaking his head. "That's a stretch."

"It's only a theory. We don't have a lot to go on as far as motives are concerned. There's just so much we don't yet know."

Shizune sighed, looking pensive. "What it comes down to is that we don't think this is over just because we found out their plans."

"The Hyuuga clan is basically under siege." Tsunade nodded, pinching her nose wearily. "I want plans and back-up plans on how to keep every Byakugan using Hyuuga safe."

"EVERY Hyuuga." Hiashi amended, then sighed unhappily. "Do we have any idea who specifically they are targeting?"

Tsunade nodded, pointing at the decoded missives. "Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji. By extension, we can assume that Neji and Hinata's children are also in danger. They don't know you live. In fact, according to the messages they think you might even be your brother with the curse seal removed."

Hiashi looked a bit stunned by that. "Why would they think that?"

Gaara shook his head with a sigh. "They found out, though we're not sure how, that you've named Neji heir. According to the messages, they feel that only your brother would put aside the higher-born girls in favor of a branch family member."

The Hyuuga leader growled low, his blood pressure rising as he thought of the new lives in his house. There was no way in hell that he'd let anything happen to any one of them. With fire in his eyes, he and the others got down to discussing details.

The four continued discussing and planning far into the night. All the while, waiting for other news from upstairs.

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was nearly two in the morning when a bleary looking Hanabi came back into the room. Anko blinked over at the girl, but didn't get up as Yugao was asleep with her head on her lap. "Mushroom?"

Hanabi didn't even grimace at the nickname, she was smiling too hard. She looked at Kankuro who was holding his breath as he watched her.

"You have a son." She told him, even as a baby's cry interrupted them.

The puppeteer swayed lightly, but stayed on his feet. A wide grin spread across his face, only to stop. "Wait? Only one?" He asked blankly.

Hanabi stuck out her tongue at him. "They come one at a time you know, even twins."

Temari smothered a laugh as Shino congratulated the new father. Standing to clap a strong hand on the puppet ninja's shoulder. "Won't be long now."

Kankuro couldn't stop smiling, feeling lightheaded and kind of dizzy. Shino forced him to sit, but the puppeteer couldn't stay down. A moment later he was back up on his feet looking energized all of a sudden. He looked over at Hanabi. "You should go tell your father."

Hanabi shrugged, looking innocent. "I sent a servant. I wanted to tell you myself."

Anko grinned at the girl. "Cowardice does not suit you, mushroom. Don't want to face a certain Suna visitor?"

The genin kunoichi refused to be cowed, sticking her nose up in the air. "That's NOT it." She said plainly, turning on her heel to head back to wait outside Hinata's door.

Yugao yawned and sat up, looking around blearily.

"Didn't mean to wake you." Kankuro smiled over at the blue-haired woman. "But one of them has been born."

"You didn't wake me." Yugao stretched. "He did."

"He?" Kankuro asked, blinking.

"Katsuro." At that moment her son began t cry from further down the hall, the cry of a hungry baby. Yugao got up and padded down the hallway toward the nursery without another word. A moment or two later, another baby started crying and Anko sighed, climbing to her feet as well.

Kankuro looked after the departing women in a kind of daze. "How did she know?"

Temari shrugged, trying not to let jealousy take too deep a hold of her. She didn't like herself like this. Shino slid his arm around her and she snuggled closer, grateful for his touch.

Kankuro looked over at the sleeping older man and the boy curled up next to him. He debated on whether or not to wake them.

Temari yawned and watched where he was looking. "Let them be. Katashi was out training with Anko down by the river most of the day. He's exhausted. Wake them only when both the boys are born."

The puppet ninja nodded absently.

Running feet interrupted his thought and jerked Hinata's uncle out of his snoring slumber. Juroken woke Katashi as everyone waited for the news. Hanabi rounded the corner and nearly slid into Kankuro in her excitement. "The twins are born!"

Kankuro took off at a dead run and barely restrained himself from throwing open the door to their room. He knocked first, but found his way blocked by the medic. Then he was pulled back by a grinning Tsunade as Hiashi and the others joined them.

The old man chuckled as the Hokage pulled the anxious puppeteer away. "Let them get her cleaned up, first. Yes?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro had started back with the pacing, every once in a while glaring at the closed bedroom door. Hiashi watched the door as well. It had been over half-an-hour, and still, they wouldn't let anyone inside.

"How long does it take to get cleaned up?" The young father groused.

Hiashi shook his head blandly, but on the inside he was worried. They should have been in to see the babies, and Hinata, by now. He looked over at Tsunade who was frowning. Finally, the Hokage pushed Kankuro aside and stepped into the room herself, shutting the door firmly in his face.

The door opened a moment or two later and Tsunade stepped back outside. "She's fine. Hinata bled a bit more than we would have liked, but that was to be expected. The twins stretched her uterus quite a bit, and well …not to get too technical, the medic was prepared for this possibility."

"She's fine?" Croaked Kankuro anxiously.

Tsunade nodded. "The bleeding is already stopped, they just want to clean everything up before you go in."

The blond leader of the Leaf Village smiled and all of a sudden, Kankuro knew she was lying. He stiffened and glared dangerously at her. "What aren't you telling me?"

Tsunade held up her hands mutely. "I …well …you'll have to see for yourselves." She opened the door to the bedroom and Kankuro rushed inside, breathlessly.

He stopped, stunned the core of his being as he saw Hinata sitting up in bed, smiling. She looked tired and worn out. Her long hair was wet with sweat and she was pale. She'd never looked more beautiful. He swallowed hard. "Hoshi?"

Hinata looked up at him and then down at the two babies she held, one in each arm. Kankuro sat down gingerly on the bed next to her, afraid he was dreaming.

Hinata handed him one of the wrapped bundles and he took the baby automatically. He knew how to hold a newborn, having practiced on Jishin and Katsuro, but …but this was different. This was HIS newborn. His son.

Kankuro cradled the newborn to his chest, barely able to breathe as he pushed the blanket aside to look down into the scrunched up little face. Awed, he looked up at Hinata in wonder. "He's so little."

Hinata grimaced. "He only looks little, trust me …he felt big. That's our first born, by the way."

Hiashi stood over the young couple, looking down into the face of his grandson. He too couldn't stop grinning. "He's beautiful."

"They both are." Hinata crooned softly down to the baby she still held.

Hiashi shook his head. "We're going to have a hard time telling them apart."

Kankuro frowned and looked up at the Hokage. "What was it you didn't want to tell me. They're alright aren't they?"

Tsunade nodded. "There's nothing really wrong. I just …well, after two Hyuuga children being born recently we know what their eyes should look like. Almost completely white, then darkening to their normal pale color."

Hiashi looked up fast at that. "SHOULD look like? Aren't they Hyuuga? Well, it was a possibility they wouldn't inherit the Byakugan. Disappointing, but not a disaster." He frowned as he peered down at the babies, willing them to open their eyes so he could see. "So, they didn't inherit the clan trait?"

The medic sighed. "We don't know."

"Huh?" Kankuro asked, just as the son he held finally blinked his eyes open. "Oh." Was all he said. "That's different."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The entire household tried to sleep in the next morning. But hungry babies wait for no one. Cries woke most of them up early.

Not having to get up with Jishin or Katsuro, nor having to deal with newborn care, Hanabi got to sleep in. Consequently, she was alone in the dining room when Gaara stepped inside.

She grimaced, but didn't move. Gaara gathered a plate from the buffet style breakfast and sat down next to her.

"So." He said, after eating about half his food. "What did they finally decide. Do the boys have the Byakugan?"

Hanabi shrugged. "They were still debating it when I went to sleep. Both boys have very pale eyes, just like a Hyuuga, but that color …it wasn't white. And the medic says infant's eyes darken, not lighten."

"You have pale-lilac eyes, Neji and your father have nearly white eyes. Surely there have been other colors over the years?" Gaara stated.

"I don't know." Hanabi admitted reluctantly. "Father said he was going to go through the family archives to see what he could find." She paused to take a bite of her own food. "I like their eyes, they're pretty. But I hope they have the Byakugan."

Gaara nodded as he recalled his first look at the eyes of his nephews. Gray. Light gray, but definitely gray. With little brown and white flecks, almost mottled like a bird's egg. "Their eyes look like clouds."

Hanabi nodded. "With lightening in the background." She paused and took a deep breath. "Are you going to tell me why you came, since it wasn't for the twin's birth?"

The Kazekage shook his head. "I'll let your father tell you what he wants you to know."

"I'm a ninja too, you know." She pointed out reasonably.

Gaara shrugged. "You're a genin."

Hanabi nodded. "Not for long. The chuunin exams should be coming up soon."

"If you're ready." He teased her.

"What are they going to name the twins?" She asked.

Gaara shrugged. "Don't know yet."

"I'll be ready. For the exams I mean." She told him proudly. "I'm ready now."

"Any luck yet with those tags I gave you?" He asked her blandly.

Hanabi stiffened. "Yes." She met him stare for stare, then shrugged. "Some."

Gaara reached into his tunic and pulled out a small wrapped gift. "For your birthday, sorry I missed it."

She eyed it warily, finally reaching out for it with both hands as was proper to accept a gift. Her fingers touched it, and she smiled a bit as nothing exploded. Hanabi gave him a cautious look as she slowly unwrapped the gift.

"Gee. A horn." Hanabi turned the animal horn over and over in her hands, looking confused. "I'm soooo pleased."

Gaara smiled just a little. "It goes with the first gift."

Pausing, Hanabi looked at the horn again. What did it have to do with the shaped tags? Before she could ask, Katashi entered the dining room.

The seven year-old took one look at the two of them, stopped cold and turned right around to leave.

"Katashi!" Hanabi called after him. "Where are you going?"

The boy didn't stop as he called back to them. "I'd rather starve. The last time I got between the two of you, I got dyed PINK!"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	3. Dangerous Times

"They receiving visitors yet?"

The voice made shivers run up and down Hanabi's spine. Fighting the urge to squeal like a total idiot, the fourteen year old genin turned with as much grace as she could muster. Usually, she moved smoothly, but she was currently aching in places she hadn't known existed before. Stupid Ibiki and his training measures.

"Kiba!" She said, not with the joy she wanted to express, but calmly as befitting a woman worthy of his notice. She didn't want him seeing her as a little girl. "Akamaru." She greeted the nin-dog separately, hoping that if she won over the canine, the master would be more likely to notice her as well.

"Bratling." The dog-nin said with affection, ruffling her hair as Akamaru gave her a small chirp of a bark. "You look like you had a fight with a briar patch and lost."

Hanabi gave him a weak smile, hiding her mortification. "Training." She said, trying to sound grown up and casual. "My team has a mission coming up soon and we've been doing some extra training. You know how it is."

Kiba nodded, flashing his fangs wickedly. Hanabi nearly groaned at the sight, her stomach swirling with butterflies. How did you kiss a man with fangs? In her adolescent mind she was feverish to find out!

"Look, I've got to run, but wanted to drop off some presents for the new parents. And old parents." Kiba grinned widely as Akamaru barked and yipped at his side. "The Hyuuga water contaminated or something? Four new babies in one family. Remind me not to eat or drink anything you offer."

Hanabi frowned, not having considered that Kiba might be scared away by all the new additions to the family. "It's not in the water! I promise it's safe!" She said, then nearly fainted at how silly she sounded.

Kiba laughed and shook his head. "Just kidding, bratling. Look, may I leave these presents with you? I don't know everyone's schedule and I have to be somewhere."

"Oh sure!" Hanabi rushed forward eagerly, wanting him to notice how helpful she could be. And definitely not a little girl anymore, she mused as she tried to push out her meager figure. "You have a mission too?"

"No." Kiba winked at her. "Just a date."

Hanabi fought not to frown. "Oh?" She blinked innocently. Who was the bitch? And how to get her out of the picture. "Do I know the lucky girl?"

"Inuzuka?"

Hanabi wanted to growl in frustration as her question fell by the wayside. Instead she only offered a weak smile as Gaara came out into the main hallway. "He's bringing by presents for the new mothers." She motioned toward the pile of presents.

"Twin boys. Congratulations …uncle. How does it feel?" Kiba teased the red-head casually. Hanabi felt a bit queasy as she watched the two talk a moment. Didn't Kiba realize that the biggest threat to their future happiness was the very man he was laughing with now? She just hoped Gaara realized that by standing in the way of what she wanted, he was putting himself in the line of fire.

Gaara watched Hanabi scowl at him behind Kiba's back. He'd sensed the Inuzuka's chakra signature and had hurried over. Judging from the looks he was getting, Hanabi wasn't happy with the interruption.

Good.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"They're three days old, they should have names by now." Hiashi frowned severely as Hinata sat in a rocker holding both twins. "Isn't it bad luck for them to not have names yet?"

The new mother nodded, but didn't otherwise respond. She smiled lovingly down at her sleepy-eyed boys. They were full, they were clean and soon they'd be asleep again.

Hiashi fought to maintain his scowl as his daughter cooed at his grandchildren. They were handsome boys, even if they weren't completely Hyuuga in appearance. The clan leader sighed as Jishin stretched her little body in his arms and he looked down into the face of his newest daughter.

"Who's going to rule the nursery?" Hinata wondered softly as she rocked slowly back and forth. "The boys are bigger, even if Jishin is older."

He laughed, he couldn't help himself. "She may look like a miniature copy of me, but Jishin already has the temper of her mother. I'd tell the boys to 'look out'." He paused dramatically. "If I knew their names, that is."

Hinata grinned and looked up just as Hanabi flounced into the nursery. "Here, take one please? They're both asleep again."

The genin's ill humor faded as she accepted her youngest nephew. The boys were wrapped in two separate colored blankets, to keep them straight. "Anko suggested that we paint the oldest blue, so that when they start crawling we won't get them mixed up accidentally." Hanabi cuddled the baby for a few minutes before putting him down in his crib. "Father? How did they keep you and your twin brother straight?"

Hiashi frowned deeply at what weren't necessarily good memories. "Hizashi and I were not raised together. He was branch family and I was the heir." Looking at his twin grandsons, he'd never felt that rift more than he did at this very moment. He prayed his brother could forgive him from wherever in the heavens he resided now.

Both girl's blinked, then stared at their father, unable to read his expression. Hinata's eyes narrowed slowly on him.

The clan leader sighed and shook his head before Hinata could speak up. "Yes, the remaining elder council has approached me about curse sealing the twins. They want to know if Jishin will be Neji's heir, or his own son and which should be sealed. Then they wanted to know if I'd be putting aside Neji in favor of my newest child, or perhaps my bastard son, or my eldest daughter now that she's thoughtfully provided the clan with twin boys."

Hanabi said something short and pithy.

Hiashi frowned at her. "Language, young lady." But Hanabi sniffed and refused to take back her words, or apologize.

"Well?" Hinata asked cautiously, her hands holding her baby tighter to her chest. The infant wriggled a bit and she loosened her grip, slightly.

The Hyuuga clan leader sighed. "I told them that Neji is in training to take over the clan in a year and a half. I told them that the curse seal is no longer effective, now that the secret has been sold by that traitor, Misyu. And then I disbanded them."

"They'll be back." Hanabi scowled. "Making demands. Will you seal any of the children?"

"No." Hiashi looked smug. "And I didn't dismiss them, I disbanded them. Permanently. Three or so will stay on for the new Hyuuga council, which I will be leading once Neji takes over clan leadership. You, Hinata, will also be joining me on the council."

"And me." Hanabi muttered, not wanting to be overlooked.

Hiashi frowned, giving her a look. "If you're still living here, of course."

"I am NOT moving to Suna!" The genin stamped her foot, but not hard enough to wake any of the sleeping infants.

"Of course not, of course not." Hiashi muttered unconvincingly even as he wondered if Gaara was mad for wanting to court her in the first place. She was a handful, this firecracker.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"How's the training going?" Shizune asked as she set lunch on the table.

Ibiki groaned with pleaseure as he sniffed the aroma. He slid into his seat with a soft smile for his wife. "Individually, their jutsu are growing stronger. As chuunin possibilities, they fail utterly."

The Hokage's assistant gave her husband's shoulder a gentle squeeze before pouring him some tea and taking her own seat. "They have potential though, according to the reports you've been sending to Tsunade."

The ANBU shinobi shook his head. "Potential unrealized. If they can't come together, this team will have to be rethought. Possibly restructured."

"Hanabi?" Shizune guessed at the problem.

"No. Yes, but not really. She's distracted right now. She's been fooling around with shaped explosives, thinks I don't know." Ibiki grunted and took a bite of his food. "This is really good."

"Thank you." Shizune beamed at his praise, pleased. "I borrowed the recipe from Nara's wife." She didn't tell him it had taken three tries to get it right.

Ibiki nodded, not mentioning the smell of burnt and ruined food in the garbage pail outside. He just smiled at his still-new bride and enjoyed the company.

"Shaped tags?" The kunoichi spoke up a few moments later. "Isn't that rather specialized for a genin?"

He nodded. "Demolition ninja arts, really. I don't know where she got a hold of such a good template, though I can hazard a guess." Ibiki thought of the Suna Kazekage ruefully. "Rather than use them up immediately, she's trying to recreate them on her own. I think she really LIKES blowing things up."

"Maybe you should stop her before she hurts herself, or her team." Shizune pursed her lips, looking concerned. Then again, she was a healer. "Or you for that matter. I like having you in one piece."

Ibiki shrugged. "Actually, I think its good practice. Building up a skill from the bottom up and all. And she does seem to have an affinity for demolition. Still, she's distracted. Rokuro is jealous of her position, and his family is going through a crisis. He's distracted as well."

"Michi?" Shizune asked, mentioning the most stable team member. "He never struck me as being easily distracted."

"Won't step up. He could be a great leader if he'd only step into the breech. Hanabi and Rokuro's personalities are large, I'll admit. And Michi is quiet. But he has the ability and the smarts for it, if he'd only stop trying to keep on everyone's good side. Bang a few heads together and take charge."

The two finished their lunch quietly, chatting about their respective days and schedules. Finally, Shizune sighed and pushed back her plate. "Well, at least Hanabi is well named for a career as a demolition ninja specialist."

"Firecracker? Yeah, don't think I haven't chuckled over that too." Ibiki said as he gathered up the dishes. "Are you free after lunch? Or do you have to go right back to the Hokage tower?"

"I have a few moments." She said dryly, licking her lips as she watched him move around their small kitchen. Shizune watched her husband with lazy, satisfied eyes. The ANBU torture master did the dishes. All while wearing what he refused to call an apron. Delicious. "I'm glad I married you." She purred.

Ibiki gave her an odd look as he rinsed off the dishes with precise movements. "I'm glad you did too. Saves on what it would have cost to kidnap you."

They grinned at each other, even as Shizune wondered if that was meant as a joke. Or not.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"But why nooooot?" The whine didn't work though, as it only drew an irritated look from Anko.

"No." The spiky-haired jounin said firmly. "And if your father said 'no', then you shouldn't be coming to me to ask behind his back."

Katashi kicked his toes into the ground as the two headed back from one of the training fields. Target practice had gone very well and he should have been pleased, but he had other things on his mind. "Father didn't say no exactly."

Anko chuckled and shoved him with one hip. Katashi frowned, but stayed on his feet. His little seven year old face a study in stubbornness. "Well? He didn't." The boy reiterated.

"You didn't ask him, then." Anko guessed, then grinned at the caught look on his face. "You'll need to school your expressions better than that if you want to attend the Academy. Ninja don't let on what they're feeling or thinking."

"The other boys are going. Two of them even started the Academy this year! Shunin's father is going!" Katashi skipped out in front, turning so that he faced her as he backpedaled down the pathway. His eyes were pale pools of pleading misery. "They'll think I'm a baby if I can't go with them!" No one begs quite like a seven year old bent on getting his own way.

Anko shook her head, not wanting to go too far into detail. She left that for the boy's father to handle. "I'm the evil step-mother, remember? Blame me. I can handle it. Call me a bitch and they'll be duly impressed, I promise."

Katashi's face settled into a mutinous scowl, but at least he stopped with the whining. A sly look entered his eyes and Anko bit back a grin, waiting to see the new tactic he had in store for her.

"Do you think Hinata and Kankuro have named the twins yet?" Katashi opened, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Anko shook her head, eager to see what the boy was planning. "They need to name the boys soon or Hiashi will have a heart attack."

Katashi nodded and looked away from her, appearing nonchalant. "Maybe I should go read to the twins. Let them know who their uncle is and all that."

"That would be nice." The spiky-haired woman said, matching his casual tone. If he'd bothered to look at her though, Katashi would have known he wasn't fooling her for an instant.

"And then when you come in to get Jishin, I can tell the twins all about their graaaaandmother."

Anko stopped in the middle of the pathway and narrowed her eyes on the kid. "Grandmother?"

"Yes. MOM." Katashi grinned at her as he spoke loudly, making the few out and about look at them strangely.

Temper flared, then subsided as she chuckled without humor. "Tadpole, you just got demoted to general pond scum. Or maybe a hoppy bug or something. Still, as good as it is …calling me grandmother to embarrass me into giving you permission to go to the port town with the other boys is NOT going to work." She shrugged. "Besides, I'm not a grandmother."

Katashi pouted as he watched her. "Sure you are. You're Hinata's new mother and she just had the twins. You're a GRANDMOTHER." He nearly shouted.

Anko groaned as she saw a quick smirk on Genma's face as the senbon user headed out toward the training fields they'd just vacated. She gave him a warning glare and he just whistled as he passed by, his hands in his pockets.

"Nice strategy, pond scum." The kunoichi crooned in a dangerous voice, making Katashi back up a few steps for good measure. "Still, the answer is no."

"But whhhhhhy …" The echo of the whine carried over the area, as did the sound of Anko's long-suffering sigh.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi's foul mood didn't lessen when she went out to the gardens to be alone, and found to her chagrin, that she wasn't. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

Gaara shrugged from where he stood leaning against the tree. "I'm a guest."

Unable to respond to that, Hanabi fought not to stick her tongue out at him like a child.

"What was up with the sandpaper soap?" He asked as it became apparent she wasn't going to talk willingly.

Hanabi sniffed in his general direction and didn't stop as she brushed right past him. Or that had been her intention before she tripped. The genin fall flat on her face, the wind knocked out of her as she gasped for breath. Gathering herself quickly, she flipped over and glared at the root sticking up out of the ground, and then up into his blank expression.

"I didn't cause it to grow like that, or to trip you." He told her plainly as he pointed at the offending root.

Embarrassed, Hanabi jumped quickly and gracefully to her feet and if in the process knocked some dirt on his boots, it was accidental. Or hopefully looked that way.

Gaara glanced down at his boots. "Childish." He commented. "As was the soap that could have been used to grind wood."

Frustrated, Hanabi glared at him. "Why didn't it work? It should have worked."

The red-head nodded. "You haven't seen Kankuro today, have you?"

Frowning, she just shook her head. "Why?"

Gaara gave a tight-lipped smile. "He used my bathroom this morning while I practiced my kata downstairs. Said he didn't want to wake Hinata getting dressed as she'd been up most of the night with the boys."

Hanabi's eyes widened as her mouth formed an 'oh'.

"His skin was on fire all morning." Gaara commented absently. "Luckily we're from Suna and know how to treat skin burns rather well. Still. That was mean."

"It was meant for you." She muttered, looking unrepentant.

"Have you figured out the horn yet?" He asked, out of the blue.

Hanabi caught her breath at the mention of his strange birthday gift to her. "I will." She vowed and turned to stalk off in a disgruntled huff.

Gaara watched her go, appreciating her fire and determination. "Yes, you probably will. And heaven help Konoha when you do."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi sat Anko at one end of the dinner table, running his hand suggestively up her spine as she winked at him. 'Later' her look told him. His body stirred as he took his own seat at the head of the table.

Neji watched and tried not to smile as he watched his uncle. He gave Yugao's hand a squeeze under the table and winked at his own wife even as he wondered if Hiashi meant to give up his seat at the head of the table when he turned over clan leadership. Neji peered over at the austere man and somehow doubted it. Even if he did, Neji wasn't sure he wanted that chair anyway. In his mind it would always belong to Hiashi.

"Well?" His uncle prompted Neji out of his musings.

Neji nodded and frowned as he remembered what he and the puppet ninja had uncovered so far. "The new house you had commissioned for Hinata and Kankuro? Riddled with traps."

"Aimed to kill or capture?" Hiashi barked, disturbed. He'd assumed that the contractors Gaara had uncovered weren't alone, but he'd hoped they'd not been in with the men he'd hired to build his daughter's new residence. But he'd not been willing to take any chances. He'd been about to order a thorough search, but Neji and Kankuro had some of the same ideas and had beaten him to it.

"Mostly they're meant to incapacitate. Nasty stuff though." Neji groused darkly. "And the ANBU torture division sent a report on the men we'd turned over to them. Seems that they'd been instructed on how to twist the security 'just so' to allow their ninja easy access."

Anko scowled over at her husband, looking like she wanted to tear someone apart. "Tear the whole thing down and start over."

Kankuro snorted. "No. Actually, in going over the plans Neji and I have come up with some pretty nasty tricks of our own."

Hiashi grunted and eyed his son-by-marriage. He nodded toward the nasty red scrapes and burned areas on his hands and face. "Trip some of the surprises by accident?"

"No." Kankuro scowled and flicked a fuming look toward Hanabi, who was quietly eating her dinner as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

Gaara snorted, but didn't comment as he concentrated on his own dinner.

"Oh." Hiashi sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Right. So, what did you have in mind?"

"Besides murder?" Kankuro activated his puppetry chakra strings underneath the table and gave Hanabi a quick jerk around the ankle. She squeaked in surprise, but held on to her seat, though she nearly knocked her plate to the floor.

"Yes, besides murder." Hiashi said without any expression that indicated he'd even noticed his daughter's supposed clumsiness.

Neji coughed lightly to get attention. "Actually, it's quite clever. At all the points that possible attackers would think to be weak? Kankuro has these detailed mechanisms that will turn any attacker into puddles of blood and gore."

Hinata frowned, her eyes anxious. "What about the boys? What if one of the twins gets curious?"

"They're not even sitting yet, much less crawling around." Kankuro assured her. "And these are immediate solutions only, until something more permanent can be placed."

Hiashi nodded. "Write it all down and let's look at it. I want that house protected completely."

The puppet ninja shrugged. "Already started work on it, actually." He looked unapologetically at his father-by-marriage. Hiashi wasn't the head of HIS house, after all. It wasn't like he was a Hyuuga, and it was even uncertain whether his sons would inherit the Hyuuga traits.

Hiashi stiffened, but let the moment pass. It took some getting used to, this brusque manner of the former Sand shinobi. He followed orders well, but only when he wanted to though. "Do my grandchildren have names yet? It's disgraceful that they're three days old and don't have names."

"They have names." Kankuro said, smiling. "We just wanted to wait until dinner to tell everyone."

Hiashi's pale eyes widened and he grunted. "About damn time. Well?"

Hinata frowned over at her father. "We wanted everyone together. Katashi isn't here."

Anko stiffened as she looked around the table. Hiashi shrugged. "He said he had a stomach ache and wanted to lay down. Now, what are the names you've chosen for my grandchildren?"

Hinata looked at Kankuro who nodded to her. She turned to her father with a smile. "The eldest we've decided to name Nowaki, after the 'storm wind'."

Hiashi smiled and gave the table a good thump. "A good strong name, I approve. And the younger boy?"

Kankuro smiled. "Ryusei."

The Hyuuga clan leader looked puzzled. "Shooting star?"

The puppeteer nodded and shrugged. "One form of the Tengu."

Hiashi's eyes widened in appreciation. "A protective spirit, one of the heavenly dogs. A very strong meaning."

Kankuro nodded and sighed. "I wanted names that were imbued with strength, in case …well, in case they're not …"

"Hyuuga?" Hiashi thought about it a moment and nodded. "I don't know. Those are good names and I like them, but that doesn't mean the twins haven't inherited the Byakugan. We're just going to have to wait and see."

"Anko? Is something the matter?" Yugao asked, pulling attention to the spiky-haired woman as she tried to slip from the room.

Hiashi frowned over at his wife. "What's wrong?" Had she been trying to sneak out of the room?

"Katashi was fine earlier." Anko said. "Though angry because I wouldn't give him permission to go with his new friends to the port town to watch the trade ships dock. But his stomach was perfectly fine."

Hiashi shook his head. "Go out of town? When our family is basically under siege? No, he can't go."

Neji sighed and activated his Byakugan. He looked in the direction of Katashi's room, then started scanning the rest of the house.

Hiashi's face went purple and red as he too started using his family's bloodline limit to look for his son. "He wouldn't have."

Anko sighed, shaking her head. "You didn't tell him he couldn't go."

"He didn't ask me." Hiashi fumed as he stood. "I'm going after him."

"I'll go with you." Gaara said from next to his brother.

"He didn't ask, because he knew your answer. Hell, he already had MY answer." Anko shook her head, looking furious. "But he'll tell you that you didn't say no."

"It won't save him." Hiashi promised darkly.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	4. In Trouble

"We can't all go." Hiashi sighed heavily as the family grouped in the front hallway. "Hopefully nothing is the matter and it's a simple question of retrieving Katashi from his own foolhardy behavior."

"I want to go." Hinata whispered against Kankuro's neck as she hugged him.

He squeezed her tightly. "I know." The puppeteer and his wife both knew that she'd just given birth three days ago. She'd had some excessive bleeding, and although it was repaired quickly, she wasn't combat ready. Not yet. "I'd rather you stay with the twins, though. Not that I expect trouble. This is probably just Katashi being a typical kid. And I hate kids."

"You have two now." She told him sternly. "You better learn to like them."

The puppeteer gave her a lopsided smile. "Nowaki and Ryusei are different. They're ours. Besides, they're babies, not kids. Not yet."

Hinata slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "I thought you liked my brother."

Kankuro shrugged and gave her a quick kiss. "I do, Hoshi. When he isn't pulling stuff like this."

"Are you sure you don't want my assistance?" Gaara spoke calmly, arms crossed as he watched everyone.

Before Hiashi could speak though, Kankuro beat him to it. "This is family stuff."

Gaara stiffened sharply, not having expected that response, not from Kankuro. He wasn't family? But before hurt could bloom to anger, the puppeteer continued.

"No one but family can be trusted right now. You're my family. No offense to Hinata, but she's not recovered from the twins yet. If this is an attack, worse, if this is a lure to get to any of the children, you are the only one I trust to kill them all." Kankuro said tightly, his sneer in full form beneath his Bunraku facial paint and hood.

Neji frowned a bit at that. "We need some alive to answer questions."

Kankuro looked at Gaara and Gaara looked back.

The brothers understood each other better in that moment than they ever had. Capturing the enemy would be fine. But if anyone got close enough to harm Hinata or the twins, they were worse than merely dead. Gaara nodded sharply, almost imperially. Kankuro grunted and headed out the door without another word. Relieved that Gaara was there so he wouldn't have to worry.

Neji watched Yugao put on her cloak. "You have the messages for ANBU and the Hokage's staff?"

The blue-haired kunoichi smiled tightly. "We're overreacting." She said quietly. "This is just Katashi being seven years old and stubborn. He's being disobedient and willful. No one's using him to draw our heavy hitters out of Konoha in order to attack the Hyuuga compound."

Neji nodded, then gave his wife a quick smile. "These precautions were your idea." He reminded her gently, proud of her lightening fast planning abilities.

Yugao sighed and headed for the door as she spoke. "ANBU prepare for anything and everything, no matter how unlikely or improbable."

"I love that woman." The Hyuuga heir breathed out as he watched her disappear into the evening.

Anko growled and shoved Hiashi out the door. "Go get the bratling and bring him back so I can kill him properly."

The current Hyuuga clan leader shook his head at his wife's murderous expression. On one hand it thrilled him she was so concerned about his son. On the other, he hoped she didn't actually mean to actually kill the boy. With Anko sometimes it was hard to tell.

Finally, everyone that was going was gone. Anko stood proudly in the hallway, looking around at the others. Her face fell into a sneer. "He's fine. Or he is until I get a hold of the little pond scum."

Hanabi gave a weak smile, her stomach in turmoil. Was this a ploy to attack the Hyuuga household? She doubted it. Still, she'd gotten attached to Katashi and hoped he was okay. But those weren't the thoughts that dominated her mind right now.

The young Hyuuga genin felt guilty and appalled at her own selfishness. But her anger at Katashi at this moment had nothing to do with putting himself in danger, or anyone else for that matter. It was just that with him gone like this there was no opportunity for her to sneak out and see who the hell it was that Kiba was dating tonight! Stupid Katashi messed up all her plans. She'd underestimated how much trouble having younger siblings could be.

"Hinata? Hanabi?" Anko interrupted the tense silence. "I'm going to go check the defense parameters of the compound."

"I can do that." Hanabi volunteered quickly, eager to be doing something. And if she could check in with the gate guards, maybe they'd seen a certain Inuzuka out with someone and they could tell her who!

Anko shook her head. "No. Not that I don't think you're up to it." She amended as Hanabi's face fell. "I've been updating them lately with your father, so I know them best. You on the other hand know every servant and branch family member, yes?"

Hanabi nodded, her lips compressed tightly together. She did indeed know everyone within the Hyuuga family lands.

"I need you to check on the other houses in the compound. Servants, family members, everything. I also want you to check with the guards at the gate. See who's visiting. Account for everyone. If you don't know them, or have suspicions. Notify me immediately."

"Yes." The girl nodded with alacrity, feeling torn with pride for being trusted to do this and irritation that it was necessary. Hell. She was burning to know who Kiba was out with right now! And she was going to get to check with the guards too, this may work out after all.

"And me?" Hinata spoke up, her voice quiet but not shy. Not now.

"The children." Anko said simply, feeling a sharp tear in her heart she'd never own up to having. The mere thought of Jishin or any of the other infants in danger just about made her want to vomit. She'd never thought she'd be so attached to anyone or anything. Then Hiashi had blundered his way into her heart. Now there was another. A little girl with white Hyuuga eyes and a shock of black hair who could cry loud enough to shake the rafters just like the earthquake she was named for. "Can you take the nursery?"

Hinata nodded, relieved actually. No matter what duty she'd been assigned, she'd have done it. But part of her mind would have been on her boys. Being stationed in the nursery helped ease that tension within her.

"Where are you going?" Hanabi snapped as Gaara tightened the straps on his sand gourd and touched his weapons pouch to make sure all was in the right place.

The Kazekage gave her a look and it was one that made Hanabi swallow hard. She knew instinctively that the look wasn't meant for her. There was death in his gaze. She shivered, but not with fear, not entirely. Once before he'd stepped in to save her life from assassins, killing two almost without effort. She'd realized then that he was more than just a man who irritated her. He was a true shinobi.

Now. Seeing that death cold look in his eyes. She realized that he was more than that. He was Kazekage. By merit, not politics. Strange that she'd missed that. But as quickly as that thought formed, Hanabi dismissed it. That image didn't mesh with the one she already had in her head. The one where the red-head was the bane of her existence, a rival, and someone to beat. THAT was the Gaara she knew.

Suddenly, she realized he'd gone. Hanabi snapped her mind back to the tasks at hand and gave Anko a brief nod before heading out to complete her own assignments.

"What do you get when you mix firecrackers and cupcakes?" Anko murmured to Hinata, watching out the window as Hanabi headed out into the evening.

Hinata smiled sweetly and shook her head. "Icing everywhere?"

Anko smirked and sighed as she checked her own weapons pouch. "A whole lot of fun."

"Messy." Hinata commented, almost to the top of the stairs.

"Messy fun is the best!" Anko called out after the departing kunoichi. "What fun is fun without a little bit of destruction and mayhem?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

The troupe heading toward the port town were not difficult to locate, not with the Byakugan. Hiashi scowled, worry knotting up his stomach. "He's not with them."

"Are you sure?" Kankuro sighed, watching the two Hyuuga scan the area ahead of them on the road to the port town.

Neji rapped the puppeteer sharply on the back of his head. "We'd know Katashi's chakra signature anywhere. I count five people. Two children, three adults. But no Katashi."

Hiashi grunted with irritation.

"We still have to catch up with them. See if they are who they're supposed to be. Find out if Katashi started out with them." Kankuro said, wincing as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Kankuro? You're with me." Hiashi said coolly. "Neji, hang back and make sure this isn't an ambush situation."

The puppeteer didn't question the order as he nodded. Still, he had to ask. "But can't you see an ambush before it happens? I mean, you did scan the entire area. I saw you."

Hiashi nodded, biting back a quick retort. His son-by-marriage wasn't being stupid, it was a legitimate question. "We're dealing, possibly, with people who are targeting the Hyuuga specifically. They attacked Neji on his honeymoon using secret clan jutsu to activate his curse seal. He only lives because we were one step ahead and had altered the seal to mirror the pain back on the user, rather than the target."

Kankuro followed the line of thought with a groan. "You expect them to know about the Byakugan and be planning on ways to thwart that ability."

"Unlikely, but …but ANBU aren't the only ones who like to be prepared for all possibilities." Neji nodded at his uncle. "I'm ready when you are."

Hiashi took off without a backward glance, sure in Neji's abilities. Kankuro was beside his father-by-marriage, step for step.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The Aburame house was not exactly quiet, but it was relatively calm at the moment. Shino and his father were discussing clan business when there was a loud shriek of wounded male pride, a large crash of something that sounded breakable, and the pounding of running feet.

Shibi sighed as he saw his youngest grandson Katsumaru run by with a wild look of fear on his face, followed by his eight year old uncle Ryota, who was limping badly. The look on Ryota's face did not bode well for the littlest Aburame.

"Father?" A woman poked her head out of the kitchen hallway. "What was that?"

Shibi sighed at his oldest child. "That was your youngest son bedeviling my son."

Sachi sighed and headed after the sound of combat upstairs. "Can we give the hive to Katsumaru early? Drain a bit of this wild energy of his?"

"No." But Shibi chuckled, having wondered the same thing himself a time or three. "On his fourth birthday will be the earliest I'll consider it."

"Was it Sadao or Ryota?" Sachi asked while on the stairway. "They need to be careful of him, he is only three after all."

Shibi shook his head. "It was Ryota who was limping, not Katsumaru." He muttered to Shino, taking a moment to realize his son wasn't paying him the slightest attention. The Aburame clan leader turned to look at where his son's attention lay.

"Ah." Shibi nodded, seeing Temari smiling at them from the doorway of the family room where the boys had been playing originally. He smiled at her as she disappeared back into the room. "I'm sorry the boys disturbed you." He called after the blond kunoichi.

"I'm not." Shino said, his voice sad and almost a whisper.

Shibi looked over at his son in question.

Shino shrugged and headed back into the study to pour himself a small glass of rice wine. He looked at his father and saw the man's patented 'patient' look. Sighing, he gave in to the inevitable without a fight. "That's the first time Temari has smiled in days. If it takes Katsumaru breaking everything in the house, so be it."

"Bite your tongue." Shibi shivered involuntarily. "But I see your point." He said and sighed. "She miscarried, didn't she?"

The Aburame nodded, knowing his father already suspected. "She was so sure the surgery would work."

The older shinobi poured himself a glass of wine and offered to top off Shino's drink, but the younger man shook his head. He wasn't looking to lose himself in alcohol. Nodding in approval, Shibi gestured for Shino to take a seat.

"You don't know that the surgery didn't work." Shibi said after a long silence as the two sat lost in their own thoughts. "Tsunade explained that there is a high rate of this kind of thing even without a history of problems. Your own sister had a miscarriage before she had the three boys. One failed pregnancy is hard, but it's doesn't mean …."

"Two." Shino sighed and laid his head back on his chair.

Shibi's thoughts stalled. Two? They'd not been married long enough for two pregnancies. Then he got it. Sighing he gave his son a baleful look, though Shino wasn't looking at him.

As if he could feel his father's regard, Shino lifted his head. "Don't think poorly of her for that." He said, referring to the fact that Temari had gotten pregnant before they were married.

"I don't." Shibi said, nearly completely meaning it. "She was pregnant when she went back to Suna?"

Shino nodded, his face a mask of ninja non-expression. "She didn't know it. Neither did I. It was only after she miscarried that she even found out."

"And that's when the medics told her she'd never carry a healthy child to term?" Shibi guessed.

"Yes." The younger ninja confirmed the statement. "That's why she broke it off with me. She thought she'd never give me an heir and I was better off without her. Little fool." Shino's heart hurt at the thought of how close he'd come to losing out on the best thing in his life. If the old Kazekage hadn't married Kankuro and Hinata by proxy seventeen years ago, then Temari may not ever have come back to Konoha. And the two of them would never have reconciled. "I really should toast the former Kazekage."

"Bite your tongue. Twice." Shibi shuddered at his own memories of Temari's father, though he easily understood his son's way of thinking. "Still, everything makes more sense now. I never understood how Temari could cut you out of her life like that, with a cold note and all. But the pain of not only losing her child, but being told she'd never have any? Poor girl."

Shino clenched his wine glass so hard it creaked under the pressure. Shibi raised an eyebrow, but his son eased up and put the glass down. "She was sure the surgery would let her have a child."

"It still might." Shibi said as gently as he could, not knowing really what else to say.

"I don't want to try anymore." Shino admitted reluctantly. "Not if it puts her through this again. The grief is turning her into a ghost. I want my Temari back." He thought of how awful he felt seeing her hurting and not being able to do a thing to help her. Sure, he was there for her and she said it was enough. But he wanted with all his heart to see her back smiling, laughing, and sneering at him. Not stiffening up when he held her at night. Or worse, clinging to him while trying not to cry.

Shibi nodded, the germ of an idea in the back of his head. It wouldn't be a welcome idea. Not to his son, and certainly not to his pride-prickly new daughter-by-marriage. Still, it was worth considering.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Jyuhyo Naizen shook his head at Hiashi. "No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen Katashi since we left the village." The life-time chuunin looked over at his son. "Shunin?"

The boy shook his head too. "No, he came by earlier to say his step-mother wouldn't let him come."

The other boy piped up, his bright eyes laughing. "That's not what he said."

Shunin shushed him, elbowing his friend in the ribs.

The other two adults eyed the two boys warily. "Children." One called out warningly.

Shunin sighed. "What Eiichi means is that when he said he couldn't come, he called his step-mother …."

"Evil." Grinned the other boy, showing off the gap of his missing front teeth. "He said she was pure evil and a mean step-mother and wouldn't let him have any fun."

Hiashi nodded tersely even as Naizen sucked in a harsh breath. "That's not nice, boys."

Eiichi shrugged, unrepentant. "That's what he said though."

Shunin nodded reluctantly. "He really did, Dad."

Kankuro grunted. "It's an apt description."

The three adults looked at each other and then at Kankuro. The puppeteer shrugged. "I'm sure you heard that Mitarashi Anko married him not too long ago." He jerked a thumb at a frowning Hiashi.

"Oooh. Anko." The three adults nodded in respect, and Naizen even went so far as to give Hiashi a sympathetic look. "That explains a lot."

Hiashi glared at Kankuro, his expression promising retribution. The puppet user looked unfazed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi came back into the main house. She'd done her duty, and had made sure to be thorough. It was disappointing that the gate guards hadn't seen Kiba, so she still didn't know whom he was seeing. Still, she'd hid her personal feelings and checked the guest rosters. Not that there'd been anything to find. Everyone and everything was as it should be. The only visitor still in the Hyuuga compound was ….

"Back already?"

"Gaara." Hanabi sighed, finishing her thought aloud as she turned to eye the red-headed Suna shinobi. "Anything?"

"Nothing. You?" He asked succinctly.

Hanabi shook her head as she hung up her lighter spring cloak and gear.

"There's fresh tea in the study. The servants are feeling restless too." Gaara commented.

"Do they know anything?" Hanabi asked as she headed gratefully for the promised refreshment.

Gaara shrugged. "They know something is up, but not what exactly. It's not my place to tell them."

Hanabi poured the tea and wrapped her hands around her cup, breathing in the heady aroma. "Perfect."

"Did you find out who Kiba is seeing tonight?" Gaara asked, smirking as her eyes went wide as she nearly spilled her tea at his question.

Fuming, Hanabi refused to answer. Then all of a sudden she realized she was alone with Gaara. She looked around quickly.

Reading her movements correctly, Gaara poured his own tea as he answered her unspoken question. "Hinata's with the children, there's a nurse and the housekeeper with her as they all seemed to wake up hungry at the same time. Anko's been back twice, but is out making the rounds again."

Hanabi nodded. "Any word?"

"Not yet."

"Well then." Hanabi put down her still-full tea cup and stretched. "I should …."

"Leave a guest unattended?" Gaara smirked lightly at her, leaning back leisurely in his seat. "Tsk."

"You're not my guest." She said a bit sharply.

Gaara blinked slowly at her. "You're a Hyuuga."

"You know I am."

The red head gave her a droll look. "The only Hyuuga downstairs. And I am a guest of the Hyuuga family. Yes?"

Hanabi's anger grew exponentially. But she was unable to let go of the reins on her temperament. Damn it. He was right. How infuriating was that? She looked at her non-suitor and sighed rudely. "What do you need?" She said, the words correct but hardly welcoming.

Gaara actually gifted her with a small smile. He was still on alert to potential attack, but couldn't pass up this golden opportunity. Hanabi-baiting was quickly becoming his favorite pastime. Then he stopped, wondering. A pastime? He'd never had one before, not really. He looked at Hanabi and wondered what it was about her that intrigued him so. It wasn't a physical connection, not at their ages. She was fourteen to his nineteen. Too young, far too young. Still, there was something in her personality that resonated with him.

Whether they grew together or apart was yet to be seen.

Hanabi tapped her foot in irritation, reminding him she was still waiting for an answer.

What did he want? Gaara's eyes warmed up a bit as he looked at her. "Entertain me."

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was quite late when the trio again reached the gates of Konoha. The guards were thorough, but eventually waved them back into the village proper sure that they were who they claimed to be.

Yugao dropped down neatly in front of them. Her eyes looked huge as she noted who was NOT with them. "Katashi?" She asked with a hint of dread.

Hiashi grunted as he activated his Bykugan and began scanning the entirety of the Leaf village itself.

Kankuro sighed, rolling his tired shoulders. "Didn't go with them. I'm pretty sure they were telling the truth too."

Neji nodded grimly. "I've worked with Naizen before, he's a good sort, even if he doesn't have it in him to reach jounin. He's a workhorse. Trustworthy."

"That's ANBU's take on him too." Yugao said, surprising the men. She shrugged lightly. "What? I just checked to make sure."

"Does ANBU have files on everyone?" Neji asked, curiously.

Yugao refused to answer.

Kankuro stared at the blue-haired kunoichi a moment. "What's their take on me?"

"They're still deciding." She said bluntly. "Kurenai vouched for you. But she's not ANBU." Yugao shrugged as if to say that any opinion was not fact unless it came through ANBU.

"Kurenai, huh?" Kankuro sighed to himself. He still owed the genjutsu user for the trick she'd played on him the night he'd THOUGHT he'd hurt Hinata. Damn woman. Still. She'd vouched for him. More importantly, Hinata thought the world of Kurenai. It made getting back at her tricky to say the least.

"Found him." Hiashi's voice was tight as he stared off toward the training fields.

Kankuro's shoulders relaxed a bit, then his anger roused as worry lessened. "What the fuck is he doing out there?"

But there was no one around to ask except for Yugao. He and the blue-haired kunoichi shared a small chuckle as they realized the Hyuuga males had taken off without a word.

"Should we follow?" The puppeteer asked.

Yugao shook her head. "You don't have too, I'm going to follow behind just in case."

Kankuro wanted to see his family, but ...he grinned instead. "I'm game." Was all he said. Discomfort or not, he wasn't going home without Katashi. He wasn't facing Hinata without good news on her baby brother.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"This isn't what I meant." Gaara said drolly as he held baby Nowaki gingerly under Hinata's watchful gaze. Or was it Ryusei? He peered down at the baby, trying to glean some difference between the twins.

"You didn't specify the form of entertainment." Hanabi smirked as she walked and toted a fussy Katsuro. "Does his hair look like its turning blue?"

Gaara growled low, startling the infant he was holding. The boy then scrunched up his little face. "Uh oh."

Hinata reached down and plucked Nowaki from Gaara's grip and replaced the child with Jishin. She didn't miss a beat as she carried the boy back to his brother, setting him down while cooing at them both.

Gaara sighed and stared down at Jishin, who stared back at him, waving her little arms. He looked up in time to catch Hanabi peeking at him, though she quickly looked away.

"I really think Katsuro's hair has a blue tint in it." Hanabi said in a falsely casual manner.

"It's black." Gaara asserted. Then he sat back a bit before continuing. "I guess playing with the babies is considered 'entertainment' to some."

"Men don't know colors. There's definately some blue in here." She changed subjects without effort. "You're not just a guest, you're family." Hanabi said, though refusing to look at him. "Almost like a brother." She stressed the last word strongly.

Gaara actually chuckled a bit, drawing an answering grin from the infant he held. He growled down at Jishin to see what she'd do. The little girl only grinned wider. This one would be a handful, he could already tell. "Maybe you can teach your nephew to be braver."

Hinata frowned over at her brother-by-marriage. "The twins are only three days old, give them at least a week before trying to whip them into shape." She said caustically.

Gaara eyed her, relaxing in this informal setting. Though he was still scanning the area for unfamiliar chakra signatures. "I'll give them two weeks and not a moment longer." He said dryly.

Hinata grinned, finally getting used to her husband's little brother. Sure, he was still scary, but she was beginning to be able to read beneath the surface.

The red head turned his attention back to the younger sister. Hanabi looked peeved. He grinned inwardly, but didn't let her see his amusement. His little firecracker didn't like being ignored, even by someone she professed to want 'gone'. "I am not your brother." He said evenly.

"I said 'almost like' a brother." She defended with a sniff. "Your brother married my sister. See?"

"Not even close." Gaara commented, his voice dry as dust. "Now. You never answered my question. Who was Kiba dating tonight?"

Startled, Hanabi held her breath a moment. Kiba? She'd nearly forgotten about her crush and the date he had tonight! Her eyes narrowed menacingly on the red-headed shinobi.

"Takizawa Ise." Hinata said blithely ignorant of the room's undercurrents. "That's what Kankuro tells me. I hear she's very pretty, though I've not really met her." The purple-haired kunoichi continued, missing the hurt look on her sister's face.

Gaara didn't though.

o.O.o.O.o.O

In an unspoken accord, Neji pulled up as Hiashi entered the training field. He activated his Byakugan and did yet another search of the area, still finding nothing out of the ordinary. There was a team of genin doing night training about three fields down, but Neji easily recognized the chakra signature of their sensei. He grinned as he sensed both Yugao and Kankuro at the edge of the training field.

Katashi was sitting alone on the thick branch of the tree, then he wasn't. Alone that is. He sighed pitifully as Hiashi sped his way up to his branch and settled down next to him.

Father and son sat there a long moment in silence. Finally, Katashi swallowed hard and hung his head.

"You missed dinner." Hiashi said quietly.

Katashi nodded, waves of misery fairly flowing off of him.

Hiashi looked down and saw mud caking his son's boots. "You haven't been in this tree all night. This field is rocky terrain."

The seven year-old shrugged. "I started to go back home."

"You should have. We were worried about you."

"To the mountains." The boy said after a moment, mentioning his former home in the Land of Earth.

Startled into silence, Hiashi watched his son without a clue as to what was wrong. "This isn't because Anko refused to let you go with your friends, is it?"

The boy just shook his head, his hair now hanging in front of his face. Hiashi's gaze sharpened. Half of his hair. The left side was jagged and cut, while the right was not. He knew Katashi had been growing out his hair ever since he'd joined the Hyuuga household. It amused he and Neji both that the boy wanted to look more like them.

Hiashi reached out and tried to turn his son's head toward him, but Katashi resisted. Still, he was only seven and while gentle, Hiashi won. The older man sucked in a harsh breath as he took in the bruise below his son's left eye and the ragged edges of his dark hair. "What happened?"

Katashi merely shrugged.

"Tell me." Hiashi said in his sternest voice.

The boy's shoulders hunched, but he didn't say anything.

"You got into a fight." Hiashi said, trying to keep his voice calm and even. "You're a boy and a ninja in training. That can happen. Losses happen too. Still ..."

"I didn't lose." Katashi said, looking up with a mulish expression. His pale eyes fairly snapped with surpressed emotion.

"Ah." Hiashi grinned, relieved to see the spunk back in the boy's face. "Were you worried I'd be mad you got into a fight? I can't say I'm happy about it, but there's no need to go back to the mountains. Konoha is your home now."

Katashi dropped his pale-eyed gaze, blushing a bit. "He said he'd have me kicked out."

Hiashi waited a moment, but the boy didn't elaborate. "No one but the Hokage can kick someone out of the village, and even then it has to be passed by the Elder Leaf council."

"His grandfather's on the council." Came the whispered reply. Suddenly the bitter words flowed out, like a festering wound suddenly lanced. "He said that you had two legitimate grandsons now, and even a new child. You wouldn't want a bastard like me."

Hiashi held his temper, but only barely. "Was this said before you beat him, or after?"

"Both." Katashi admitted. "He said the Hyuuga house was too small now and they'd need my room for a REAL Hyuuga."

"You are a real Hyuuga." Hiashi sighed, running an agitated hand through his long hair.

"He said you'd seal me with a curse." The boy looked up at his father, his eyes now pools of misery unshed.

The Hyuuga clan leader's mind raced for something, anything to reassure the boy. Finally he sighed heavily. "Do you know what I've been teaching you? The fighting stance?"

Katashi nodded, then looked away. "I'm not very good at it."

Hiashi smiled in the darkness. "No one is at first. But you're making excellent progress. I mean, you did win this fight, right?"

The seven year old looked up hopefully at his father. "He's nine. And in the Academy."

The older man fought not to laugh at the prideful note in the boy's voice. "Nine? And a shinobi student? See, you're not doing as badly as you think. I assume he was bigger than you as well as older?"

Katashi sighed, deflating even as he nodded. "He held me down and cut my hair."

"It'll grow." Hiashi stated matter-of-factly. "What'd you do to him?"

Katashi shrugged. "I was mad I couldn't go with my friends, so I came out here to practice with my kunai some more. He came over to practice too. Then he got mad because I was beating him."

Hiashi nodded, listening.

"Then he started talking about my mother, and ….and things." Katashi sighed. "I tried to ignore him, but he pushed me and held me down as he sliced off a piece of my hair."

"And then?"

Down at the base of the tree Neji fumed as he listened. He'd heard some of the same things before himself, as a branch family member. Still, he'd never doubted his father or his place in his father's heart.

Katashi's voice floated down to him, making Neji grin. "Then I jumped up like you showed me and I said if he wanted to fight, I was ready. I took the stance you showed me and slowed my movements like Neji said."

Beside him, Hiashi smiled encouragingly. "Then what happened?"

Katashi's face flushed a bit. "I knocked him down."

From his voice, Hiashi knew that wasn't the end of the story. "Just knocked him down?"

The seven year old nodded, then peeked up at his father. "He might have bounced a bit."

Neji grinned from where he was listening.

"And he might have had a broken nose when he fell." Katashi twisted his fingers into the fabric of his shirt nervously.

"Oh, he did?" Hiashi said bluntly, looking away so as not to show his amusement. "I assume he wasn't happy about that."

"He wasn't." Katashi groaned. "So he might have come after me again, all mad and all."

"Really."

Katashi nodded. "Then he might have gotten a black eye. But I don't think I broke his jaw like he said, I think he was exaggerating."

"Sometimes people do that." Hiashi commented as dryly as he could manage.

"Then he told me his grandfather was on the Leaf council and I'd find myself thrown out of Konoha no matter what. I told him you wouldn't do that. And he said I was just a bastard and of no account."

"You didn't believe that trash did you?" Hiashi looked appalled.

Katashi shrugged, clearly showing he wasn't sure of the answer.

The clan leader looked at the mud caking his son's boots. "You tried to leave, but came back. That's because you know you always have a place in my house. You're my son. Nothing will change that."

"He said that all Hyuuga except the direct line of heirs is sealed with a curse."

Hiashi frowned deeply. "That was the old way, true enough. But did you see a curse seal on Hanabi? Or any of the babies? Or Hinata?"

"No…noooo." Katashi breathed out, feeling silly now.

"That way is gone forever." Hiashi sighed unhappily. "A change that has been long overdue."

Down below, Neji listened unabashed. The Hyuuga family had changed. In his lifetime the whole clan had been turned upside down and restructured. Happy as he was about it, he wished his father had lived to see this day. Still. His son Katsuro would grow up in a new era in the clan. Thank heaven.

"That fighting stance? The gentle-fist." Hiashi spoke quietly. "That's a fighting style only the main family of the Hyuuga practice. Neji learned it all on his own, he was never taught."

"But he's really good at it." Katashi murmured, drawing a smile from the man listening below them.

Hiashi nodded. "He is. But it was never taught to him. He was branch family at the time and that fighting stance is only passed down through the main family of the Hyuuga."

Katashi caught on quickly, his eyes filling with hope. He looked at his father, who nodded at him. "But you're teaching it to me." The boy said softly.

Hiashi grunted. "And what does that tell you?"

Katashi grinned widely. "That I'm a real Hyuuga and that Tsuji is a liar. A liar with a broken nose, a black eye, and a sore jaw."

Neji stilled.

Hiashi caught his breath. "Tsuji? As in Kasuse Tsuji?"

Katashi nodded, unsure.

"Oh boy." Neji and Hiashi said in unsion.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Would you care to explain your condition young man?" Kasuse Soichiro asked, looking down at his grandson. His only living family.

The boy shuffled his feet, looking pitiful.

The chairman of the Konoha Leaf Elder Council sighed and waited for his answer.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	5. Return

"Maybe Hinata would be better suited to tend …" Neji shut up as Anko sent him a hard glare before bending back down to dab at the cut along Katashi's hairline.

Everyone watched as Katashi, bruised and slightly bloodied was tended by his not-so-tender stepmother. Anko snarled and pursed her lips. "I don't think stitches will be needed. Too bad."

"Hinata has been studying medical ninjutsu." Hanabi muttered under her breath. "And she's gentler."

Anko stood up, her gaze focused on the younger kunoichi. No longer the sole object of the jounin's glare, Katashi relaxed slightly, at least until Anko spoke up again. "I'm as gentle as is warranted. If I coddled him, what would he learn? Maybe I should rub salt in the wound to leave a scar so he'll always know better."

Hiashi put his hand on Katashi's shoulder, sending the dejected seven-year-old some much needed reassurance. "A simple fight between boys."

Anko snarled and knelt beside her step-son. "Do you need a scar to remind you of your errors?" She pulled out a wicked looking kunai, turning it slightly so it caught the light and pulled the eyes of all around them.

Gaara turned away before he started smiling. The spiky-haired kunoichi was fun, he had to admit. His eye caught Hanabi's and she was teetering between amusement and worry, nibbling on her bottom lip. But the moment she saw him looking at her, her chin firmed and she looked away hurriedly.

"Error number one?" Anko stood over the young boy as he peered shame-faced up at her. "What was it?"

"Getting in a fight?" Katashi guessed.

"WRONG!" Anko crowed, finger punching high in the air and then swooping down to poke him nearly in the eye. The boy drew back slightly, blinking.

Hiashi grunted. "Mistake number one was to assume that I would not support you. You should have come reported all of this to me immediately and not made me come looking for you."

"WRONG!" Anko yelled again, her finger now pointed at a now glowering Hiashi.

"Excuse me?" The current clan leader growled.

Anko smiled menacingly. "Fine, you're excused. Take the mini-trout, cupcake and firecracker with you. Leave me with the sapling."

Neji crossed his arms and stared at Anko, showing that he wasn't going anywhere. Gaara simply turned to look out the window, appearing bored. Hanabi hung anxiously on every word, looking back and forth between her hard-ass disciplinarian father and her even scarier step-mother. She smiled in anticipation. "Kankuro will be pissed he missed this."

Gaara snorted by his post next to the window. "If Tsunade were here she'd be placing bets on the outcome."

Hanabi actually smiled at the red-head before she remembered that he was no longer a friend. Her smile disappeared as she shot him a glare instead. Gaara didn't react at all, merely watching her.

"This is NOT the way a Hyuuga should act." Hiashi hissed at his wife, embarrassed before his family and not a little stung by her manner. Usually he let her have her way, but maybe that had been a mistake?

Anko smiled sweetly, so sweetly that Hiashi blinked. "I'm only a Hyuuga by ceremony, a few words on a marriage license. I'm a Mitarashi and have been for too many years to become a pseudo-noble like the Hyuuga!"

Hiashi drew in a sharp breath and even Hanabi backed up a few steps, holding her breath.

Neji looked like he'd smelled something rotten. "Perhaps we should turn our attention back to Katashi?"

The boy in question turned wide, scared eyes on Neji, wildly shaking his head.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Mizutori Yuuko had once been a pretty woman. Not gorgeous, but certainly not ugly either. Nice looking, lean, smart, funny and with a wicked intelligence behind her lively dark eyes.

Now she looked like ground meat.

Mizutori Rinako fought not to throw up as she eyed the remains of her aunt.

The Raikage of Kumogakure smiled gently as he looked down into the ruin of what once had been one of his villagers. Yuuko had never made it past chuunin and had eventually retired, working with the family nin-dogs and veterinarian practice. "Look what I found in my holding cell."

Rinako swallowed hard and nodded. Her aunt had not been seen in nearly a year, had the Raikage been torturing her this entire time? Or had he simply forgotten she was down in his personal dungeon? There were rumors about those he held down there … and she wasn't sure she was strong enough to face the truth of the matter.

"The Hyuuga of the Leaf Village did this to your pretty little aunt." The Raikage's voice was smooth as silk and honey.

Knowing the proper response, Rinako bowed low. "I would vow vengeance on those who killed my aunt." She avowed.

The Raikage paused, an odd look crossing his rather smooth features.

Hurriedly, Rinako amended her statement. "I would vow vengeance on the Hyuuga."

"Good, good." The leader of the Village Hidden in the Clouds murmured, letting the moment slip by him thankfully. He'd been known to fly into a rage for much less.

His elder council didn't have the courage to even roll their eyes from where they watched, they'd lost too many of their number against this man already. But each knew who was really responsible for the death of one of their own. And that person wasn't named Hyuuga.

"Your marriage to the Inuzuka was turned down last year. Perhaps loftier aspirations could be made." The Raikage continued, stepping over the horrible remains on the floor before him. He paused before Rinako and frowned down at her nin-dog as he dared to bare his teeth. Once word from the girl though, and the dog settled down.

Rinako wasn't stupid. She knew what was being offered wasn't marriage, but a liaison with their Raikage. But the last three women to have that position had met grisly ends. But how to turn down the offer without coming to the same 'end' as her aunt Yuuko? Poor Yuuko, who had only been in the Leaf Village to try and marry Rinako off and get her the hell out of Kumogakure.

It had been bad news when the Raikage had sent along assassins with the group meant to negotiate wedding plans for her last year. And worse? The assassins had failed. Failed and died. So that on her return to the village, Yuuko had been alone in facing an irritated Raikage.

Rinako looked down at the ruins of what had once been a laughing, wonderful woman. She swallowed hard. "You accepted my vow of vengeance. I am sorry, but duty to you and that vow is supreme to any thoughts I might have of …loftier aspirations."

A moment passed where everyone in the room held their breath. The Raikage raised one lone eyebrow at her, then laughed. "Perfect response."

Breathing began again.

"You see? Duty to me comes before her own pleasure. A vow made to me measures beyond more base desires." The Raikage turned back to his elder council in full lecture mode. Leaving a dazed and weaked kneed Rinako to contemplate her poor future.

Two choices. Fight and die against the Hyuuga clan of Konoha, or stay and die at one wrong word to her …she shivered …lover. Rinako's spine stiffened. She was a jounin of Kumogakure, she would die on the battlefield.

Even if it was vengeance against the wrong party, based upon a lie, and at the behest of a madman.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I'll trim his hair tomorrow." Anko said smoothly now that everyone else had finally been ushered out of the study.

Hiashi shook his head. "I'll take him into the village for that, don't you think he's had enough trauma for one night?"

"Bah." Anko sighed. "I wouldn't butcher his hair."

Hiashi gave her a cold stare and she grinned, capitulating. "Fine, take him to someone else then."

Anko, feeling the tension from the man behind her, sighed. "I never apologize." She said lightly.

"You've done so in the past." He pointed out ruthlessly. "After Neji was poisoned."

"That was my fault." Anko shook her head and settled down to perch on the side of his desk, staring balefully at him. "I won't apologize for tonight though."

Weighing his words carefully, Hiashi stared at his wife. Wife. Something that last year he would not have thought possible. "Fine." He grunted, knowing that her pride was something he valued in her, even if it did make life difficult at times. "But you are a Hyuuga now and a modicum of decorum would be appreciated at times."

Anko thought that over and realized that he wasn't going to push for what she couldn't give. So she gave what she could. "I'll try."

He gave a rough chuckle. "And fail."

"And fail." She nodded with a wicked smile. "But I will try."

"I knew fully who you were when I married you." Hiashi told her gruffly. "But I don't know if you realize what it means to be a Hyuuga of Konoha."

"Maybe we should just change your name to Mitarashi instead." She teased, pushing down one sleeve of her top, then the other as she winked at him. "Or hyphenate it at least. Mitarashi-Hyuuga. Good name for a clan."

Expecting an explosion from her husband, Anko stripped off her top, leaving only the mesh covering her. Her shoes were next as she prepared to seduce him out of his temper. So it was with great shock that his words found her.

"Perhaps you're right."

She turned, stunned. Hiashi was staring at her with a shocked face, as if he'd just realized something extremely important.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Katashi finally asleep?"

Unsurprised at his presence as she stood on the balcony, Hanabi shrugged. "Do you ever sleep?"

Gaara came to stand beside her, looking out over the Hyuuga gardens. "Not much." He admitted wryly.

Silence fell over them both, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. With a pang Hanabi realized that here was a man who didn't have to fill in all the empty spaces with meaningless chatter. He got it. Gaara understood that silence wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Uncomfortable with her musings, she faked a yawn and tried to excuse herself.

"Coward." Was his soft rejoinder.

"I have to train in the morning." She said truthfully, though he was right ... she was being cowardly in her exit. "I need to be sharp."

"What do you know about Takizawa Ise?" The red-head asked her just as her hand reached for the door. Her hand fisted at the name of Kiba's date tonight.

Hanabi shot him a glare as she unclenched her hand and once more moved to open the door back inside. "Nothing." She said, then couldn't help herself as she stepped inside. "Yet."

Gaara nodded, still looking out over the gardens instead of at her. "And by this time tomorrow?"

"I'll know all I need to know." Hanabi promised.

"Murder is out of the question." He turned, facing her. His pale-jade eyes alive with mirth even if his expression showed nothing in particular.

Hanabi scowled at him. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious." She informed him snidely.

"You're fourteen. Kiba is nineteen." Gaara pointed out to her rather coldly.

"You're nineteen." Hanabi muttered. "And I'm still fourteen. You're a pervert, Gaara-coon."

Now a small quirk of a smile did cross Gaara's mouth, but it was quickly gone. "I'm looking into the future. You're thinking of here and now. In the future you'll be seventeen and I'll be twenty-two. Nothing wrong in that."

"So?"

"You're looking at the Inuzuka now. And for now you're only fourteen. He's not looking at you like that." Gaara continued ruthlessly.

Stung, Hanabi glared hard at her perceived nemesis. "You're looking at me now, while I'm still only fourteen. That makes you a pervert. Definately a pervert."

"I'm looking at you as someone to possibly court. In the future. Not now." Gaara countered, watching her color rise with some amusement. He did enjoy riling her. "Have you figured out your birthday present yet?"

Hanabi blinked twice as made the abrupt mental switch. "The horn?" She answered dismissively. "Oh I figured that thing out ages ago."

"Liar."

She scowled at him, barely resisting the urge to go over and kick him and wipe that smug look off his face.

Gaara pulled away from the balcony railing and walked past her back into the house. "Look at it like your ancestors would." He whispered before disappearing around the corner without a backward glance.

"I hate him." Hanabi muttered to herself as she stood on the threshold between the house and the balcony.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Sir?" Mizutori Yuuko followed the Kumogakure council elder almost reluctantly.

Since the current Raikage had …achieved …his current title, it wasn't safe to be around any that had opposed him. Like the council elders.

Miyake Hideki unlocked the door, his hands visibly shaking. "You're going to Konoha?"

"You know that I must." Rinako nodded as the man paused, obviously reluctant to move forward.

Hideki took a long moment as he looked the kunoichi up and down. "You know that the Hyuuga did not slay your aunt, yes?"

Uncomfortable, and unwilling to say anything that might be taken back to the Raikage, she tempered her answer. "I know that if my aunt had not been sent back here she would still live."

A bitter smile crossed the old man's face. "Indeed. It appears our village is now poisonous. And not just to our enemies."

Nervous, Rinako looked around carefully with more than just her eyes. She sensed nothing. But times were dangerous in Kumogakure right now. Traps lay everywhere.

"Don't come back." Hideki spoke so softly she wasn't sure if she'd heard him right. Then he looked at her straight in the eyes and she was struck by the fever-bright intensity of his will. "When you go to Konoha, don't come back."

"My mother, my brothers …" She protested, knowing that if she defected they would be held accountable. And pay the price, like her poor aunt Yuuko.

The old man rubbed his mouth and shook his head with a cold distance. "You misunderstand. That was not a request, nor am I sending you out to try and save your life. Who are you? Nothing. No body."

Rinako listened in confusion.

"I'm telling you to leave for Konoha and …and I'm sending something precious with you. You are to protect this item at all costs. And yes, the cost will be high. You will most likely lose your family, I will not deny that."

Catching her breath, Rinako's eyes widened. What was he ….

Hideki pushed the door open and Rinako nearly fainted on the spot as she looked into the small storage room. "But …this is treason."

"Only if we fail." Hideki stated gruffly. "Will you take on this last mission for the council of Kumogakure? You're the only one he's granted permission to leave the country, and thus you are now our best hope."

Rinako looked into that small room and knew that her village's future could possibly lie now with her.

"Do you serve the Raikage? Or Kumogakure?" The council elder drew up to his full height as he held his breath, awaiting her answer.

Rinako's head spun. If she turned the old man in, she might survive the fallout. If she took the mission, her family would almost certainly die.

Who did she serve? She wondered dizzily, not used to such high pressure questions. She was merely a kunoichi. A cog in the wheel. A tool. How could this decision be up to her of all people?

Did she serve the Raikage? Or did she serve her village? The cost was way too high either way.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What did you just say?" Anko felt like she'd been thrown a rubber kunai. Something was off.

Hiashi waved absently at her. "Oh, we will not be changing the clan name. Now or ever. But …"

"But what?" Anko still felt like she wasn't on solid ground quite yet.

The Hyuuga clan leader sighed. "In approximately six months Neji will take over the clan from me."

"Are you having second thoughts about that?"

Hiashi grinned. "Always. But that's not the point. I turned down a spot on the Leaf elder council. I'm not so sure that was a wise move."

Anko shook her head. "Just because Katashi beat up the chairman's grandson?"

Hiashi shrugged. "No, not directly. But to look after Hyuuga interests. There's no reason I could not serve on that council and still remain on the Hyuuga council as well."

"True." Anko still felt confused. "But I thought you turned them down so you could focus on training Katashi, and later, Jishin?"

"I did." Hiashi nodded as he crossed over to her, putting his hands on her mesh-covered shoulders. He gave her a quick kiss. "And that's where I might have been wrong."

Anko didn't like confusion, and she didn't like not knowing what was going through her husband's mind. She knocked his hands away and grabbed the front of his robe, pulling him closer. "Tell me." She demanded.

"Maybe they should grow up Hyuuga-Mitarashi." He said without inflection. "Not just Hyuuga. Tonight proved that."

"Mitarashi-Hyuuga." Anko scowled and let him go. "Katashi won his fight. He beat a boy two years older than he, not to mention bigger and with more training." She said, not without some pride. "That was your training. The gentle fist style of fighting that is all Hyuuga."

"And YOUR training would have left that other boy in the dust unconscious without Katashi worrying about the fact that he won." Hiashi informed her. "I think he needs to not only learn some weapon skills from you like you have been teaching him. But also he needs to learn how to fight dirty."

More surprised than ever, Anko crossed her legs. "You're serious about this?"

Hiashi nodded solemnly, not distracted by the bare legs in front of him. "We Hyuuga fight with honor and dignity."

Anko smiled menacingly. "Are you saying I don't?"

He shrugged. "Honor? Yes, in your own twisted way. But you don't let either honor or dignity stop you from what you set out to accomplish. You can be sneaky, dirty, and downright evil to deal with."

"You say the sweetest things." She cooed, delighted.

"I want both Katashi and Jishin to grow up with honor and dignity, and the ability to fight dirtier than any Hyuuga ancestor ever dreamed of." Hiashi sighed and ran one hand through his hair in agitation. "We have enemies coming at us from all sides. I can feel the storm approaching."

Anko nodded, she too was sensing danger, though nothing specific. Not yet.

"If the Hyuuga are to survive this threat, whatever it might be …then they need to grow." Hiashi said coldly.

"The new Mitarashi-Hyuuga clan." Anko purred. "Delicious."

Hiashi's eyes snapped dangerously. "We're not changing the clan name."

"Oh poo." Anko mock-pouted.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi rolled over in her bed, unable to sleep. But it wasn't the thought of Kiba out on his date with someone else. No. Stupid Gaara.

She turned on the bedside light and reached into her nightstand, pulling out the animal horn that he'd given her. "Look at it like my ancestors?"

Hanabi growled. Animal horns had been used in a variety of different ways throughout the years. Too many uses to even count accurately. To which use was the silly Kazekage referring? Irritated, Hanabi turned out her light once more. Still holding the horn in her hand she tried to think of what Gaara might have meant.

Here she was, needing to come up with ways to separate Kiba from his current girlfriend. She also needed to come up with some way for her to get Kiba to LOOK at her. And not like a little sister.

Her fingers tightened on the animal horn unconsciously. And yet all she could think about was ...

"Stupid Gaara."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	6. Departures

"Oh." Gaara stopped suddenly in the doorway, his jade-pale eyes closing tight as he backed away carefully.

Hinata blushed, but since he wasn't looking he couldn't see. Shyly she spoke up. "I'm decent." She told him, even as she double checked to make sure that the blanket covering her and the baby was secure.

Gaara heard the sound of a baby suckling and grimaced. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"I know." A hoarse chuckle came from behind him as Kankuro pushed his brother further into the room. "You're blocking the door." He complained mildly.

A slight blush lit Gaara's cheeks as he stepped back in front of his brother, his eyes still tightly closed. "We need to leave." He said with much authority.

"Why?" The puppeteer asked though he knew full well the problem his brother was having. He winked at Hinata who was blushing harder now as she detached baby Nowaki and adjusted her robe.

Gaara blew out a breath and shook his head, his eyes still shut. "We're standing in a room with your half-naked wife." He spoke softly, yet earnestly.

"She's not half-naked, and she's done now anyway." Kankuro shook his head as Gaara peeked open one eye and glared at them both balefully. "You're safe now. Besides, you've seen Hinata in less, much less." He reminded the red-head with almost ill grace. "In fact, I seem to remember having to shove you out the door. With your nose bleeding too."

Gaara shivered a bit. "It's different now."

"Why?" Kankuro asked as he watched Hinata fuss over the twins who had now both been bathed and fed. She was preparing to burp little Nowaki and ignored the two men, but he could tell she was listening as she blushed over the memory of Gaara's nose bleeding as he'd caught her wearing the black lace lingerie that she'd tried to seduce Kankuro with.

"It just is." Gaara snapped. "Now. I just came by to say goodbye."

Hinata frowned over at them. "You have to go already? It's only been a few days."

"I have a village to run." Gaara sighed. "In fact, I came on business. It was merely good luck that it allowed me to be here for the twin's arrival. That's all."

Ryusei started kicking his little feet and scrunched up his face. Hinata pushed Nowaki over toward her husband and hurried to soothe the infant before he started crying. "Quick, if one starts they both start. Then Jishin will start and that'll wake up Neji's son too."

Gaara started for the door, but Kankuro moved to block his way. Grinning. "Aren't you going to kiss the twins goodbye?"

The red-head scowled as the puppeteer laughed and moved out of the way. "Sorry I can't escort you to the gate, but as you can see. I have my hands full."

"I'm fine." Gaara said evenly, then turned and suddenly felt a bit dizzy. The sight he was looking at was so foreign to him, so undreamed of, and so ...so ...right.

Kankuro was standing next to Hinata as she soothed one baby while the bruiser of a puppet master gently burped the other baby with hands larger than Nowaki's little head. Hands that his brother knew to be lethal now were so gentle and so loving that it literally took Gaara a moment to blow out a breath.

Kankuro turned with a smile and caught his brother's pole-axed expression. "What?" He asked, puzzled.

Gaara waved one hand absently at them. "A year ago ...this ...this ..." He didn't have the words to express just how impossible all this would have appeared to them last year.

Hinata smiled down at Ryusei, softly cooing at the infant as she tried to soothe him. Kankuro looked over at her, then back at Gaara. He too smiled, albeit a bit sadly. He rolled his eyes upward and Gaara looked at the Leaf insignia on his brother's forehead. The puppeteer shrugged. "Think about how this would have seemed to us if we'd known about it on our FIRST trip to Konoha."

Gaara nodded solemnly. "If we'd succeeded with the invasion, none of this would have happened." And none of the us would be the persons we are today, he thought to himself. Kankuro wouldn't be happily married with twins, Temari wouldn't be married to a Leaf shinobi either, and Gaara ...he most certainly wouldn't be the man he was now if not for that defeat from Naruto.

Hinata shyly glanced over at Gaara. "Perhaps Hanabi could escort you to the gates." She suggested blithely.

Kankuro grunted and Gaara sighed. "She'd escort me alright." The Kazekage said with a hint of amusement. "If forced and under heavily armed guards."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Mizutori Rinako eyed the heavily armed guards as she left the Hidden Cloud Village.

"You look nervous." One guard eyed her suspiciously, frowning sharply and putting the scar bisecting his face into white relief against his tanned skin.

The other guard grunted. "You'd be nervous too if going on her mission." The man sighed and held out one hand for her papers. "I still need to check your orders to make sure you have the right clearances."

"I leave at the Raikage's bidding." She told him with more confidence than she felt as she handed over her orders.

The guard nodded. "And I'd be living under the house if I didn't check anyway."

Living under the house. Code phrase. Everyone in Kumogakure now knew what that meant. The Raikage's dungeons which had once been an extensive cellar and storage area was now used to hold 'guests' of their leader. None who had been sent to 'live under the house' had yet survived.

What in reality took only a few moments, seemed like hours as the guard carefully read over her orders then checked her supplies. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Lot of supplies."

"There are two of us." She nodded down at Kirohu, her sleek, chocolate-colored nin-dog. Then stared boldly at the guard. "And we plan on returning."

Both eyebrows went up at that. One lone jounin infiltrating the Leaf Village and standing against the entire Hyuuga clan? No, she wasn't coming back. And they both knew it.

"May the stars guide you back." Came the response from the guard. Both men nodded at her respectfully for one going on what was basically a suicide mission.

Rinako kept her expression still as she took back her orders and headed out of the village. It wasn't until she was well away that she stopped and took her first deep breath of the day. She'd been sure that she'd be caught and the complicated transformation jutsu seen through.

But no. Things had gone well. Perhaps too well?

Not wanting to dwell on that, Rinako hurried to the well hidden meeting area. At first she saw nothing at the large rock formation, but once she gave the signal, she nearly fell out with relief to hear Kirohu's distinctive barking greeting. The real Kirohu.

A double of the nin-dog at her side came bounding out of the brush where he'd been hidden so effectively. With shaking hands, she checked her nin-dog out but found no wounds or signs of fighting. He'd been able to sneak out as planned. "Good to see you too." She chuckled as the dog licked her chin happily.

Beside her, the fake nin-dog poofed out of existence. Rinako sighed as she saw the evidence of her work beside her. Treason. "Shit." She mouthed as she thought about the next part of her mission. Getting out of Kumogakure was only step one.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What are you working on?" Hanabi breezed into the library.

Neji sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Brat. I'm working." He put his calligraphy brush down carefully.

Hanabi grinned cheekily. "Thus the question, 'what are you working on?'. See how that works out?"

"Insufferable." Neji groaned. "You would never barge in on your father like this." He pointed out gruffly.

"Of course not." Hanabi gave him a wink before turning back to the shelves, looking over the titles. "Do we have anything on Hyuuga ancestors?"

Neji groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Nearly the entire left side is Hyuuga clan history."

Hanabi turned and did some groaning of her own. The number of scrolls and books were staggering. She snarled and then turned back to her cousin. "Neeeeeji?"

"No." He snapped at her. "Go away."

"But I haven't even asked ..."

"And the answer is still no." Neji sounded grumpy.

Hanabi frowned at him. "What has you in such a bad mood? Working on politics?" She leaned against the desk and tried to look at what he'd been working on.

Neji frowned and pulled a blank piece of parchment over his work. Hanabi's eyebrows shot up. "Oh! Not politics! What then?"

"I'm taking over the clan in about six months. I have many things to work on, a lot of politics and research, letters, and accounts to go over. And you will need to be more respectful and ..."

"Byakugan!" Hanabi snapped, her hands forming the hand seal quickly. A moment of stunned silence fell upon the two cousins as Hanabi's face lit up in amusement and Neji's darkened with temper as she looked through the parchment to what he'd been working on so diligently. "You're writing poetry!"

Neji sighed and let his temper flow away as he watched his fourteen year old cousin fall to the floor in a fit of laughter. Patiently he waited for her to finish, but every time she would start to get under control she'd look up at him and start laughing again. Finally he sighed and the next time her laughter slowed down, he decided to end the whole thing. "For that, you have to escort the Kazekage of Suna to the gates of Konoha. And you have to be polite too."

Hanabi's laughter dried up faster than water in the desert. She sat up, wiping her eyes and stared at him. "Very funny."

"Not joking." Neji assured her as Hiashi walked into the room. The Hyuuga clan leader looked back and forth between the two, then his eyes narrowed on them.

"Hanabi just volunteered to be the escort for the Kazekage for his departure, taking him to the gates." Neji said lightly.

Hiashi blinked and nodded. "Gracious of her."

Hanabi opened her mouth to deny the assignment.

"Worthy of my daughter." Hiashi continued, not missing the tightening around his child's eyes. He was not ignorant of the undercurrents and took a moment to keep from smiling before he continued. "And as my heir, any order of Neji's is by extension ...an order from me."

Hanabi's spine stiffened as she stood, nodding her head. "By the way, Neji? Dance doesn't rhyme with can't." She shot him a hot glare and headed for the door.

"What did you need from the Hyuuga history scrolls?" Neji called back. "How to bring honor to your clan and NOT start an international war? Be civil to Gaara!"

She sneered at him and snapped her teeth as she left.

Hiashi shook his head slightly as the door closed behind her. "I'm not sure that the Kazekage stands a chance in this non-courtship of his."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko was heading down the stairs on her way to train with young Katashi when she paused. A mischievous smirk on her face. "Difficulties so soon, enoki? You look ...perturbed."

Hanabi made a rude noise as she stalked upstairs, passing the other kunoichi. "Enoki? How creative, it's a mushroom variety. Big deal. Are you slipping?"

The spiky-haired woman stilled, her smile widening. "Oh! Little kaen-take, you have no clue how naïve you are compared to me. Don't start a battle you have no chance of winning."

Hanabi stopped, turning to glare at Anko. "Kaen-take? Now I'm a poisonous mushroom? Hah?! That's not a slam, it's a compliment!"

"Now that depends." Anko shook her head. "What it means is that you cause vomiting, pain, and diarrhea."

"And in some cases, death." Hanabi sneered as she glared at the older kunoichi.

Anko laughed and clapped the younger girl on the shoulder. "That's the way to do it! Feel better?"

Hanabi thought about a moment then looked upstairs, grimacing. "I have to be Gaara's escort to the gate today. Neji's punishing me for making fun of his poetry."

"Poetry?" Anko mused aloud, surprised. "I didn't know Neji was walking in the footsteps of the Hyuuga traditionalists. Hiashi wouldn't know poetry if it bit him on the ass. I know because I bit him there and ..."

"EWWWW!" Hanabi squealed, covering her ears in horror. She didn't need to hear THAT about her own father!

Anko winked and pulled on Hanabi's hands. "See? I will always win, never forget that."

"Fine." Hanabi turned and fled up the stairs, then nearly fell as she ground to a sudden stop again, spinning. "What about Hyuuga traditionalists?"

Anko shrugged. "The Hyuuga are apparently famous for being warrior-poets. Before I married into this clan I never really knew that. Your father is making me read up on 'being a proper Hyuuga'. Which is hilarious seeing as how he has no poetry or artistic ability in him, though he is a fine calligrapher."

"Oh." Hanabi said, stunned. "I was just in with Neji and there was a whole wall of books and scrolls on Hyuuga history."

Grimacing, Anko nodded. "Don't I just know it! Don't worry, I have a plan to get out of reading them all."

"I'm sure." Came the dry response.

"It involves sex." Anko purred, but then frowned as the younger girl didn't react this time.

Hanabi waved one hand absently, her mind racing. Her new step-mother had inadvertently helped her without meaning to do so. Anko had just joined their clan really and knew nothing of Hyuuga except what was commonly known. Gaara wouldn't have that information either. So that meant ...his clue? It wouldn't be on what a Hyuuga would know about their ancestors, it would be what an OUTSIDER knew of them! That changed matters considerably. She called down to Anko one last time. "Before you married into us, what did you know of Hyuuga ancestors?"

Pausing briefly on the bottom steps of the stairs, Anko looked up at Hanabi and flung off an answer even as she hurried on her way to the training area. "Long hair, stuck-up prigs, sexy looking and with weird eyes. Oh, and the Byakugan of course."

"Of course." She whispered, then grimaced and shook her head. "No, that's not it." She said to herself. When Gaara had first given her that damned animal horn she'd used the Byakugan on it first thing. Nothing! It was what it appeared to be. No hidden messages or compartments. "Stupid Gaara."

"Yes?"

Hanabi gritted her teeth and smiled as she looked up. Lost in her thoughts she'd not sensed a certain red-headed interloper standing at the top of the stairs. "Gaara-coon."

"Kaen-take."

The young Hyuuga kunoichi suddenly felt nauseated. "You heard all of that?"

Gaara nodded slowly.

Hanabi sneered at him. "Then you should know that I can be dangerous, poisonous to your health."

The Kazekage of Suna walked down to meet her in the middle of the stair case. He stopped just in front of her and leaned forward with a menacing aura about him. "Are you sure you want to threaten ...me?" He whispered, then walked past her.

She shuddered at the sheer strength of his chakra as he let the dampers up for her benefit and let her feel a bit of his contained power. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she fought to keep her expression blank.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako watched as the shinobi stopped in the clearing and looked around carefully. His eyes missed little as he searched the area, obviously sensing something out of place. She fought her nerves to remain still, running through mental exercises to keep her heart rate down and her chakra dampened.

A moment later the shinobi took off and left the small clearing.

Rinako still didn't move. As impatient as she was to be going, there was no way she'd risk the safety of this particular mission with any rash movements. And she knew this Cloud Village shinobi, although not well. He had the appearance of supporting the Raikage, but she'd caught an odd expression in his eyes a time or two that had her wondering where his loyalties really were.

Suddenly she sensed him circling back around. Mentally she nodded though physically she didn't move at all. She'd known he'd sensed something amiss, though she'd prayed he'd moved on. Still, she had to do what was necessary.

With deadly calm she reached for her weapons pouch. She was going to have to attack. Attack and kill. Rinako regretted the necessity of her actions, but she couldn't just step out there and ask whose side he was on. If it were just her, then maybe she could attempt to sneak away unseen. But with the importance of this mission she could take no chance of being followed or tracked in any way.

No.

Death was coming to visit today, she only prayed it wasn't looking in her direction. With that last thought her hand dipped into her weapons pouch, determined to win at any cost.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Veeeery mature." Hanabi kicked a small stone halfway down the street, her face a study in frustration. She hadn't spoken to Gaara at all on their way toward the gates of Konoha. Not one word. When he'd asked her if she was going to wish him well on his journey, she'd just glared at him.

And the stupid red-head had actually given her a small wave before heading back home.

But as she'd watched him head down the road she'd had this horrid superstitious feeling. Maybe it was her father's fault, with all his talk of fate and omens and such but suddenly she was sure that since she'd not wished him a safe journey something horrible would happen.

And before he'd gotten away completely she'd actually said the words, sure he couldn't hear her. But he'd stopped, turned and waved at her again. Now ...had he done that because he'd heard her, or because he hadn't? And why the hell did it even matter?

She was acting like a child and she hated that.

Distracted and upset she was three feet past him before she realized it. When her brain caught up and finally notified her, she spun with a soft gasp, looking shocked.

Kiba looked over at her, puzzled. "Hanabi? Anything the matter?" He and his friend had obviously been talking and now she had their complete attention. And she had NO idea what to say!

Mutely she shook her head as she looked at Kiba and Nara Shikamaru staring at her, obviously wondering why she'd stopped and was now staring at them. Quickly, her mind spun trying to find something, anything to say that wasn't stupid or silly sounding!

Thrusting her hands in her pockets, her fist closed around the animal horn Gaara had given her for her birthday. Quickly she pulled it out as inspiration struck. "I wasn't expecting to see you, but I'd forgotten that I had a question for you."

Kiba smiled at her. "Oh? How can I help?"

Nervously Hanabi licked her bottom lip and looked at Shikamaru, but it was obvious the two men weren't done talking as the shadow-nin wasn't moving away. "I don't want to disturb you, I can ask later."

The dog-ninja grinned cheekily. "I have a date later, ask now. Unless it's personal? Private?"

Oh how she wanted to scream that yes it was! But the word 'date' had her tongue all tied up. Was he going out with that Ise girl Hinata had mentioned?

"Takizawa Ise?" Shikamaru whistled under his breath. "High maintenance."

Kiba groaned and nudged the other man slightly. "And Ino isn't? When's the wedding?"

Shikamaru shrugged and said something about his mother handling the details as Kiba laughed at him. All the while Hanabi's mind was a fury of plots and plans. Thanks to the Nara she at least knew the name of her target.

"Yo!"

It took Hanabi a moment to snap out of her planning to look up at the two men. With deep chagrin she realized that Kiba had been calling out to her a couple of times and she'd been staring at them like a dunce!

"You wanted to ask something?" Kiba asked, looking at her with a smile that made her skin tingle.

Pulling herself together, Hanabi held out her fist and showed him the animal horn. "A fr ..." Hanabi paused as she stumbled over THAT word ... "friend ...well, someone gave this to me and ..."

Shikamaru leaned forward. "Someone gave you a piece of deer horn? Strange friend."

"You have no idea." She muttered and then smiled at Kiba. "It's a clue in ...a puzzle. What things are deer horns good for?" Hanabi continued, not mentioning that she'd already made lists upon lists of all the things were made from deer horns.

Kiba shrugged and looked at the shadow-nin. "Nara?"

Shikamaru yawned. "Certain medicines of course. Decorations and talismans, those sorts of things. Some weapons of course. Glue and a lot of other uses. There's literally too many to mention."

"Thanks." Hanabi said slowly and reluctantly bid the two a good day as she walked away. She'd learned nothing new about the animal horn, but at least she'd learned about a certain Takizawa Ise. A female who would dearly regret crossing Hyuuga Hanabi, even if she didn't know she'd done so!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako knelt at the small creek and washed the blood off. At least it wasn't all hers. She winced as she cleaned a small cut and applied the medicinal herbs that would stave off infection.

"You stink."

She looked up, glowering. "I'm protecting you." The kunoichi pointed out ruthlessly.

"Doesn't mean you can't smell nice." The youngster stared at her haughtily and sniffed in derision. "And I'm hungry."

Kirohu put one paw up in the air and whined piteously, complaining about his current mission guarding the difficult youngster. Rinako nodded at her nin-dog, in complete agreement.

Unfortunately, neither of them had a choice in the matter. Not really.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"No, I don't think that color suits my eyes." Takizawa Ise complained as she held up the dress to the light streaming through the window. "Don't you have anything less garish?"

From the next row of dresses, Hanabi fought not to roll her eyes. Kiba was dating ...her? How could he? Ise was the worst kind of girl. Flighty, shallow and stupid! Hanabi had been following her for nearly an hour and had yet to hear anything interesting out of the other girl's mouth.

Not to mention that the girl had NO clue she was being stalked. Silly twit.

"Try the green one." Ise's friend said with an irritating giggle. "It'll bring out your eyes. Kiba will love the neckline too."

Hanabi's hand fisted as she struggled not to go rip the low-cut dress to shreds in front of the simpering ninnies. But no, she needed subtle. She needed deniability. She needed ...

"I hope he leaves the dog at home tonight. It's so tacky to take a dog into dine with us!" Ise whined.

Slowly, Hanabi's blood began to cool off. Okay. Obviously this girl knew nothing about nin-dogs or the Inuzuka clan if she even DARED to say such a thing.

"But I guess I have to put up with the mutt. At least until after the wedding, then the dog is banished from the house." Ise giggled.

The young Hyuuga's pale eyes gleamed with dark intent as she felt her temper rising once more. Oh no, now it wasn't just to get rid of a rival. Hanabi had to protect Kiba from this woman. She just had to keep him from making a HUGE mistake!

Takizawa Ise had to go.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	7. Easy Marks

"I said STOP!" The voice rang out imperiously in the quiet setting around them. "Can't you HEAR?"

Rinako winced and turned, kunai flashing in her hand before suddenly wide and terrified green eyes. "Either you will be quiet or I will cut out your tongue and MAKE you quiet." She hissed.

Those jewel-bright green eyes suddenly narrowed as the youngster drew up to full height, which barely topped Rinako's chest. "I will have you executed for that."

The kunoichi smiled menacingly and turned the kunai so it would catch the light of the sun and reflect in those same green eyes. "By whom?" She whispered hoarsely. "Look around you. Who will come to your rescue? Hmmm …no answer? Then shut the fuck up, princess!"

A shocked breath was the only response as her charge went red in the face. "How dare you!"

But Rinako had reached her limit. "I have told you before to be quiet that we are not out of the woods yet. There are still …"

"We left the woods for these cliffs an hour ago!" Protested the young blond, waves of hair framing a perfect heart-shaped face. Thick and dark eyelashes blinked up at her, completely naïve. "And I need to rest!"

Dumbfounded, Rinako actually bit back a laugh as she wearily replaced her kunai in her weapons pouch. "That was a metaphor. You know what that means don't you? You did learn something in your lofty education, didn't you? I meant that there is still danger to us both while we journey. I didn't literally mean those 'woods' behind us!"

Perfect bee-stung lips formed an 'O' of surprise and maybe a hint of chagrin. Then pouted. "I'm still tired. I have to rest."

"I bet they didn't teach you the word please." Rinako muttered.

"No they didn't." The blond sassed back. "We left that for the common villages. You can have that word all to yourselves."

Hissing to herself, Rinako threw out her hands in a 'be my guest' gesture. "Rest."

Looking victorious, the youngster turned and turned and turned, then frowned. "Where?"

Rinako smiled cruelly. "We're on a cliff, princess. Our pathway is only a few feet across. And this is the EASY path, before you ask about taking a different route."

The blond closed those perfect lips before forming that very question.

Rinako nodded with barely controlled temper. "We rest in about two miles. There's some hidden caves that way."

Green eyes narrowed in disgust as the pert nose wrinkled. "Clean caves?"

The kunoichi didn't even consider what the spoiled brat would consider 'clean' before she lied ruthlessly. "The cleanest we have available."

"All right then." The gullible youngster sighed in resignation.

For the thousandth time Rinako wondered if this one life she was attempting to save was worth that of her mother and two brothers. Probably not, she decided in despair. But could she turn back? Kill the blond and simply attempt to complete the Raikage's mission?

The ninja looked back over her shoulder as the blond kicked tell-tale dust and rocks down the pathway clumsily, giving away their position to anyone who might be following. She sighed unhappily. No, she couldn't do that either. It would doom her whole village.

Instead of killing her charge, Rinako whistled a command to the nin-dog following behind them to step up the pace. The same nin-dog who was trailing them to hide the signs of their passage.

"Do you have a comb?"

The question interrupted Rinako's inner musings and with a sigh she reached into the back of her pack and rummaged around without looking, finally coming up with a bone comb.

"That's YOUR comb." The blond sneered in utter disgust.

"You asked if I had a comb. This is the comb I have." Rinako said with more patience than she felt.

"You're my escort, aren't you properly provisioned?" Came the snarled response. "I have …things …in my hair!" It was nearly a wail.

Rinako stopped and turned, wondering if something was truly the matter. "Things?"

The blond batted big green eyes at her. "Things!" And held up a leaf and a small piece of twig while shaking trail dust from the long locks.

Rinako sighed and turned her back, starting walking again.

Silence for a blessed moment, then a soft snivel of a sob. Rinako slumped her shoulders, turning to find the blond wasn't following, but had sat down in the middle of the pathway.

"What now, princess?"

"Don't call me that! I'm not a princess!" The snarl was ruined by the big fat tear running down the soft cheek.

"Yui …"

"And I did not give you leave to use a proper name!" The youngster shouted, suddenly appalled. "Do you not have ANY manners? Besides I'm …."

Rinako guessed that she didn't as she shrugged, refusing to give into this tantrum and interrupted the spoiled tirade. "We need to move."

The youngster sighed and stood, looking behind them. "Do you think my grandfather still lives?"

"Yes." Rinako sighed. "Yes, your grandfather is alive and you were meant to be a hostage to his actions. Without you there …"

A soft snort of derision interrupted that train of thought.

"Now what?" The kunoichi asked bitterly.

"You're not here to rescue me." The blonde sighed unhappily. "Only the information I hold is important. Grandfather would act as he will act, whether I am hostage or not. But I have important messages with me, so you better take good care of me."

"Right." Rinako sighed. "Then let's get going." Two steps away she stopped and turned again. "Aren't you coming?"

"I need a comb." Came the stubborn response. "Not yours."

"Fine." Rinako pulled off her pack and dug through it before coming up with a bristled brush. "Here, it's not mine."

A small smile of satisfaction and young Yui began brushing those blond tresses.

Rinako's nin-dog, Kirohu yipped in question looking back and forth between the two humans. The large chocolate dog sat back and watched in wonder as the strange youngster brushed its long blond mane with Kirohu's dog-brush.

Rinako just smiled her first real smile of the day.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi carefully perused the display in front of her, placing her shopping bag down about five feet from her target.

"May I help you?" The store clerk interrupted, but the young Hyuuga waved him off absently with a promise to call him when she was ready. Once alone, she pushed her hair behind her left ear and listened carefully to the conversation next to her all while pretending to look elsewhere.

"Scented ink?" The store manager drew up in surprise. "No, we have nothing of that nature here. Perhaps you mean scented stationary? We do have a large stock of different paper weights and indeed have a few on hand that are lightly scented for the ladies."

Takizawa Ise wrinkled her nose cutely, "No …I want a gift for a friend …a shinobi friend?"

"Ah?" The manager asked as Hanabi fought not to gag at the simpering tone in the other girl's voice.

Ise continued, completely unaware of being overheard. "And he's away …a lot."

"The nature of shinobi." The manager nodded in sympathy.

"And he never writes me while he's gone." Ise pouted prettily.

Hanabi bit her lip to keep from growling. Like Kiba could write a personal love letter while on a ninja mission! Stupid, puling, idiotic ….

"So I want to give him some ink that every time he uses it, he'll think of me." Ise winked and smiled.

The manager shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, but there is nothing of that nature in my store. We do cater to ninja with a wide variety of papers and inks, but nothing scented."

While Ise tried to argue the point, Hanabi made sure she was alone and ran through the appropriate hand seals. Quietly and without any outward sign, the green dress in Ise's shopping back disappeared and a nearly identical one replaced it soundlessly.

A tense moment passed as the young Hyuuga waited to see if anyone had noticed, but no …nothing. Smiling to herself, Hanabi reached down for her own shopping bag. She now had possession of Ise's original dress and no one would ever be the wiser for it.

The clerk, noticing that she looked like she might be leaving, approached once more. "Perhaps some ink sticks? Perfect for a young kunoichi."

Hanabi shook her head as she eyed the more expensive ink sticks. "I use the pre-made inks."

The man pulled a face. "Those inks fade and don't have the artistic shine of real ink. Ruins the paper. No real precision."

Hanabi smiled her thanks and turned to leave, then suddenly stopped cold and spun around to face the man. What had the manager just said …that this store catered to ninja? "Ink makes that much difference?"

The clerk smiled at her. "Calligraphy is an art form."

"Now you sound like my cousin." Hanabi sighed, shaking her head. Still …she made a stab in the dark. "Now demolition shinobi, do they use ink with …."

"Explosives?" The clerk shook his head, obviously trying not to laugh at her. "No. Hardly. Just ink."

Well, it had been worth a try. Hanabi thanked the man as she turned to leave when his words stopped her cold. "They usually use only the higher quality inks, and of course only in stick form so that they can mix it themselves."

Hanabi fought not to crow in victory as she realized she was on the right track after all. "Do you use animal horns in your inks? Like from deer?"

The clerk nodded happily. "Only the finest glues made from young deer antler, that is all we use here. Mixed with pine soot burned cleanly of course! We're the finest ink-makers in all of Konoha."

The young Hyuuga smiled at the man as she approached the counter once more, even as Ise flounced out of the shop her bag swinging nonchalantly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi frowned down at the missive in his hand as he, Anko and Katashi waited in the Hokage's antechamber. Usually he was ushered right in due to his high standing in Konoha. But the current Hyuuga clan leader thought he knew why he was being left dangling like a common visitor. It was a tactic to put him off, but it wasn't going to work.

Katashi kicked his feet while sitting in the chair until a glance from his father had him sitting up straighter and becoming still.

"Oh let him kick his feet." Anko sighed, lounging in her chair like she didn't have a care in the world.

"I may not be able to influence your behavior, but my son is another matter entirely." Hiashi said coolly. "It's unseemly for a Hyuuga to sit like that."

Anko gave him a smoldering hot look from beneath her lashes. "Not for a Mitarashi."

Hiashi shook his head at her and Anko gave a mock pout. "Lighten up, kingfisher. If the sapling doesn't act like a Hyuuga then people will think him ill-trained and then he'll surprise them and kick their asses."

But the Hyuuga leader merely shook his head again. "If he acts with decorum they won't expect him to have the fighting prowess of both the Hyuuga and Mitarashi. And THEN he'll be able to surprise them even more."

"And kick even more ass?" Anko purred.

Hiashi grunted softly, but before he could respond Shizune appeared to usher them into Tsunade's inner office.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Takizawa Ise?" Shino shook his head as the three men stopped at the edge of the training field. "I don't see what you see in her."

Kankuro laughed suggestively as he re-embedded his puppets into their holding scrolls. "I do."

The puppeteer finished and wiped away the sweat of a good training session when he realized he was being watched. Looking up, he found Kiba's eyes glaring holes in him while Shino looked grim. "What?"

"You're married." Shino intoned coolly.

"To Hinata." Kiba growled heatedly.

Kankuro sighed. "I didn't say I was going after this girl, only that it's obvious why Kiba is going out with her."

Both men continued to stare at him.

Kankuro sneered. "Ise is a stupid, lightweight chatter box that doesn't hold a candle to Hinata. Not worth the effort to talk to her."

"Exactly." Shino nodded.

Kiba scratched his head, obviously torn between defending Hinata and yet also defending his taste in women. Kankuro laughed openly at him as Shino's shoulders relaxed in quiet amusement.

"She's not that bad." Kiba whined. "Though Kankuro shouldn't even notice Ise's ...er, attributes at all."

Akamaru barked in dissent, pawing the air.

"Your nin-dog doesn't like her." Shino pointed out. "That should tell you something."

Kiba grinned like a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "She doesn't like Akamaru. Not a girl I can introduce to my mother, that's for damned sure."

Kankuro finished packing up his equipment, slinging onto his back. "If you know that she doesn't like your nin-dog, why do you take him along on your dates?"

"I like him better." Kiba grinned.

"Then why go out with her?" Shino asked, totally bewildered.

Kiba ran his hands over his front to show a more womanly shape. "I think she'll smell better in my bed than Akamaru. Just sowing wild oats. You two are just jealous because you can't …being old married men and all."

"You're a dog." Kankuro laughed, tossing a rock at the dog ninja's head that Kiba easily dodged with a laugh of his own.

Akamaru barked and whined. The puppeteer turned to bow to the dog. "You're right Akamaru, 'dog' is too good a word for Kiba right now."

"Maybe if you bathe Akarmaru in the scented shampoo Ise uses …" Shino suggested solemnly.

The nin-dog yelped and took off, running down the road toward home with Kiba yelling and running behind him.

"Cruel." Kankuro laughed. "Beautiful, but cruel."

"You just wish you'd thought of it first." Shino told his brother-by-marriage.

The two walked quietly side-by-side back toward the main village. Finally, Kankuro sighed. "Something happened, didn't it?"

Shino held silent, but the puppeteer wouldn't let it go. "I know my sister bug-man. I know she was doing better, and now she's not."

The Aburame grunted. "Let it go." He almost whispered, unable to bring up the recent miscarriage the couple had suffered. It was too raw a wound right now.

Kankuro walked along in silence for a few more minutes, then sighed. "Just …just let her know I'm here, okay? She can turn to me if she needs me."

Shino nodded, but inside he wasn't sure what to say. Temari wasn't turning to him right now either.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Excuse me?" Anko growled, appalled. Hiashi actually put his hand on her shoulder as he wasn't sure that she wasn't about to attack the Chairman of the Konoha Elder Council. Even Tsunade looked suddenly nervous.

Kasuse Soichiro merely smiled, the old man having been an elite ninja in his day, a little thing like an overt threat meant little to him. "It seems your ….son …isn't the only member of your growing family that needs …controlling. Are you sure you're up to the job Lord Hiashi? I hear you are retiring soon after all."

The Hyuuga leader didn't even blink an eye as he looked at his political nemesis. He'd had a lot of practice over the years, and his expression gave nothing away. "My wife is not a Hyuuga except in name. I don't control her, nor do I wish to do so. I only pray at the end of the day she still finds me worthy enough to call husband and to return home with me."

Anko drew up, Hiashi's words of support controlling her more than any order would have done. She kept her mouth shut, but only barely.

"And you emphasize the word 'son' as if you don't believe it. I give you leave to examine the boy to prove his bloodline runs true." Hiashi continued, unknowingly falling into the chairman's trap.

"Pefect." Soichiro nearly purred, making Hiashi's nerves jump as he realized something was in the works that he was unaware of.

"How so?" Tsunade asked cautiously.

Soichiro shrugged his bony shoulders as his thin face glared at them all. "An examination of the boy. I hear he has no formal training beyond what you've managed to accomplish in a few short months? Not even a year?"

"Hai." Hiashi nodded brusquely.

"Yet he was able to beat my grandson? A boy heavier and two years older?" Soichiro clucked his tongue in dismay.

Tsunade sighed and sat back, watching the performance with a sad air. "And why is it bad to have a strong Hyuuga boy?" She asked, feeding the man the question she knew he wanted just to get this drama moving along.

"Perhaps too strong and undisciplined? Perhaps he should be curse sealed, for his own protection of course. He's not main branch after all, and isn't that what the Hyuuga clan is all about?" Soichiro asked with studied innocence that fooled no one.

Katashi stilled, but didn't waver as he stared at the old man. His father had promised not to seal him, and he had faith in that. Still …what if ….suddenly the boy's mouth was drier than cotton and twice as arid as the desert.

"Hyuuga family business." Hiashi intoned gruffly. "We are expanding the meaning behind the words 'main', 'family', and 'branch'."

Anko nodded in agreement as Katashi started to relax again.

Soichiro's smile turned mean as he looked down at the young seven year old. "He caused much physical damage to my grandson. Oh, I know the boys were arguing as boys are wont to do. Still, the attack upon young Tsuji was beyond the pale of an appropriate reaction."

"He CUT Katashi's hair!" Anko gritted out between clenched teeth.

The old man waved that off. "Hair grows, it was only pride that got bruised there. Your boy broke bone. He could have caused serious injury without even knowing he what he was doing. Were is the vaunted Hyuuga control? Not in this boy assuredly."

"He's young and only recently began training." Tsunade noted slowly.

"I demand an examination. The Academy entrance exams." Soichiro continued.

Hiashi drew up harshly. "He's only seven …"

"Younger than that have been accepted, and it won't be long before he's eight."

Anko stepped forward, held back by Hiashi's hand on her arm. "Other's have started at nine."

Soichiro shrugged. "For the damage done to me and mine, I demand that the boy be trained properly. If he passes the Academy entrance exam in two weeks, I let the matter drop. If he fails …he is curse sealed." As chairman of the elder council for the village, he knew this would limit the boy's abilities with the family bloodline limit. It was an overly harsh demand and they all knew it.

Tsunade's brows snapped together in outrage. "Out of the question."

"Agreed." Anko purred, drawing every eye on to her in shock, dismay, and total disbelief. "We accept your ...demands."

Katashi stared at her, feeling suddenly faint. She couldn't, could she?

Soichiro smiled ruthlessly, though he was on shaky ground. "Anko is a new Hyuuga, but a Hyuuga nonetheless. Her word is good, I presume." He wasn't sure exactly what was going on here. He'd expected a fight on this, one he'd lose but not before making some gains on political matters. Concessions from the Hyuuga family. Soichiro had NOT expected the gauntlet he'd thrown down to be picked up. Not like this.

Hiashi nodded stonily, his blood cold in his veins as he barely restrained himself from grabbing his wife and shaking her until her teeth rattled out. Just what was she up to?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Takizawa Ise was putting the final touches on her make-up and hair before meeting Kiba when a spot between her shoulder blades started itching.

Making a face she reached for a hanger and tried to scratch, but the place started stinging instead. Then her side started itching. Uncomfortable, Ise scratched and scratched, but it seemed to be spreading.

Had ants gotten into her room somehow? Ise began hopping up and down, strange noises coming from her as her aunt hurried into the room to see what was going on.

"It itches!" Ise wailed and pulled off her new green dress, ripping the fabric as she ran to the shower.

Her aunt followed as the girl stood in shower, scrubbing at her reddened skin. "You have a rash!"

Ise wailed at her, irritated. "Don't you think I know that!"

"Don't scratch, you'll tear the skin!" The aunt tutted and ran to get some lotion.

Ise though was beyond caring as she rubbed and rubbed and scratched at the sore places all along her back and chest wondering just what had she gotten into today?

o.O.o.O.o.O

From her perch in the tree Hanabi smiled as Kiba knocked on Ise's door, only to be turned away by a family member. It had worked.

The young Hyuuga didn't hang around as she headed back toward home, making a pit stop only to toss the original green dress into a dumpster. It wasn't her style anyway. Nor would it fit her, Ise was more willowy. No muscle on the civilian at all. Bah.

In her other hand she held a shopping bag with items more expensive than three floozy dresses. Items which she'd charged to her father. He'd be only delighted when she told him that she wanted to improve her calligraphy.

Hanabi smiled as she headed home. Life was good again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You said the cave was CLEAN!" The blond yelled, obviously upset and refusing to step foot into the dark entrance. "I hear things in there!"

"No you don't. I wouldn't choose a cave with bats because if I did they'd fly out and give away our position." Rinako sighed. "Silly princess."

One small foot stamped in irritation. "Don't call me princess!"

"Yui."

"THAT'S MY SISTER'S NAME!" The blond howled.

Rinako stared, stunned. "You're not Miyajima Yui, granddaughter of the Lightning Daimyo?"

"I'm Miyajima Shihei. I'm Yui's brother! She's still imprisoned with grandfather! I was away on a tutoring trip abroad, they didn't get me when they took the others."

"Brother?" Rinako sighed, looking at the youngster. With the long blond tresses, full lips and smoke-smudged lashes he looked like the perfect little girl. Finally Rinako smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. "You know what this means?"

Shihei stepped back, unsure. "What?"

Rinako threw a bag at him, hitting the kid in the chest. "Not only can you sleep in a cave, you get to carry your own weight from now on. Boy."

"Carry? But that's work for commoners." The blond protested.

"You should have let me continue to think you were a girl …princess." Rinako needled the kid as she set about setting up a cold camp in the mouth of the cave.

The boy drew up haughtily. "I told you, I'm not a princess!"

The kunoichi laughed, shaking her head. "If the shoe fits …"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	8. Fire Insurance

One and a half-weeks later ….

There was a sharp scent of ozone, then a sizzle and a soft 'pop'. Then there was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Ibiki's eyes turned to stare at Hanabi who was blushing beet red. She shrugged in response to his unasked question. The tag had been perfectly made, she was sure of it. The tag had been small, not one used for big destruction, but something simple and easy to use on small locks. Like the lock-box in front of them.

"It's supposed to be open now." Ibiki whispered blandly.

From the door where he was keeping watch, Rokuro sneered. Hanabi didn't even have to look at him to know he was disgusted with her, she could 'feel' it emanating from her teammate almost like it was tangible.

Michi wouldn't meet her eyes as he spoke. "We were to get only the one document, but will it hurt to take the whole box?"

Ibiki shrugged and reached for a tag of his own. "We were hired to retrieve certain blackmail material, we don't know what else this guy is into. I suggest that …"

The jounin team leader's words were lost as the ineffective tag suddenly decided to become hyperactive. The explosion knocked Michi back sharply while Ibiki was left standing in front of the young Hyuuga kunoichi, protecting her from the direct blast.

"Alarm given." Rokuro announced as bells pealed out from the main courtyard.

"No shit." Hanabi muttered under her breath, more embarrassed about their sensei stepping in front of her than the misstep with her tag. She eyed the mangled lock-box, then grabbed it anyway, hissing at hot it was. In fact, the tag was still burning and now some of the drapery in the room was smoldering as well.

"Maneuver seven." Ibiki barked with a satisfied grunt as all his genin snapped to attention and turned to the process of getting the hell out of there. This mission would end up complete, but not in the way he'd have liked.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Why are we going this way?" Miyajima Shihei whined for the umpteenth time, dragging his feet, and his travel pack in the dust behind him.

Rinako, bored with correcting the spoiled noble, sighed. "Pick up your pack. Carry it like a person."

"I'm not a 'person'." The boy sneered. "I'm the grandson of a Daimyo Lord. Why can't you carry both packs?"

"Because I'm carrying four times more than you are already, and I need to be free to move to protect you in the case of emergency." Rinako yawned deliberately, to show that he was boring her with his never-ending litany of complaints.

Shihei's eyes narrowed in a pout, his lips pursed together as he opened his mouth.

She interrupted him. "Do you use lip-tint?"

The young noble sighed and shook his head. "No. Why can't the dog carry my pack?"

"No? I would have thought you did. They're so pink." Rinako mused with apparent calmness. "And my dog is a nin-dog. Ninja dog. Show respect."

Shihei made a face behind her back. "I don't use face paints. I'm a boy." He cast a look behind her at the huge chocolate nin-dog following them. "And why can't the nin-dog carry the pack?"

Rinako acted surprised. "Really? Not even lash-darkener? I'm shocked. I haven't seen lips that pink and lashes that dark for a while. What about lemon-juice on your hair? I'll bet you do that."

"I do not!" Came the immediate protest. "And I demand that the dog carry my pack." With that, Shihei dropped the pack he'd been dragging in the dust and crossed his arms in apparent mutiny.

Sighing, the kunoichi stopped and turned. The boy was a picture of despair. Dusty, dirty and sweat-stained, even his blond hair had turned stringy. Too bad he'd not done any actual work. "Pick that up, we're not stopping here."

"We've been on the road for a month!" Shihei yelled, balling up his fists.

"Under two weeks." She said scathingly, shaking her head. "We've only been on the road for under two weeks."

Green eyes narrowed in anger. "Don't correct me! You're not qualified for that!"

"Then don't exaggerate, you're not smart enough for that!" The kunoichi retorted.

A shocked breath as the boy drew up as tall as his stature would allow. "I could have your whole family executed for an insult like that." He told her coldly.

Rinako smiled, but it wasn't pretty and it wasn't nice. Shihei backed up a step and nearly tripped on the pack he'd dropped. "My family will be executed anyway." She bit off each word angrily. "For this mission, for helping you, for all of this …my whole family will die at the Raikage's order."

"But …" Shihei's green eyes went wide and his long dark lashes fluttered as he took in her words.

"My mission is to assassinate a Hyuuga. All Hyuuga actually. That's a suicide mission, especially on my own and without a team." Rinako sneered. "But once the Raikage finds out that I didn't even attempt my mission, but instead protected you …from him, then not only my life will be forfeit."

"Your whole family?" His voice sounded strangled. "He's not that …"

"You've been away." Rinako snapped. "While you were gone there were some changes. While you were off learning etiquette and the hands of other spoiled nobles, our dearest Raikage was deposed. Your grandfather and his family were taken hostage and that effectively hamstrung any counterattack. Our finest ninja are helpless with our Daimyo Lord in captivity."

Shihei swallowed nervously, shifting from foot to foot. Finally he dropped his gaze and his cheeks tinted pink with some embarrassment. "I was away on a tutoring trip when the family compound was taken. The …my grandfather's servants put our head housekeeper's son in my clothes and claimed him to be me. Then they got word out to my tutor and I was …protected. Secreted away."

Rinako nodded slowly. "That boy will die if they ever find out that he's not you."

The young noble nodded, but didn't speak.

"Do you like him? Is he a friend of yours?" She asked gently.

One tear rolled down his soft face as he confessed, looking up at her miserably. "I don't even know his name."

The kunoichi nodded in understanding.

"He's protecting me with his life. They all are. And …I ...all the time they worked there, I never even bothered to learn the name of my housekeeper's son." Shihei sighed and wiped his face clean. "They're doing their duty and I will do mine."

"Well spoken." Rinako nodded at him.

"And you can do yours." Shihei pointed at the nin-dog. "He can carry my pack."

With a deep sigh Rinako shook her head. "Just when I thought you might be human after all." With a scowl she bent and picked up the boy's pack and threw it at him. "The nin-dog's name is Kirohu."

"Well …Kirohu can …"

"He's busy covering our trail, the trail that you leave behind us as we go." Rinako said with utter coldness.

Shihei dropped the pack and crossed his arms. "I'm not moving. You're job is to protect me and if I don't go anywhere …neither can you." His sharp little chin shot out in sheer stubbornness.

Rinako's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You think you want to play with the big bad ninja? Think again little princess."

"I'm NOT a girl!" Shihei shouted, his face red with anger.

"But you look like one." She teased him. "And you look like a tasty enough treat for the wildlife. Good luck."

With something of a shock, Shihei watched her shoulder her own pack and whistle for her nin-dog. Then the two started walking away. Nervously he licked his lips. "You're bluffing! You can't leave me!"

Rinako shouted out to him. "I have the valuable information in MY pack. For what do I need you? The world thinks you're still in Kumogakure. Let the housekeeper's son get a promotion to noble, what do I care?"

"But …but …but …I'm a noble …the Daimyo's grandson!"

"The Daimyo is currently a hostage. And you're only one little noble. There are more." Rinako was a goodly distance ahead now and the boy was starting to sound panicky. "And you are currently prey to a lion."

Shaking, Shihei drew one hand through his hair, looking around at how alone he'd be once she left. He lifted his chin and called out to her. "You're no lion!"

Laughing she pointed to the side where there was some thick foliage. "Not me, him."

Shihei shook his head, sweat dripping into his eyes and clouding his vision. "You're lying! You're a …" A rustle of leaves from the place she'd been pointing had him squeaking, grabbing the travel pack and running to catch up to the kunoichi.

Rinako hid her smile from him, shaking her head at his gullibility.

Once the humans where finally gone, the small rabbit poked its head out from the bushes and continued foraging.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko circled the youngster as Katashi struggled to complete the exercise. "Again. What was your fifth mistake?"

"Doubting my place in this family." Huffed the boy as he finished his sit-ups.

Gesturing for him to start the push-ups, Anko pulled out a knife and began gutting a fish, dropping the innards into an empty pie plate beside her. Finally she took a stick and impaled the fish, placing it over the small fire she'd built right next to their training area.

Smelling the cooking fish made Katashi's belly quiver with hunger. Anko smiled at the sound his grumbling stomach made. "Hungry?"

"Y…yes …" Katashi moaned, though he didn't quit his exercises. It had been a long time since breakfast. Sweat dripped from him as he groaned.

Hiashi watched with detachment as Anko continued her 'training' methods. "And your fourth mistake?" She prodded him.

Katashi's arms wavered and threatened to drop him face first onto the ground as he answered. "Letting Tsuji get through my defenses and striking me at all."

Anko nodded and casually stuck the pie plate with its grisly contents right under Katashi's nose, so that if he did drop his face to the ground …he'd get a face full of fish guts. The boy gagged, but gamely pressed onward, barely managing to keep his face out of the fish gore.

Hiashi shook his head, stunned. "Is that how Orochimaru trained you?" He asked quietly.

Anko shot him a frown and shook her head. "No. His ways were much harsher. Trust me, I'm taking it easy on him."

"He is only seven." Hiashi said, knowing that he'd pushed his own daughters quite hard at early ages. But then he'd never used fish guts in his training methods.

"I can …do …it!" Katashi grimaced and even though his little arms were shaking, he finished his set. Anko swept the pie plate out from under him on the last repetition with a huge smile. "And my third mistake was to make everyone worry."

Hiashi grunted and nodded at his son, proud of his stubborn desire to succeed and pass the Academy entrance exams though he'd only been training for a short while compared to the other candidates.

"Target practice." Anko announced, pointing toward a target farther away than any he'd used before.

Katashi swallowed nervously, his pale-eyes wide as he held out his arms. "I'm so tired that I'm shaking! And I'm hungry!" He wailed, sniffing the smell of the fish cooking over the fire.

Anko smiled at him and handed him a weapons pouch. "So, you think you will only need to use your weapons when you're fresh and on a sated belly?"

"Oh." Katashi climbed to his feet and took the weapon pouch, throwing a longing look at the fish still cooking and headed over toward the target.

Hiashi shook his head in wonder. "This is beyond first year training."

Anko shrugged. "I don't want him just to pass, I want him to excel. He needs to know that he got into the Academy on his own merit and not because of your name. Tops in his class, that'll be him."

Grunting, the Hyuuga clan leader allowed a small smile as his son hit the target on his first and second tries. "He's improving. Looks like I won't have to curse seal him after all."

"Neji says the boy isn't the strongest on the equations and such, and his sense of history is atrocious. Still, he wasn't raised in Konoha." Anko sighed, rolling her shoulders. "But he has a firm enough grasp on the basics for the entrance exam at least."

"I could have cheerfully killed you when you accepted Soichiro's challenge." Hiashi groused, then frowned as Katashi hit only the outer ring of the target with his last three kunai.

Anko pouted. "You could have tried, shark."

"Shark?"

"A fish with teeth." She clarified for her husband as Katashi ran back up to them.

The boy frowned as he looked up at his step-mother. "Fish don't have teeth." Said the boy who was raised in the mountains solely on fresh-water fish. And since he'd been raised in secret, by a hermit, he hadn't seen a movie in his life before arriving in Konoha. "Are you sure sharks are fish?"

"You definitely need to go to school." Anko sighed. "And I need to take you to the beach. Now. Your first mistake, what was it?"

Katashi scratched his head as he reached for the scrumptious smelling fish skewered over the fire. "You skipped the second mistake."

Anko slapped his hand away from the fish and pulled it off the fire, holding it away from him. "No I didn't." She said, her eyes sparkling. "What was it?"

"Oh." Katashi grimaced. "Never disobey a direct order, especially from you." He grinned cheekily up at her. "But I didn't make that mistake! I didn't go to the port town with the other boys."

Anko leaned down toward him, her eyes glued to his gaze. "But you thought about it." She whispered, nodding. "Oh yes, you thought about it."

Katashi frowned and then dropped his gaze. "I'm sorry."

The spiky-haired jounin handed the exhausted boy the fish with a flourish. "Eat up, I've asked Gai to come over in a bit to try out some of the basic taijutsu moves that we've been going over."

Katashi bit into the fish looking confused. "I thought Neji was going to go over the gentle fist kata with me? Who is Gai?"

Anko pursed her lips. "Your father and Neji have years to teach you the family moves. We need Gai to coach you in basic taijutsu, as he is the best in the village."

Hiashi pinched his nose and sighed. "And he'll also run you ragged. Anko? Why didn't you ask me first? Or do I even care to know?"

"Come along shark, you have a council meeting to attend." Anko purred. "We'll leave Katashi to his fate."

"But I …but you ….I don't want to be curse sealed!" Katashi almost wailed, worried about being left with a stranger. "I want you to teach me!"

Hiashi shook his head. "You have nothing to worry about. Anko was right when she explained her reasoning. If Soichiro isn't aware that the Hyuuga curse seal is being discontinued, and those with the seal are having it 'mirrored' so that our enemies can't use it against them …then that's his problem."

"Stay, please?" Katashi blinked up at them as he noticed a strange person running up to them with a huge grin and the weirdest green outfit on that the boy had ever seen. "You haven't ever told me what my first mistake was!"

Anko paused, considering it a moment. "You're right. Well, what do you think it was? Now that you've had almost two weeks to think it over?"

Katashi shrugged. "Trying to think of a way to sneak out and go to the port town with my friends?"

Hiashi nodded, but Anko grinned and shook her head. "No. No, I would have done that too."

Hiashi looked as puzzled as his son. "Then what was the first mistake?"

Anko beamed at them. "No, your mistake wasn't in trying to come up with a plan to get away with it …the mistake was not in coming up with a way! I would have!"

The Hyuuga clan leader groaned and wondered at the vagaries of fate that had set this woman squarely in the middle of his once well-ordered life.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari was standing under the cool spray, every muscle in her body aching. She hadn't moved in at least half an hour and the hot water was long gone leaving only the nearly cold water to wash over her.

Shino pulled back the shower door, staring at her.

Temari blinked her green eyes over at him. "Do you mind?"

"Yes." Came the monotone reply. "I do, actually."

Arching one eyebrow haughtily, Temari yanked the shower door closed, or tried to at least. Shino inserted his foot to block the move. Water rained down on his boot and drenched the floor where he was standing.

"I just want a shower." Temari bit the words out. "I've been training and I …I want to …I want to wash up. Shino?"

But her husband wasn't listening as he reached inside the shower stall and turned off the water, unmindful of getting wet himself. He next reached for the thick towel and wrapped it around her. The blonde stiffened as he touched her. Shino sighed.

"Do you think I didn't know?" He asked gruffly. "You hide in here because crying in the shower because it hides your tears. Can't you cry with me?"

Temari pushed him, but it was like trying to push away a stone wall. He didn't budge. "You haven't cried at all." The words were almost accusatory.

Shino pulled off his glasses, watching her with his silvery-gray eyes. "How would you know? You've been pulling away from me since …"

"Don't!" She warned him, on the edge of losing it entirely.

"You're not the only one going through this!" He snapped at her. "Can't we at least go through it together?"

Temari blinked at him, knowing she was being blatantly unfair to him. She couldn't seem to help her self these days. Finally she sighed. "I'm sorry."

Shino gritted his teeth and shook her, startling the blonde to snarl at him. "Don't apologize for what isn't your fault!"

At that Temari finally lost it and crumpled into him. Shino took her weight willingly and held her, gathering her up in his arms as she sobbed. Long moments passed before she pulled back and looked into his face, surprised to see that they weren't dry. "I know you're grieving too, I'm so sorry." She said softly, tracing the line of moisture down his cheek.

Shino squeezed her and reached over to grab her robe, helping her to wrap herself up warmly. Wiping her face with another towel, the Aburame heir sighed. "I don't want to try again."

Shocked, Temari jerked back. "What?"

Shino looked at her beseechingly, "I don't want to put you through this again. And …and I don't think that I'm strong enough to go through it again myself. I don't know how you got through it the first time all alone. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Don't apologize for what wasn't your fault." Temari wanly threw his words back at him. Swallowing nervously she traced the lines on his face. "I want a baby."

"I want you happy. I want us happy." Shino told her. "I don't need a baby." He lied. He did want a child with her. He wanted to see her fat and pregnant. He wanted to see her smiling and feeding their baby. He wanted it all. But he wanted her more.

The blonde shook her head. "A lot of women get pregnant right after having a …" Temari took a deep breath and said the word she hated most in this world, "a miscarriage. Even your sister Sachi did."

"Sachi?"

Temari nodded. "She came to me yesterday, I think your father put her up to it."

Shino stiffened, but Temari shook her head with a sad smile. "Don't get on him for it, it was touching really. I like your sister."

"Me too." Shino frowned, "But if you don't want to be around family, we can find a place for just the two of us. Father would understand."

"No, no …" Temari laid her head on his shoulder. "I like your family, and I adore Katsumaru. Even if he is non-stop energy." She said, thinking of Shino's youngest nephew.

"Nothing breakable is safe from him." Shino commented dryly. "He broke Ryota's bed yesterday. Father still doesn't know how a three year old can break a solid wooden frame like that."

"I don't want to try again." Temari said with a firm voice.

"Good." Shino nodded, but she stopped him with a kiss. He groaned as she leaned into him for a moment.

"No, I'm not giving up." Temari blinked her jewel-bright eyes at him. "I think we should both relax and let it happen as fate would have it. No more trying, but just …living our lives."

Shino's brows furrowed as he looked at her with worry in his gaze.

Temari sighed, nodding. "If we lose another it will be hard, I won't say otherwise. But I want a baby …your baby. Let's just be ourselves and not worry so much about it."

"Can you do that?" He asked her point blank.

The blonde shook her head. "Not a chance in hell." She smiled at him. "So, just because you married me we don't date anymore?"

Stunned, Shino shook his head. "What?" He asked, completely puzzled by the turn in the conversation.

"I want to see a movie. And I want dinner out." Temari sniffed at him. "And you need a shower first. Sorry about the lack of hot water, but go get cleaned up. Then I want a date. Later, you might get lucky."

The bug-ninja eyed her speculatively for a moment, then shook his head at her. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

Temari nodded. "Is it working?"

Shino nodded, forcing a tight-lipped smile. "Strangely enough it is. Go get dressed." He told her as he started pulling off his wet clothes so he could wash up.

He watched her close the door behind her, then let the frown he'd hidden from her appear. She hadn't given up at all. And knowing his wife's stubbornness, she wasn't one to give in lightly. Worried about her, he stepped into the shower and shivered as all he found was cold water.

She'd said it herself, a lot of women got pregnant again right away following a miscarriage. Shizune herself had told him that. But was Temari seducing him just to get pregnant? First she didn't want him to touch her? Now she wanted a date, and perhaps more? Had she stopped seeing him as a person and more as a means to an end?

No, surely not. Still, Shino wasn't sure how to get the real Temari back.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki and his team had escaped with not too much effort and were standing on the hill watching the house burn as servants scrambled to form bucket brigades in order to put out the fire.

Hanabi's stomach hurt as she watched.

Rokuro shook his head in wonder. "I thought the mission was supposed to be a STEALTHY one." He said pointedly.

Hanabi sighed.

Michi looked distinctly uncomfortable between the two of them. Ibiki watched the young man and hoped that he would step in and lead this team, but Michi just sighed and stayed quiet. Disappointed, Ibiki turned his attention back to Hanabi. "What went wrong? That wasn't one of your special tags, that was a basic skill. One I know you excel at, which is why I assigned you that job."

Frowning, Hanabi reached into one of her pouches and pulled out more tags, silently handing them over to her sensei.

Rokuro frowned sharply. "Better run and hide! They'll either work too well and burn down the entire damned house or not work at all!"

"Shut up." Michi muttered, shooting glances at his friend. "Just shut up."

Ibiki whistled between his teeth, flipping through the tags. "What's up with this ink? It's watery and thin in some places, and there's a clot of ink right there."

Hanabi hunched her shoulders. "I started mixing my own ink with ink sticks. I thought I had the mixture right this time."

"Mixing your own?" Ibiki nodded. "I should have guessed. To work with more advanced demolition tags you would have to do that, you can't use pre-made ink for work that specialized."

Rokuro frowned as it dawned on him that their sensei wasn't tearing Hanabi a new one for her mistake. "She burned down the HOUSE!" He pointed, as if anyone could miss the massive column of smoke rising from the burning structure.

Ibiki nodded grimly. "Good thing we didn't like the owner then, isn't it?"

Michi grinned openly at that and even Hanabi relaxed a moment. Rokuro kicked the ground in frustration. "Sure the rich kid gets away with everything."

"Shut it." Ibiki ordered, then handed the tags back to Hanabi. "You need to work on your ink mixing, it has to be even. And your calligraphy has to improve now that you're using more precise brushes."

Hanabi blushed and nodded.

"Rokuro? Nice job with the air jutsu shield, and the genjutsu to get us through the back entrance." Ibiki's words placated the stocky genin a bit. "But your teamwork sucks. You got ahead of Michi and it was sheer luck that the secondary guards didn't catch you."

Their sensei gathered them all for the journey back to Konoha, going over their good points and the areas that they needed to improve. Hanabi was listening, but her heart wasn't in it exactly. In her mind, she was kicking herself for her mistake.

She'd thought she had finally gotten the ink mixture even, but obviously not. When she'd first cracked Gaara's code she'd been jubilant. Hyuuga ancestors? Deer horn? Poets and calligraphy. Deer antlers made into glue for the finest inks. It had been so obvious when she finally figured it out.

You couldn't use pre-made inks, which where heavy with gum, for the more delicate work of shaped demolition tags. There had to be a precision to the calligraphy used, a precision that couldn't be made with cheap inks. Pre-made inks bled into the paper, it was slight and almost undetectable, but it was there!

Hanabi had been sure that she'd had it made! But then she'd tried the ink sticks and had realized that putting in just the right amount of water and the right amount of pressure to make the ink even and smooth was harder than she'd ever expected. Her inks were inconsistent. And her calligraphy was much poorer now that she was using actual brushes instead of a pen.

She needed help.

A vision of a certain red-head popped into her mind, but she banished it ruthlessly. One day she might thank him for her gifts, but for now …she needed to avoid the non-courting Kazekage at all costs. She had plans for her life. And it didn't include Suna.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara paused in mid-sentence to sneeze. His councilor handed him a tissue and they continued with the meeting.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba drew back sharply the moment Ise opened the door. Akamaru whined and dropped to his belly, covering his nose with his paws.

The pretty girl frowned at them. "What?"

"Er …" Kiba wasn't sure what to say. Akamaru barked and yipped his response, and Kiba was glad Ise couldn't understand the nin-dog. No woman likes to be told that they stank.

"I'm sorry." Kiba whispered, trying to breath with his mouth instead of his nose. "Something came up. Sudden mission. Secret stuff. We can't take you out to dinner tonight."

Ise frowned at him, angry. "But I'm all dressed up!" She wailed.

Kiba smiled wanly, backing away as fast as he could without hurting her feelings. "Hokage's orders, or you couldn't tear me from your side." The dog-ninja lied through his fangs.

A moment later, after promises of making it up to her, Kiba was gone. Ise frowned as she shut the door. What was wrong with him? He'd been acting so strangely.

Ise went up to her room and decided not to change, but to go out with some of her girlfriends instead. She looked too good not to go out! Ise checked her reflection in the mirror and smiled, then dabbed on a bit more of her new perfume. She loved the muskiness and exotic scent of it.

Ise put the bottle down, then frowned and picked it up again. This bottle felt different, didn't it? Something was different, but …what? Dismissing her thought as fanciful, Ise prepared to go out. All unaware that her new favorite scent had been tampered with, a certain something added that no one without acute senses could smell.

And Ise didn't have acute senses.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Much later in the evening, Hanabi stormed into the main house, ill as a hornet. Rokuro had been picking at her the whole way back to the village. It had been so bad that even-tempered Michi had gotten grouchy by the time they got back.

Hanabi saw the open door to the library and poked her head inside. "Neji? I need help with my …."

"Not now." Neji looked up, distracted. "Sorry, how about tomorrow? I have to get this treatise written for the upcoming meeting with the …."

"Never mind." Hanabi frowned. Ever since Neji had been made heir, she'd been relieved. Still, he was much busier now and didn't have as much time to spend teaching her things. "Where's Yugao?"

Neji sighed. "It's not polite to interrupt." He waited for an apology, but didn't get one. Frowning he shook his head at her. "Yugao is helping Katashi go over the history of Konoha, he has to have it down for the Academy exam."

"But that's the easiest subject." Hanabi protested.

Neji shook his head. "Not for someone who didn't grow up here." He said, then bent his head back down over his work.

"Never mind." Hanabi huffed and headed upstairs. The door to the nursery was open and she could see her sister standing over the cribs. "Hinata?"

"Hai?" The older sister looked up wearily, pushing back her long hair. Hanabi blinked as she spied the dark circles under Hinata's eyes.

"Do you need something?"

Hanabi stalled, sure that her sister would help, but even she could see that Hinata was worn out. "It's nothing. Are you alright?"

Hinata smiled gently, running one hand absently over one of the twin boys as they slept, finally. "Croup. If one wasn't crying, the other one was. I just need some rest."

"Where's the nurse, you shouldn't be doing this all by yourself." Hanabi muttered.

Hinata smiled and shook her head. "She went to take a nap the moment these two fell asleep. I was about to do the same."

"Oh."

"Are you sure you don't need me?" Hinata asked, yawning.

Hanabi shook her head. "Nothing important, it can wait." With that she made some excuses and headed out to find someone else. Using the Byakugan she quickly located her father and Anko, they were talking. Hanabi headed toward them, then stopped and spun around, disengaging her family's bloodline limit as fast as she could as her father grabbed Anko and pulled her close for a heated kiss. Some things she just didn't want to see!

Neji was busy. Hinata was wiped out. Yugao was with Katashi. And her father was ...otherwise occupied. Hanabi frowned as she felt the sharp sting of jealousy. Taking a deep breath, she let it go. She wasn't the youngest, not anymore. Everyone seemed to have moved on. Except for her. Neji and Hianta had joined the married with children club. Katashi was fun, but he was a kid. Even her father had a new life now.

For the first time in her life, Hanabi felt …lonely?

But then, feeling sorry for yourself got you no where, she decided. She turned on her heels to head over to the site of Kankuro and Hinata's new house.

"Ossu!" She called out, careful not to get too close. Too many traps were set. Some by the fake contractors, and some by Kankuro himself.

"Hello yourself!" The puppeteer called out to her.

Hanabi smiled. Sure, her family was busy. But then again, her family was now bigger than ever before. She grinned over at her brother-by-marriage. "I need your help with something."

Kankuro smiled at her. "Sure, what's up?"

"Well you see, I burned down a house." Hanabi grinned, the humor of the statement helping to wipe away some little bit of the embarrassment of earlier.

The puppet master blinked at her, then looked up at the Hyuuga manor. "Which house?" He asked warily.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	9. Love Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note. A few people have been confused on the ages. Hanabi started at 13 in MARRY MY FATHER PLEASE? But she has had a birthday since then and is now fourteen. Gaara was eighteen and is now nineteen. The characters WILL age in this fic! And nothing "M" rated will occur between Gaara and Hanabi until they are older.

Seething with iritation, words her father didn't know that she knew spilling forth from her lips, Hanabi chucked her ink brush as hard as she could across the room.

"Well now." The amused voice startled her, as she'd not sensed anyone approaching. Kiba flashed a fangy grin at her and held up the brush she'd thrown. Ink stained his fingers where he'd caught the impromptu projectile. "I hear the pen is mightier than the sword, but …."

Hanabi choked in utter embarrassment, going beet red in the face.

Kiba laughed. "Now you look just like your sister!" He chortled, not knowing the sheer effects of his words were not taken well.

Her stomach nearly writhing at the thought that she resembled Hinata at her worst, stuttering and fainting in the presence of the guy she liked, Hanabi snapped. "What the hell do you want?" The words slipped from her before any editing could be applied. Shocked at herself, her hands flew to cover her mouth. "Oh! Kiba, I'm so sorry!"

But the Inuzuka merely laughed, not taking offense at all. "That's how I feel every time I have to write reports. I hate writing stuff."

"We know." Came the dry response from the doorway, where Kankuro was leaning against the frame while Temari smiled at them. "Kiba? What's up? I thought we were going to leave in about an hour?"

The focus swung away from her as Kiba turned to speak with the puppeteer and Hanabi was finally able to catch her breath and let the color fade from her burning face.

"Oh, the mission has been postponed until tomorrow. No big deal, but we're awaiting some code decryption on some letters before we can leave, and apparently they've hit a snag." Kiba yawned. "Now there's a job I'd detest, poring over codes and stuff day in and day out. No outdoors stuff at all!"

Temari chuckled, even as she agreed. "It would be hell to be stuck indoors all the time."

Kiba cocked his head at the blonde kunoichi, frowning. "You look pale. You okay?"

Kankuro could have cheerfully kicked his nin-dog teammate, even though the guy's heart was in the right place. Temari was having a bad day it seemed, even if she wouldn't exactly confide in him, he could tell. Quickly he reached to change the subject. "Hanabi? You done with those characters yet? I want the house to still be standing when I get back from this mission."

Hanabi fought back the bile in the back of her throat as she smiled through her anger. How could he? How could Kankuro tease her like a child? IN FRONT OF KIBA?

"Characters?" The dog-nin asked, curious. "What are you working on?"

Hanabi's anger faded as she read real interest in Kiba's face as he walked over to her, handing back her ink brush. "I'm working on my calligraphy for my tags." She said as grown-up and nonchalantly as she could manage under his warm dark gaze.

Kiba's smile widened. "Ah man! Shino's good with that stuff, but not me. I use the basic pre-made inks and if I need a bigger explosion, I use more tags!"

Frowning at the perceived slight, Hanabi opened her mouth only to be interrupted by Temari of all people. The blonde smiled at her encouragingly. "That's not an easy task, I see you're mixing your own inks."

Mollified by the respectful tone and the interest of the three older jounin, Hanabi fairly preened as she showed off her work. But then she frowned as she noted flaws in her workmanship. "Writing Kanji is hard enough, but to make the ink consistently smooth and using a brush too? I …I'm not very good yet."

"Better'n me." Kiba mumbled, flipping through the tags, his eyes widening. "I'm not sure I've even come across some of these combinations before."

Temari nodded absently, tracing one character in the air with her finger. "You're better than I was at your age, I'll tell you that." She nodded with an air of approval. "And you sought out Kankuro to help you? Smart, smart girl."

Hanabi paused, not bothering to correct the assumption that she'd chosen Kankuro first. He'd merely been the only one willing to help who wasn't so busy to spend time going over this with her. "Why?" She asked curiously. "I mean, you've got neater handwriting than he does." Hanabi poked her finger at her brother-by-marriage. "And you have a summons animal, while all he does is embed his puppets into scrolls."

Kiba grinned shaking his head as he ruffled her smooth hair. Chagrined, Hanabi pulled away. She loved that he touched her, but he was acting like she was a child!

Kankuro elbowed Temari lightly. "My handwriting sucks because I'm always in a hurry, but when I'm embedding my puppets, trust me …nothing sloppy about that work at all."

The blonde kunoichi nodded in agreement. "I inherited the summons scroll, as most ninja do, from another ninja. The real work with them is always done by the first summoner, and that's a pretty rare accomplishment."

"See?" Kankuro winked at Kiba. "It's nothing but a bit of blood to call a summons animal. Nothing to it at all."

Temari clocked her brother on top of his head, making him grimace in pain. "That is NOT all there is to it and you know it!" She sighed and smiled over at Hanabi. "But what Kankuro does is use ink and precision chakra control in a way very similar to those tags you're making."

Hanabi blinked, her face falling slack a bit as she shot a unnerved glance at the puppet master. "But …but you haven't been showing me anything about making the chakra flow into the tags. I've been doing it the same way as always!"

Kankuro grinned at winked at her. "That's because your chakra control is nearly perfect with the writing. It's only your ink that is watery or clumping in places. I don't know if it's your Hyuuga training or what, but you've already got that part of it down."

"Nice." Kiba praised her, putting the tags back down on the table. "You will be a dangerous woman one day Hyuuga Hanabi."

Butterflies suddenly took flight in her stomach as Hanabi smiled up at the man of her dreams. They would be perfect together, just as soon as he realized that she wasn't a child anymore.

"Going to go out with Ise today, since you get an unexpected reprieve from the mission?" Temari asked without any notice that Hanabi's happy bubble just burst at the name of her rival.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako paused in the middle of the trail, listening closely for a moment. The noble youth behind her opened his mouth to make either another complaint or a demand of some kind.

One moment she was in front of him, then the next she was behind him, her hand over his mouth. Shihei stiffened in alarm, his eyes going wide with fear. Kirohu, the large chocolate nin-dog crouched down, his hackles rising as he scented the air.

Long moments passed. In fact it was so long that Shihei's fear had faded and he was pulling at her hand over his mouth. Finally, Rinako let him go, though with obvious reluctance.

"What do you think you're about?" The youngster demanded haughtily, his nose so high up in the air that if it started raining, he'd drown. "Touching me like you have my permission? You are a coarse, stupid, dictator who has no …." He stopped as she glared hard at him and flashed a kunai, making the youth swallow nervously.

Rinako pushed the lethally sharp blade up close to Shihei's face, stopping right at the boy's temple.

"I …I …I'm …not a…a..afr…afraid of you." The boy lied, and lied badly.

Rinako grinned, but it wasn't meant to be reassuring, and it wasn't. Shihei blinked and blinked again. "W…what?"

"We're not alone." The kunoichi whispered as suddenly two large men dropped down from the tree limbs beside them.

In an instant there was the clanging of weapons, the snarl of a nin-dog, the smell of blood, and Shihei's pants were no longer dry.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki blinked. He rubbed his eyes. But the strange hallucination didn't go away. His Kazekage looked up from his desk and caught the eye of his former sensei. The red-head's smile faded into his usual solemn expression. "What?"

The one-eyed Suna councilor shrugged, not wanting to encroach. Still. Gaara had been smiling. SMILING. Not just a little smile, a half-quirked tilt of his lips that was more his norm these last few years. No, this had been a genuine …smile? He wasn't hung over, so …it had to be real. Right?

"Did you need something?" The red-head's voice dripped with impatience.

Baki grunted. That was more like it. He held up a sealed letter with one hand. "Something for the mail packet to Konoha, if you don't mind personal correspondence with the official scrolls."

Gaara grunted and held out a hand for the letter, he glanced at the handwriting on the envelope and frowned. "This isn't from you." It was a statement, not a question. But the question clearly hung between them without it ever being asked.

"For Temari, from Euiko."

"Oh?" That was the only response as Gaara weighed the letter in his hand. "A letter from your wife to my sister?"

Baki nodded almost nervously. He'd kept a secret from his former student, and his Kazekage. But it had been of a personal nature, still …keeping secrets from Gaara wasn't always a healthy choice to make. Especially when it invovled one of the Sand siblings. "There's no secret any longer."

Gaara sighed and nodded, putting the letter in with the more official mail without opening it. "Temari should have come to me with her …problem."

The one-eyed shinobi shrugged. "What could you have done? In all honesty, the surgery that was performed in Konoha might not even work. And Temari had every indication from our medics that nothing could be done. So what could you have done if she'd told you?"

The red-head nodded. He was uncomfortable speaking on the matter of conceiving children, especially where it concerned his sister. Still, some things needed to be said. "I'm guessing that the huge 'secret' between your wife and my sister has to do with …children?" It was no secret that Baki and his wife, Euiko, were childless.

Baki nodded, also uncomfortable on the subject matter. It made him feel, unmanned somehow. "We've never been able to conceive." He said baldly and with little to no inflection in his voice to give away just how much the subject hurt him.

Gaara nodded, then let his eyes slide over to look out the window. "Does it hurt your wife the same way it hurts Temari? To think that she'll never be a mother?"

"Hai." Baki sighed, a sadness in his voice that couldn't be defined.

A long moment passed between the two shinobi where nothing needed to be said, then finally, Gaara turned back to face his former sensei. "Will it hurt Euiko to know that Temari has a chance to have a baby now? Could the medics in Konoha help her?"

Baki shook his head. "We've …when the Hokage agreed to look at Temari's case, I …I took the liberty to write her on my wife's behalf. They were very nice about it, but in looking at Euiko's records ...there's nothing that can be done."

Silence once more as both men fell into their own dark thoughts. Again Gaara was the first to speak. "It will hurt her then if …no, when …WHEN Temari has a baby."

Baki grunted. "We've been talking about adopting. Lately." He didn't add that it was Temari's doing something about her inability to carry a child that had spurred his wife to even thinking about taking this step.

"Good."

"What about you?" The elder shinobi pushed his luck a bit. "The council would love to see you married and starting a family."

Gaara's lips twisted slightly, but didn't form that odd smile again. Though humor did pour from his jade-green eyes. "In a few years." He said, his hand touching an open letter on his desk. A letter he had not shared with anyone, nor ever would.

In a way, it was the single rudest letter he'd ever received. But one he took great pleasure in reading and re-reading.

_Gaara of the Desert Village,_

It opened simply and with a temerity that was unequalled. His name, plain and without an honorific of any kind along with his village, but unnamed. People had gone to war over less of an insult.

_Stay there._

Gaara's fingers traced the very short heart of the letter, if it could even be called a letter. No signature was attached, but the envelope clearly stated the sender. A certain Hyuuga genin kunoichi had drawn a comical caricature of a racoon.

But it was the other part of the message that drew his attention so. The fact that the ink Hanabi used wasn't pre-made and that no pen had touched this paper, only a brush. The strokes of the characters were good for writing but needed improvement. And he had no doubt that they'd only get better with time.

"In a few years." The Kazekage of Suna repeated and dismissed his councilor so that he could get back to work.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Later that day, Kiba was confused. Something just wasn't right. Absently he scratched at the ant bite and sighed. He knew that the picnic area had been free of ants before he'd put down the blanket. His senses wouldn't lie about a thing like that.

But then …he'd also sensed Hyuuga Hanabi a bit over 100 feet away. Had she ….no, what reason could Hinata's little sister have for sabotaging his picnic date with Ise? His poor date had caught the brunt of the ant invasion and had run screaming for home to shower. Besides, Hanabi had been too far away to do much anyway. After all, she was still only a genin and at that distance anything that subtle would require a huge amount of control.

Yet …had Hanabi done this somehow? But how? Why? She couldn't have a …crush on him …could she? No, surely not. She was like a baby sister to him.

Kiba shook off the thought as ridiculous, but …it kept niggling at the back of his mind. He was heading back toward the Hyuuga compound when he stopped nearly in mid-stride. His nose wriggled and then he turned with deliberation toward a building he'd never before had cause to enter.

The door was open at the end of the hall and he knocked on the door as he entered, giving no pause for anyone to keep him from coming inside. Akamaru followed and sat down beside him, raising a paw at Ino and Hinata in greeting. "Ladies." Kiba gave them both a sexy little smirk.

Surprised, the blonde kunoichi looked at Kiba curiously. "Did you need something?"

From over by a table, Shikamaru looked up from some papers he was going over with some girl that Kiba didn't know. His eyes went right over her. She was rather plain looking with frizzy hair and thick glasses. She looked brainy. Not his type.

"I smelled Hinata was over here and I needed to ask her a question." Kiba grinned, then his good humor faded as he got a closer look at his former teammate. "What's wrong? I'll kill Kankuro for you if you want."

Shikamaru snorted lazily and went back to his work. Ino just shook her head. "Nice offer, stud."

Kiba merely shrugged and looked speculatively at Hinata. All thoughts of asking if her little sister was up to something flew from his mind. "You look awful."

Hinata blushed and again there was a snort from Shikamaru, but this time it sounded derisive. "Well she does." The dog-nin defended himself. "And she usually doesn't, so something's up."

"You think?" Ino drawled the words with a soft sneer, then shook her head. "You're right, you're right. Sorry Hinata. Maybe you can talk some sense into her, Kiba. I haven't made a dent. For someone so quiet and shy, she's more stubborn than metal."

"Ino." Hinata drew out the word softly as she flushed a rose pink. "I just needed some advice on those medical scrolls Tsunade is having me read."

The blonde pursed her lips. "I promise to help you every chance I get if you will just go home and sleep for a day! You need it! Those boys are wearing you out, and you shouldn't even be over here. It's only been a few weeks!"

Kiba's brows furrowed. "Don't you have a nanny to help you out? I will definitely hurt Kankuro for this."

Hinata's blush turned into a hint of anger as she actually snapped at her teammate for the first time in their lives. "I do NOT need a nanny."

The dog-nin blinked and backed up a step, holding up his hands in surrender.

Ino sighed. "Hinata, it is bad enough having a newborn, much less two. There is a nanny, actually two of them. I've met them both. But why won't you let them help you? They're taking care of Jishin and Katsuro." She said, mentioning Neji's son and Hinata's newest sister.

Hinata sighed, her uncharacteristic temper flowing away like water. "I'm sorry, Kiba." She murmured softly. "But both boys have been so touchy with croup."

"Not croup, colic." Ino corrected gently. "And it can drive a person insane, my nephew had it pretty bad a few years ago. Drove the whole family nuts. So, let the nannies help you out. Please?"

Hinata pursed her lips together and shook her head, refusing to give in.

Kiba decided to give her a break and tried to change the subject. "Babies, marriages, and what-not. What happened to just being Leaf ninja? Remember the good old days?"

Ino put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "No. In fact, you're the only one who refuses to grow up, Kiba."

"Oi! What did I do?" The dog-nin drew back, surprised at the attack.

Shikamaru sighed and leaned back, the girl next to him continued to go over the paperwork with a focus that was almost scary. The shadow-nin pointed at Kiba. "You're still a bachelor, that's what's wrong."

"So are you!" Kiba sneered. "At least for a few more months." Was it his imagination, or did the girl next to Shikamaru actually frown?

"Hinata and Shino are both married." Ino ticked off the people on her fingers, looking absolutely adorable as she scolded him.

"You're taken, Ino." Kiba rolled his eyes dramatically. "I'm in mourning."

Ino waved a hand dismissively at him and continued her tirade. "Naruto and Sakura are looking pretty serious this time around. Neji is married and TenTen is hinting around about wedding dates with that guy she's been seeing. Even Chouji is dating someone he's serious about."

"Lee isn't." Kiba defended himself, drawing up to his full height as it dawned on him the blonde was serious. "Sai isn't either."

Ino shook her head. "Lee is focused on his training, you're just playing around. And Sai …well, he's different." Hinata nodded in agreement, which really irked him.

"Hey! I was engaged, it wasn't my fault that the contracts fell through!" Kiba pouted.

"And since then? You've been catting …sorry Akamaru …playing around with women that I know for a fact you would never marry." Ino finished with a flourish.

"I have not!" Kiba groused, his voice getting louder as was usual for him when he got riled.

"Takizawa Ise." Ino said, smiling in triumph. "Go on …tell me you'd consider marrying her."

Akamaru barked in disgust and turned his back on Kiba, craning his shaggy neck around to glare at the Inuzuka. He yipped and barked, then whined.

The dog-nin's shoulders slumped. "Fine. No, I'd never marry her."

Hinata reached out and fondled Akamaru's ears as the big nin-dog thumped his tail in appreciation. "She's not so bad." The Hyuuga defended the girl in a soft voice.

"You don't know her." Ino shook her head at them both. "Besides, you'd never marry a girl your nin-dog didn't like."

Akamaru barked in agreement, his tongue lolling out as he gave Ino an appreciative look.

Kiba sighed and ran one hand through his unruly hair. He needed a haircut soon, he thought absently. "Fine. So …in your great wisdom, Ino." He gave the word 'wisdom' as much sarcasm as humanly possible. "Who should I be dating?"

Ino's expressive eyes slid to the side and Kiba followed her gaze toward Shikamaru. Kiba's brows furrowed in puzzlement. It's not like Shikamaru had any available sisters or cousins or …"What? NO!" He yelled. "That's just wrong!"

Ino and Hinata both blushed in embarrassment for the girl sitting next to Shikarmaru. The blonde made frantic gestures for Kiba to keep his voice down. "Why not? Shiho is nice and smart and …"

"Not my type." Kiba clipped the words out angrily as he gestured with his hands to show he liked curvier women. "You know it's not a woman's brain that interests me."

Now even Hinata looked upset with him as Ino gave him a gimlet-eyed stare. "Shallow." She accused.

"Fine." Kiba groused loudly. "I may be shallow, but I like it that way! Besides, this would only turn out badly. We would have nothing in common, but she'd be all into me and would come by my house and leave me girly little notes and fall in love with me …but I won't with her …she'll be all clingy and will get her feelings all hurt…"

At this, the girl in question looked up with a sharp frown. She spied Kiba and her frown intensified. "Who are you?"

"Here we go." Kiba groaned. "The plain ones always fall for me on the spot."

"Do you have a delivery or message for this department?" Shiho tapped her pencil sharply on her desk.

"Department?" Kiba's eyebrows shot up.

"Cryptology." The girl said matter-of-factly. "You just walked in the door, so you must have something for this department."

Kiba shook his head, bemused. "I've been here for a while, discussing things with my friends." He indicated Ino and Hinata.

Shiho frowned and pushed her glasses up farther on her head. "Really? I didn't notice." She said with bald truthfulness. "Well, I need to concentrate. Please leave."

Hinata turned away, hiding her smile. Ino chuckled openly. "Oh yeah, she'd fall in love on the spot, eh? Yep …I can see your dilemma."

Kiba shot the blonde a hard stare and left in a huff, completely forgetting about why he'd sought out Hinata in the first place.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako wiped the blood off and scowled at the deep slice on the back of her thigh. "Crap."

Shihei was lying on the ground, right where he'd fainted after the first bandit had died, splattering blood and gore on the hem of his travel pants. Pants so full they almost looked like a skirt. "You …you killed them."

"I'm a ninja."

The boy blinked and scrunched up his face. Rinako prayed he wasn't about to start bawling. "I …I didn't think there'd be so much blood." He said, swallowing hard.

The kunoichi shrugged. "The bigger they are, the more blood they hold."

Shihei sat up, angry. "How can you be so blasé?"

"Blasé?" Rinako muttered as she cleaned the wound as best she could.

"It means uncaring." The boy muttered condescendingly.

Rinako shrugged as she concentrated on cleaning her wound. "It also means jaded, offhand, bored …"

Shihei pouted and crossed his arms.

"unmoved, phlegmatic, indifferent …"

Standing, the boy wrinkled his nose at the smells around him. "Fine, so you know what a word means. Big deal."

"glutted, weary, satiated …"

Growling, he kicked at one of the bodies, then screeched as the nearly severed limb rolled toward him. He ran to Rinako, putting her between the body and himself.

"It …it …" But he didn't get very far as she shoved a kit into his hands. "What's this? Oh, thank you." He murmured and poked around in the box. "Where are the wipes? I'm filthy."

Rinako sighed. "They're not for you, they're for me. You're going to have to stitch me up." She pulled out a needle and suture material.

Sheihei took one look and passed out. Again.

"Well crap." The dog-ninja sighed and looked over at Kirohu. "I don't suppose you could do it, could you?"

The big dog woofed and continued to clean the blood from his muzzle and coat.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	10. Bribery

"Are you ready to begin?"

The creaky voice made Katashi swallow hard. He pressed his palms against the chair seat on either side of him to hide the small tremors that hinted at the turmoil of nerves inside him right now. Unable to speak, he gave two quick nods of his head, his newly cut hair flopping into his face irritatingly.

"Young man," the older shinobi frowned so sharply it looked like his wrinkles were going to pop right off his face. "I asked you a question."

"H …hai!" Katashi responded balefully, his eyes rounded.

The older man sighed and rubbed his rheumy eyes. "Then pick up your pencil and begin."

Katashi nodded and reached for his pencil, but hesitated before opening his test packet. Taking a deep breath, he tried to banish the thought of disappointing everyone. More than a little queasy, he began to read the first page.

_**Question 1: What are the levels of ninja currently in use in Konoha?** _

_**Question 2: Name the different Hokages in order since the village's formation.** _

The young Hyuuga blew out a breath as he started to relax. He gave a sidelong glance at the young girl sitting across the room from him. At least she looked nervous too as she held her eyes closed a long moment, then opened her own test. He smiled as she smiled. This wasn't going to be too bad after all.

Katashi's pencil fairly flew as he breezed through the first two questions before moving on. Suddenly, his brows furrowed. He peeked over at the girl across the room, but she was still smiling and writing down her answers. Obviously she'd not gotten to where he was yet. Looking back down at his own test, he reread the next few questions, hoping he'd misread them along the way. But no he hadn't and the nausea from this morning returned in full force.

**_Question 3: What were the original concessions of the Daimyo Lords in the building of Konoha? Explain how the first Hokage was able to ensure those concessions and date when the treaties where written, and again when they were ratified. Be specific._ **

**_Question 4: Name the three styles of kunai available to non-specialized ninja at the genin level. Explain their differences and similarities._ **

**_Question 5: Name the five different metals and/or alloys used in the creations of those kunai and explain the usefulness of each configuration. Discuss the ratios of the alloyed metals and how the variances affect the trajectories of such weapons._ **

What? What? WHAT? Katashi felt his heart speed up as sweat poured down his face. No one had gone over THIS with him! Did his family want him to fail? Sweat dripped into his left eye and he swiped it away in irritation as he looked over at the girl again. She turned the page on her test, still smiling and writing happily.

The test proctor watched with dark amusement as he thought about the extra padding in his bank account. And so it began.

o.O.o.O.o.O

In his office, Kasuse Soichiro slid the real Academy entrance test into his desk. A spiteful smile on his own face as he thought of the ever-increasing difficulties of the questions asked on the 'new' test. The test he'd personally drawn up for this one little Hyuuga.

Bribing the proctor had not been easy, nor had it been cheap. But quite worth it, the council chairman thought to himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro looked up from where he was sitting in the Hyuuga study as Neji entered with Yugao. The two looked haggard. The puppeteer cocked his head in Hinata's direction and hissed. "You wake her and I'll kill you both and raise your son as my own."

The blue-haired kunoichi's mouth quivered, then smiled as she nodded. Neji sighed as he looked over at the wan visage of his cousin, out cold in her chair. He stooped down to pick up the medical scroll she'd obviously dropped when she'd fallen asleep.

Yugao pulled up a seat next to the former Suna-nin. "She still insisting on doing it all on her own?"

Kankuro nodded unhappily. "Everyone has told her to take it easy, but she won't listen. Just gets this real stubborn look in her eye, raises her chin and apologizes for making such a fuss."

Neji grimaced. "And even though she so sweetly apologizes, she still doesn't back down? Yes, I'm familiar. I used to think her weak, she proved me wrong."

The puppeteer looked with exasperation at his wife and blew out a sigh. "Weak? No, she's not weak. She's not as explosive as Hanabi, nor as cocky as you, but in her own way she truly is a marvel. Now if she'd only take a break!"

"Cocky?" Neji sent a hard look at Kankuro, but the puppeteer ignored him.

The Hyuuga heir glanced over at his blue-haired wife and she gave him a smirk. "Oh, I'd call you cocky." She informed him with a hint of a leer.

"Now, now brown cows there will be none of that!" Anko burst into the room with her grin spread out over her face and her eyes sparkling with merriment. "This is a FAMILY area, no sparking, cooing, billing, or fucking. I don't care who's cocky or…."

"ANKO!" Hiashi roared as he entered behind her.

"…In un-private FAMILY areas." The spiky-haired kunoichi finished without pausing, ignoring her hypocrisy as she and Hiashi had gone at it in this room themselves only the day before yesterday. Although, to be truthful, they'd been creative since she wasn't quite cleared by the medics for real intercourse yet. Still, Hiashi had been actually smile at the end of their 'meeting', and so had she. Also, the unlocked door had lent a hint of naughtiness to the interlude that appealed to her.

Hinata startled, sitting bolt upright. "What? Oh? Is Katashi back yet?" Her jaw creaked as she gave a huge yawn, dark circles under her pale eyes.

Kankuro snarled at Anko, on his feet before he even knew it. The two were nearly glaring pure death at each other, though Anko was grinning evilly from ear to ear. "Taking umbrage, gurama-ga-ru?" She whispered the challenge to his face.

Blinking, Kankuro snarled low and with a distinct edge of pure anger through his gritted teeth. "What did you just call me?"

Yugao leaned back in her seat, yawning to try and hide her own smile. "She just called you a 'glamour girl'. If I had to guess, I think she's casting aspirations on your make-up."

"Bunraku puppeteer facial markings!" Kankuro bit the words out harshly, his eyes not leaving Anko's. "You just woke Hinata up!"

Anko shot a glance at the more than slightly pale face of the woman in question. "Well, then, she'd better start making good with the nannies in order to get some rest and stop being an ASS about it." She said this loudly for Hinata's benefit, though she was still staring into Kankuro's face.

"I… I'm sorry …oh …" Hinata shut up as Kankuro turned a furious glare on her, raising one finger at her.

"Don't you dare stutter." He hissed, then turned on Anko. "You apologize to her!" Then he turned back to his wife. "But she's right, you need to get some sleep and let the nannies help! They don't have to do it all for you, but they can HELP!"

Anko smirked and crossed her arms. "Why should I apologize when you just admitted that I was right?"

"ENOUGH!" Hiashi roared and all fell silent for one blessed moment as every eye turned to his stern face. Then the sound of infants crying started from upstairs and the current Hyuuga leader winced at his blunder as three sets of feminine eyes glared at him.

"Now look what you did." Anko hissed as all three kunoichi took off up the stairs to see to their babies. "Iriko."

Neji sighed as he watched the three women leave, shaking his head at his uncle. "From kingfisher to a lowly iriko. A dried sea slug? Oh how the mighty have fallen."

Hiashi ignored the other two shinobi and activated his Byakugan.

Kankuro looked startled. "You can see the Academy and pick out Katashi from out here?" Despite himself, he was impressed as Hiashi grunted. "Well?"

"He's still on the written part." The Hyuuga clan leader sighed.

Neji looked at the clock. "Still? I'd thought he'd have been done with that part already. I mean, I know there's not a set time limit, but usually that part of the testing would be done by now."

Hiashi frowned sharply as he watched, though it was difficult for even him to pick out a lot of detail at this distance. "Nakae Zeshin is the proctor today."

Kankuro looked back and forth between the two men. "Is that good or bad? Just how tough is it really to get into your Leaf Academy? In Suna if you show any aptitude, they'll train you until you make it, quit or die." He shrugged. "We've only just started modeling our training methods after yours."

"No one knows." Neji said quietly, activating his own Byakugan as well. Finally, both Hyuuga males deactivated the clan trait and gave each other a hard look. "He's still writing, that's not necessarily a BAD sign."

"He's still weak in his equations." Hiashi grunted. "And Leaf village history."

Neji nodded grimly as he agreed. "He's only practiced with the basic kunai and not the senbon much at all. You don't think they'll test more than basic kunai throwing, do you?"

Kankuro looked back and forth between the two men, his face said that he wasn't sure if they were pulling his leg or not. "What do you mean you 'don't know'? You have to know."

Hiashi grunted again. "Why? Because I'm a powerful and rich leader of a well respected clan?"

The puppet master scratched his head and sighed. "Well …yeah."

Neji eyed his uncle curiously. "Actually, I always thought you would know how applicants are chosen."

Hiashi shook his head and took a seat, looking haughty despite his obvious concern for his son. "No. It's a closely guarded secret. Not even the elder council has any sway on the matter. The tests are run by honorable and retired ninja, all carefully selected. When an opening comes up, then that group chooses a replacement. They are immoveable, implacable, and above giving in to bribery, extortion or any other form of leverage."

Kankuro laughed, then apologized as two snarky looks were sent his way. "But surely you must have SOME idea about the testing methods. I mean …well, I presume that both of you went through it at one point or another."

Neji shrugged. "It's a different test for everyone."

"Oh." The puppeteer settled back into his seat as Hinata walked back in, holding two bundles of wrapped joy. "Oh!" He exclaimed as she passed him one of the twins. Kankuro couldn't help his grin as the tiny boy yawned up at him, his mottled gray eyes blinking with sleepiness.

Hinata sighed as she settled into a chair, cradling the other twin boy. "Jishin is cranky and won't go back to sleep, and she's keeping up the twins."

"Katsuro?" Neji frowned, making as if to get up.

Hinata waved him back with one hand. "Your son is showing a remarkable ability to sleep through anything. He's still out."

Hiashi gave a small smile. "You were the same at that age. My brother was worried about it at first, kept checking with the medics to make sure you were all right."

Neji looked a bit startled and Hiashi refused to meet his eyes. This was the first time they'd mentioned Hizashi between the two of them since Neji had learned the truth of his father's passing. It had been an unspoken rule between them. The younger man waited for the bitter rush of memories and the familiar hatred, when it came though, it was almost muted. He still felt the sting of remembered hate, but now …watching his uncle watch Hinata and the twin boys with a sad look of …was that regret? Things had changed. Hiashi had changed. And so had he. Well how about that?

Neji weighed his words carefully before continuing. "All the children are well and growing." He deliberately said, tacitly letting his uncle know he was alright.

Hiashi grunted and the moment passed. Finally, the current Hyuuga leader frowned at his daughter. Before he could chastise her on not getting enough rest, Anko swept back into the room.

"Finally asleep, the jishintai is quiet once more." The spiky-haired woman announced with a quirky grin.

Kankuro shook his head. "Since when did the Hyuuga nursery turn into a jishintai? An earthquake zone?"

"Since my daughter was born." Anko stretched, trying to ease the kink in her neck. "So. How's the newest mini-trout doing? Is the testing over yet?"

Neji reactivated his Byakugan as Kankuro sneered. "Hiashi was explaining how applicants are sorted through and how it's this huge dark secret. And about how the group administering these tests are above bribes, extortion and all that. Truthfully?" He paused and gave her a droll look. "I'm surprised you didn't try to bribe them, or at least threaten to cut their balls off or something."

Anko gave him a cheeky grin. "I didn't try, I did it. Bribe one of them I mean. I bribed the proctor of the written exam. Threats weren't even needed."

Hiashi groaned and closed his eyes as the puppeteer laughed and startled the infant he was holding into waving his arms in protest to the loud noise.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi was icing her elbow and frowning as she eyed her work. She'd been working nearly non-stop and thought she'd been making progress. But the proof would be in the explosions she meant to cause with her test tags later tomorrow.

Hissing, she pulled the bag of ice from her elbow. Who knew writing could cause so much soreness? She'd run through exhausting exercises before without this kind of problem. Still, minute and repetitive motion was a bitch. "Stupid kanji." She muttered.

Leaning back in her chair she daydreamed about how proud Kiba would be when he ….her dream burst as she couldn't think of a plausible reason to show him her tags. Sitting up, Hanabi's mind started gearing up for some serious problem solving.

One, get rid of Gaara. Two, get closer to Kiba. Three, destroy Ise. Not necessarily in that order.

Okay, well …she could put off number one as a certain red-head wasn't even in Konoha right now. Besides, she'd sent him that letter to show him she'd figured out his puzzle and to also let him know that she'd not changed her mind about his stupid non-courtship thingy. Bah.

Two? Well …Hanabi frowned. Kiba persisted in treating her like a little girl. And as for three …what in the name of all that was holy did Kiba see in that twit?! Ise was useless as far as Hanabi was concerned. She was vain and shallow and consumed with fashion and girly ….whoa.

Hanabi's mouth dropped open in shock. Why hadn't she seen it before? Kiba liked girly girls! She'd ignored that in her efforts to thwart Ise. But what to do about it?

She ran to her closet, ignoring her sore elbow as she flipped through her wardrobe. Practical. Dull. Outgrown. Too formal. Work-out clothes. Dull. Dull. Dull.

Hanabi groaned. It wasn't enough to get rid of Ise, she had to take her place! A sudden vision of her in that ridiculous green dress that the other girl had been wearing popped into her mind and the kunoichi nearly gagged.

Okay. Okay. Hanabi stopped to plot and plan. She couldn't turn herself into a silly twit of a fashion bug, it wasn't her and she'd look like an idiot. Her pale eyes narrowed on her wardrobe. But surely there was a way to look more grown up without turning into a complete girly girl. "I am the daughter of a rich clan leader. There is no reason that I can't go shopping."

But she couldn't go out without a plan. Now. Hanabi grabbed some blank paper to make a new list. She needed outfits that were practical but NOT dull. In her inner eye she flipped through all the kunoichi she knew. Sakura showed off her legs. Shizune didn't dress to attract male attention, though she HAD managed to snag Ibiki. She'd have to think on that. Still, what about Tsuande? Hanabi snorted and looked down at her chest defensively. She wasn't even close to their Hokage's proportions.

TenTen? No. Hanabi shook her head. The brunette teammate of her cousin was a good role model as a kunoichi, but not as a flashy ….oh! "YAMANAKA INO!" Hanabi grinned as she started sketching out some ideas.

When she was finished, Ise would be toast and Kiba wouldn't look at her like a little girl anymore.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi's arm was quivering as he finished the target practice. How many times would they make him do this? He groaned as he looked over at the other girl, he still didn't know her name. But …she had ALL her kunai in the target. Katashi looked back at his own target and groaned. Three of the kunai were on the ground and one was stuck in the beam next to the target. The rest were all there though. He prayed it would be enough to pass.

"Hmmm." The old man overseeing this part of the test looked …less than impressed. Katashi's stomach sank.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Way to go, Anko!" Kankuro grinned over at the kunoichi.

Hiashi though, looked decidedly sour. "A waste of time, and money."

Anko frowned. "Bongu, you have no idea how I had to wheedle just to find out which official to bribe. The money part was easy."

"Calling me a foolish commoner? I think I preferred the dried sea slug." Hiashi sighed. "I should have been more specific. The group of elders testing the young people? They're not un-bribable, but it makes no difference. They ALWAYS take bribes, but they never alter the outcome of the tests. It's a tradition. A secret, but a tradition."

Anko shook her head. "But …he promised …he took my money!"

"Yes, I'm sure he did." Hiashi shot her an unreadable look. "That is how the testers make their living you know, taking bribes. And what are you going to do to the proctor if Katashi fails? You can't admit bribing the man. And attacking a test proctor? Not a good idea. They are retired, but still shinobi. Besides, ANBU takes their safety very seriously, you'd be hunted down."

Neji looked confused. "That's ridiculous." He protested weakly. "I thought they were above such things and only took the best students."

Hiashi lowered a rueful look on his nephew. "Then explain how Naruto got into the Academy. He was a disaster there, if you'll recall."

Scratching his chin, Neji shrugged. "Well, they spotted his physical potential and didn't worry about his written test."

"Then explain Haruno Sakura." Hiashi replied coolly. "From what I understand, she had the brains but no physical ability at first. Yet the Academy admitted her as well."

Neji groaned and shrugged. "Chakra levels? Ninjutsu capabilities?"

Hiashi pinned the younger man with his eyes. "Rock Lee."

"Okay, how about work ethic?" Neji tried again. "They only took the students who would try their hardest."

"No, that's not it. Just think about Nara Shikamaru." Anko spoke up this time, a weird look on her own face as she eyed her husband. "So how do students get into the Academy if they don't look at physical, mental, spiritual abilities or sheer enthusiasm?"

"No one knows." Hiashi told them in all solemnity. "The Academy test proctors choose based on a set of criteria that even the elder council and Hokage's office have no say in. In fact, I only discovered all this when I tried to bribe them to take Hinata. The Third Hokage pulled me aside and explained the situation. Still, he wouldn't make the proctors give back my bribe."

Hinata blushed deep red and looked down at her son, refusing to look up.

Kankuro scowled. "So how good are these proctors at choosing students?"

Hiashi grunted. "Nearly perfect. A few children drop out for various reasons. Injury, change in family situation and all that. Outside influences. But for the most part, the students accepted do well generally. Very few don't pass on to becoming genin. Some don't make chuunin of course. Still, their choices sometimes leave people confused, but they're hardly ever wrong."

"Really?" Anko asked, genuinely curious. She'd never thought about this part of the Academy students before. Usually she only dealt with them when the chuunin exams came up. "How can you be so sure?"

Hiashi looked up at her. "They took Hinata despite her shy ways. They took Naruto despite his poor skills."

Neji sighed and continued for his uncle. "They took Shikamaru despite his laziness, and Rock Lee despite any conceivable affinity for ninjutsu." He paused, shaking his head. "How DO they pick? There's got to be a complicated equation weighing every aspect of an applicant's abilities. I don't envy them the task of figuring it all out."

Hiashi shrugged. "I don't know, I just know it works. Every student that we just mentioned have gone on to become not only jounin, but truly excellent ninja. Despite the fact their lacks when entering the Academy."

"Especially Hinata." Kankuro murmured, looking at his wife.

"Hai." Hiashi agreed, startling his daughter. "I wasted my money bribing those proctors. Whatever they measure a student by, she got in on her own merit."

Hinata's blush intensified, but this time there was a soft smile playing on her lips.

Hiashi then sat up and looked at them all very sternly. "Remember, no one is supposed to know about how the proctors take bribes. The Third only told me because he owed me at the time."

"Do you think Kasuse bribed them too?" Anko asked, looking grumpy.

"Yes." Hiashi grunted with a wicked look in his pale gaze. "I watched him do it, using the Byakugan. I only hope he paid them a lot."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi was too tired to eat his supper, even though he'd skipped lunch too. The taijutsu portion of the test had just finished and despite everything, he'd not been able to land a single strike on his proctor. The old man was wrinkled and walked with a limp, but he'd still been able to dodge every tactic that Katashi had tried despite his lessons with Gai.

Sullenly, he looked over at the girl on the other side of the gym. She'd touched her tester TWICE! Katashi looked down at his meal and blinked back tears of frustration.

"Alright dearie?"

Startled, Katashi looked up into the kind face of the cleaning woman as she picked up his napkin and handed it to him.

"You should eat, what will your folks say if you come back starving?" She tutted at him and wiped up non-existent crumbs off the table.

Katashi mumbled under his breath.

"What was that dear?" The old woman turned back to her bucket and mop. "Don't mind me, I just have to clean up in here before I can head back to my own home."

Sighing, Katashi put his food back in his small pack. "I don't mean to keep you." He told her, bowing his head while his throat tightened with embarrassment.

"Nay! Nay, boys need to eat! Especially when learning how to become shinobi." The old woman cackled.

"That won't be me." Katashi let the hurtful thought slip from him, taking a shaking breath as he blinked back his tears. "I failed."

Pausing, the old woman put her mop back in her bucket. Eyeing him curiously, she shook her head. "What makes you think that?"

Groaning, Katashi shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Oh?" She smiled at him. "I'm no ninja, but I've worked here a long time. I've seen 'em come and I've seen 'em go. You look like a Hyuuga boy to me, what with those eyes of yours. Go on, deny it."

Katashi shook his head, his throat swelling up with emotion.

"Yep, definitely a Hyuuga."

Katashi shook his head again. "Not a real one." He muttered. "Not if I fail."

The old woman reached out and pushed his hair out of his eyes, lifting his chin so he'd look at her. "Family is family no matter what you do in life. Ninja or no, you still have Hyuuga blood in ya."

He groaned and pulled away from her, the sting of his failures making him sick to his stomach. "That girl?" He pointed at the only other student in the large room. "She beat me in everything."

The cleaning lady chuckled. "No matter who you are, there is ALWAYS someone faster, stronger, better. A true ninja learns how to overcome that."

Katashi sighed and nodded, scuffling his feet.

"Now. Go home, clean up and eat something." She patted his hair. "And be here Monday morning on time or I'll have to hurt you."

Katashi looked up startled. The old crone was gone. The woman was still old and still kind looking, but there was nothing dottering about her now. Her blue eyes flashed at him and for the first time he noticed that beneath her baggy clothing, her body movements were lithe and graceful.

She nodded.

He goggled. "You're …."

"Telling you to go home. Student." Akaike Maemi told him. "You're in."

"But what about …" Katashi pointed at the girl across the room.

The proctor leaned down and whispered to him. "She's taking a henge endurance test, not an Academy entrance test. She's a third year."

"Oh!" Katashi stood there, gaping at her.

Maemi laughed and physically turned him around, pushing him toward the exit. "Go tell your family. And don't be late on Monday!"

The other test proctors joined the older woman as she watched Katashi nearly float out the door with a grin so wide it rivaled Naruto's. "Good kid."

The two men flanked her and nodded. Zeshin smiled. "Kasuse is stingy with his bribes, but Anko isn't."

Maemi laughed and shook her head. "Anko is a proctor for the genin to make chuunin. You'd think she'd have caught on about the bribes and all."

Zeshin chuckled as he shrugged. "Sometimes the ones who are so sneaky are easier to fake out. She thought she was bribing someone who'd always been above such behavior."

Akaike Sen, Maemi's husband held up the written portion of the entrance test. "Did you see the drivel that the chairman put in this exam? I don't know if I remember half this history stuff myself!"

"Speaking of which." Maemi grinned. "He's going to be angry that the kid passed."

"What can he do to us?" Zeshin shook his head. "Admit that we took a bribe and didn't deliver? No. We're fine."

Sen smiled. "The lad will be a fine student though. Thought he was outclassed at every turn, but never gave up. Never."

Maemi nodded happily. "It's a good thing no one ever figures out that the tests are useless. If they don't give up, they're in. Oh look at his answers, he did try. Then again, they all try." She said, flipping through the written test.

Zeshin choked and glared balefully at his fellow proctors. "Nara didn't."

Shaking his head, Sen frowned. "And we agreed never to speak of that again."

Maemi nodded as she considered Nara Shikamaru. The only applicant that when they opened his test there were no answers to the questions, simply the words. "I won't tell anyone about your source of income if you pass me."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi spun, looking at herself from every angle with the triple mirrors. She grinned. Wouldn't Kiba be surprised when he saw her! She could hardly wait!

o.O.o.O.o.O


	11. What Not to Wear

Hanabi smiled at herself in the triple mirrors, turning this way and that in order to catch the full effect of the outfit. Frowning she tweaked the line of the short skort a bit, liking the combination of shorts with a skirt.

"Try this one, and this one …no, not that one. Oh! And the cherry color would look fantastic with your skin tone."

The sound of the familiar voice had Hanabi scurrying over to peep out from behind the dressing room curtain. What was Ino doing here? Well, whatever it was the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Ino's outfit was what she was modeling her own with after all.

"Oh, Ino, I don't think that …" Sakura's voice was cut off as Ino threw two more outfits at her.

"Make sure she tries all of those while I look over there." The blonde kunoichi headed purposefully for the other side of the store, dragging the poor saleswoman after her.

Curiously, Hanabi had to come out of the dressing room a bit to see Sakura along the side wall. The pink-haired girl was giving apologetic glances to someone she didn't know. Hanabi blinked. The girl was slender, but you couldn't really tell from her clothing. The only clues that Hanabi had were the delicate lines of the girl's neck and wrists from where they poked out ofa shapelesslong work coat. Otherwise, the new girl looked totally unremarkable.

Hanabi cocked her head to one side and smiled as the girl buried her head in a book. "This is a waste of time." She announced matter-of-factly. Her unfortunate hair was a lovely color actually, a shiny honey-reddish gold. But strands were poking out from the obvious attempts to keep it straight. Hanabi shook her head, the girl should just stop trying to straighten her hair and let it do what it wanted.

Sakura shrugged and held out the clothes for the other girl. "Ino's just trying to be friendly, Shiho."

The now named girl looked up and Hanabi winced at the thickness of the glasses she was wearing. She couldn't even determine the color of Shiho's eyes through those monstrosities.

"According to the pattern of her words and actions, the two do not match." Shiho pushed her glasses back onto her face. "She doesn't actively dislike me, but something about me makes her uneasy."

Sakura blinked as Hanabi inched closer to the duo. This was interesting!

The pink-haired kunoichi gave an uneasy smile. "I'm sure that I don't …"

"I am of no threat to Yamanaka." Shiho shrugged. "Why she should suddenly think that I need a make-over is outside the parameters of our non-existent relationship ….it is completely unnecessary."

"Threat?" Sakura pretended she didn't know what was going on as she shoved the clothing that the other girl had still not taken from her. "No, she's just trying to be nice."

Shiho took the clothing as the pink-haired woman gave her absolutely no choice, but she dropped her book as she did so. Looking down at it, she sighed. "The only think we have in common is Nara."

"Her fiancé." Sakura's smile hardened slightly as she stressed the word.

Shiho blushed interestingly as for the first time she looked uncertain. "Like I said, I'm no threat to her."

Ino breezed up toward them, the saleswoman trailing and nearly falling over from the weight of the clothes she was carrying. "Exactly. But you are smart. And he's smart. He likes smart people."

Shiho blushed deeper. "If you feel inadequate, you can always find someone else. I mean look at you. If you're not happy, look elsewhere."

Hanabi grinned at bookish girl's implication. Bookish girl certainly wasn't shy!

Ino smiled menacingly and leaned down. "He's mine." The words were an implied threat and both Shiho and Sakura swallowed nervously. Hanabi wondered what this Shiho's job was, she didn't look like a field ninja. But she was wearing the insignia of being a Leaf kunoichi wrapped around her waist, cinching in that horrid coat over a ridiculously long skirt.

Sakura held up her hands between the two kunoichi and sighed. "You're overlooking the fact that Shikamaru chose Ino to marry. And like we all know, he's far from stupid. If he's happy in his choice, you both should just let it go. Ino, marry the boy. Shiho, find someone else."

Shiho's blush had faded, but now it returned full force. "Well, er …uhm …they're not exactly beating down my door."

Ino held up one finger in triumph. "They will when I'm done with you!"

"Oh, like the Neanderthal that you very clumsily tried to berate for still being single in my office?" Shiho sneered.

Sakura drew up, affronted. "He's a great guy!"

"He smelled."

"He'd probably been training or working, just like the rest of us." Ino snapped. "Besides, it doesn't have to be him. Pick someone else."

"He needs a haircut." Shiho pressed.

Ino cocked an eye at the other girl's unruly hair. "You should talk."

Now embarrassed, Shiho dropped the clothing on the floor and put her hands defensively over her hair. The saleswoman moaned and shifted her weight. "Please, can we put these back or try them on?"

"Put them back." Shiho announced, her frown as sharp as her tone.

"Try them on." Ino countered as she pointed her finger in the direction of the dressing rooms. "Go and try them ….. on?" She stopped as she looked up, her pretty eyes widening in surprise.

All of a sudden, all eyes were in her direction and with a horrid sinking feeling, Hanabi realized she was the center of attention.

Ino's mouth gaped open. Shiho cocked her head to one side. And Sakura lost it as she started laughing so hard she knocked over a display of neatly folded tops.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shizune took back the medical scrolls all while eyeing the young woman before her. "Hinata? Are you feeling alright?"

"Hai." Came the whisper soft reply, though her chin poked upwards in a sign of irritation.

"People driving you crazy asking that?" The medical jounin asked kindly.

Hinata shoulders relaxed as she nodded. "They don't think I can do it." Her pale eyes looked up and Shizune winced at the dark circles under them.

Delicately, Shizune chose her words so not to give offense. "Twins are difficult under any circumstance. And you have more on your plate than just looking after those boys."

"I can do it." Averred the long-haired woman with just a hint of strife in her voice.

Nodding, Shizune put down the medical scrolls. "I'm sure you can."

Hinata waited a long moment, but the other kunoichi made no move to get new scrolls for her. She hesitated, then asked. "Isn't there more for me to look over?"

Shizune shook her head. "You'll have to be tested on those you just went over first. And I am not administering any such test until you get rid of those." She pointed at the puffy dark circles haunting Hinata's face.

One hand defensively rose, then dropped as Hinata sighed. "I can do it." She promised.

"I know." Shizune said softly. "And we work our medical students down to the bone. We show them no mercy. They often look like you do right now."

"They why …"

Shizune interrupted her. "Because we haven't even started to train you yet. You have to be in good health and receptive to learning. Medicine is not an easy specialty to learn, and surgery? Beyond what you've ever faced before."

Hinata drew herself up, something determined flashing in her pale-eyed gaze. "I am not weak."

Oh ho! So that was it. Shizune nodded slowly. "If you were weak, we would never have come to you with this offer of surgical training. You've proven yourself over and over again. You're a jounin of the Leaf Village. Now, get over it, get some help …get some rest …and get to work."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kotetsu watched with something akin to awe. He looked at Genma and found the other jounin was looking back at him, his senbon nearly falling from his mouth before he turned back to watch as well.

"Er …Temari?" Kotetsu spoke up gingerly. "The mission parameters didn't specify the target had to die screaming in agony. Just die. Oh, and we're supposed to return the kid unharmed."

The blonde wiped the splattered blood from her cheek and turned a hard stare back at the other shinobi. "The parameters? Well, they didn't say he couldn't die screaming in agony." She said, even as she finally ended the man's screams with a pierced femoral artery. Blood poured. "And the kid looks healthy."

Genma put his hand over the little girl's eyes to keep her from seeing all that blood. "She's going to have nightmares about this. There's not just phsical health, but mental health too."

Temari shrugged and frowned at the blood covering her and her weapons. Kotetsu handed her a towel. "We were supposed to rescue her from her kidnappers." She said lightly. "I doubt she minds that they're dead."

"Well, we're done here." Genma spoke slowly, as if unsure of her temper. He flicked a look at the bloodied bodies of the kidnappers. Heaven knew he wasn't shy of blood, or violence. But something in Temari's eyes as she'd torn the men apart piece by small piece had left him chilled.

Temari looked over at them, then her gaze dropped to the little girl. A rich merchant's only child. Her eyes suddenly blinked and softened. "Hurting a child is beyond anything these men suffered today. They got nothing they didn't deserve."

"Agreed." Kotetsu and Genma nodded. Not really out of understanding, though the words made sense. But just to get the wind user moving and out of the room she'd turned into a slaughterhouse.

Genma pursed his lips around his senbon. He'd worked with Temari twice now that she'd married into the Aburame this wasn't like her usually efficient, if mouthy, self. Something was ….different. He looked at Kotetsu and wondered if the other man felt the same.

Kotetsu slid a glance at Temari and wondered if he should worry about Aburame Shino, or envy him. His eyes traced her silhouette and he settled on envy. Shino was one lucky bastard. She was scary, but hot.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ino slapped Sakura's arm and the pink-haired girl made a valiant effort to stop laughing. Hanabi tapped her foot impatiently. "Are you quite done yet?"

Shiho looked back and forth between the young Hyuuga and the bane of her existence. Hanabi's outfit was an exact duplicate of Ino's. Only she didn't fill it out like the older girl did. "Is she your sister?" The words were doubtful in tone, as the girls looked nothing alike.

"Hanabi?" Ino asked, moving to circle the younger kunoichi.

"Hai." Hanabi's fingers twitched as she wanted to run off, but pride wouldn't let her. "What's the matter? Don't like the outfit?"

Ino smiled in wry appreciation. "Oh, I like it. On me that is."

Sakura, who had been sobering up, suddenly giggled again. One hard look from her blonde friend, however, had her straightening up though mirth still spilled from her eyes. "You're not quite grown enough for that look, I think."

Hanabi frowned and fought not to cross her arms over her smallish chest. "Just what do you mean by that?" She challenged.

Shiho shook her head. "She means your breasts aren't endowed enough."

"Are you always so literal minded?" Ino snapped as pink stained Hanabi's cheeks.

"Yes." Shiho commented, pushing her glasses back up on her face.

"The outfit does make her legs look great, but the top is too revealing for someone who lacks something to ...well, reveal." The saleswoman spoke up, looking more than slightly perturbed about the mess these kunoichi were making. "Perhaps a different top?"

"I like this one." Hanabi spoke up, her face the picture of determination.

Ino shrugged. "Do whatever you want." She wasn't sure what was going on or why Hinata's baby sister suddenly wanted to look like her, but she had more important things to worry about. She pointed at the pile of clothes on the floor. "Shiho, go put those on."

Shiho looked at her, then at Sakura. The pink-haired girl shrugged. "You might as well, you're not leaving here until you do. Trust me. She's determined."

Resigned, Shiho sighed and scooped up the first outfit on the pile. "I'll try on three. Three. And I can be determined too."

Sakura grabbed the outfit from Shiho's hand. "Not this one." As she and Ino started sorting through the clothes to find the right three pieces for the cryptologist to try on.

On her own again, Hanabi marched back into the dressing area to change. She looked into the triple mirrors, eyeing her lack of bosom. Theoretically she knew that she'd grow. And as a kunoichi she was so athletic that her …development …was slower than a civilian.

Still, as she ran her hand over her chest, Hanabi knew she had a problem.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro smiled as he peeked into the nursery that Anko had nicknamed 'the jishintai' after an earthquake zone. Hot and sweaty from his training run, something he detested but did because it was necessary, he stopped in the doorway.

"They doing well?" He asked the nannies, one of whom was changing Jishin and the otherwas carrying a fussy Nowaki.

"They're fine." The older woman frowned. "The twins are just getting a bit hungry."

Kankuro nodded as the other nanny finished with Jishin and settled into a nearby rocking chair. Suddenly he sensed his wife coming up behind him. She looked upset as she pushed by him, holding out her hands for Nowaki.

"Sorry, so sorry! My meeting with Shizune took longer than I thought. Oh, they must be starving by now!" Hinata looked ready to cry as she settled into a different chair to start nursing her first born.

From his crib, Ryusei started crying piteously, almost as if realizing that his brother had started eating while he himself was still hungry. Hinata looked devastated as she glanced at the second crib, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

The nanny scooped up little Ryusei and patted his back, cooing at him as she carried him around the room to soothe him. Hinata held out her other arm for him.

Kankuro frowned. "You can only feed one at a time." He snapped.

"I can still hold him." Hinata muttered defensively.

Kankuro growled. "Let the nannies do their jobs!"

"I am NOT weak!" Hinata winced as her husband bit back his sharp response.

In the hallway, Hiashi paused, not liking the sounds of quarrelling coming from the nursery. He stepped into the nursery, averting his eyes as Hinata pulled a blanket higher on her chest as she nursed her son.

"From now on you are ordered to allow the nannies to care for the children. Outside of feeding them of course." The Lord Hyuuga announced coldly, his pale-eyes pinning his daughter. She'd always obeyed him. Always.

So it was with some shock that he had to duck the bottle of lotion that Hinata chucked at his head. Hiashi turned stunned eyes on his eldest as Hinata bit back her apology, blushing from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.

Kankuro smothered his grin, barely. As aggravated as he was with Hinata, seeing her actually show her temper to her father was better than anything else in this world. Hiashi's way wasn't going to work, but the puppet master knew he'd have to find something to get Hinata to accept some help with the twins.

"Hinata?" The Hyuuga Lord drew himself up to try again then realized he didn't know what to say. He couldn't order her to her room, she still had two babies to feed. And as she was married, he was severely lacking in options.

Silently, using his chakra strings, Kankuro sent his wife more ammunition in the form of baby powder and a small lamp. Hinata looked up startled at this show of support. "I …I don't need those."

Kankuro nodded. "Just in case. But Hoshi, while he's wrong, he's also right." He looked over at a glowering Hiashi. "I'll take it from here."

Hiashi gave him a measuring look, then nodded curtly before sweeping out the door. Kankuro smiled, shaking his head as he turned back to his wife. "I think you shocked him."

But Hinata was now giving him the gimlet-eyed stare. She fingered thelamp he'd given her for ammunition."Just what did you mean by 'I'll take it from here'?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi was in a sour mood as she made her way back home. She sighed as she passed a small café and spotted her teammate Norinaga Michi coming out of it. He grinned at her with his light-seafoam green eyes.

His smile faded as he caught the edge of her mood, he'd always been the most intuitive of their team. "What gives?" He asked, falling into step beside her.

"Nothing." She stone-walled.

Michi nodded, knowing that if Hanabi didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't. They walked along pleasantly for a moment, then she nudged him with her arm to point to their third teammate as he shopped with his family.

"Maybe we can grab Rocks and get some barbeque." She suggested. Heaven knew she needed the distraction. She tightened her grip on her shopping bag and wondered if she was making a mistake, Sakura's laughter still burned her ears.

Michi shrugged, pushing back his hair. "I don't know if Rocks will be free."

Hanabi blew out a breath and pointed at their other teammate in the grocers stall. "There he is. We grab him. We go. Simple mission plan." She stopped as the water-jutsu user put his hand lightly on her arm. "What?"

Sighing, Michi pulled her out of the street so that they could watch Rokuro with his family. "I just …I don't think he's got the funds to go out to eat with us right now."

Taken aback, Hanabi shot a look over at their teammate, a boy she'd butted heads with any number of times. "I know his family isn't rich, but we just got back from a successful 'C' ranked mission. Nicer paycheck."

"Rent." Michi muttered.

"What?"

"He was grumbling about the rent going up just last month, don't you remember?" Michi gave her an unbelieving look. "You know, rent. That's when you pay a landlord to live on their ..."

"I know what rent is!" Vaguely she did recall Rocks saying something about his rent going up, but Hanabi still didn't get it. "He lives with his mom and his aunt. And his sister helps out."

"The aunt is sick, and his mother is raising his little brothers. As for his sister, Ani lost her job with the Torakei family." Michi frowned bitterly. "They said she was making advances toward old man Torakei and tossed her out."

"He's an old goat who tries to look up any skirt he comes across." Hanabi sneered. "Ani's only fault is that she's pretty."

Michi nodded. "Yeah, well …the Torakei matriarch has a lot of pull and she's keeping the girl from finding a good paying job. Ani is a former genin, but right before the chuunin exams her father died and her mother was pregnant. She quit to take care of the family and help raise her brothers."

"Oh." Hanabi felt like an idiot. Where had she been not to have noticed all this going on? The bag she carried suddenly burned as she realized she'd spent more on her outfit than Rocks and his family were currently paying the green grocer for their food. "I suck."

Michi smothered a smile and shook his head. "You've just never known what it was like to go without."

"Neither have you!" She snapped at him, more angry with herself than at him. "The Norinaga family isn't exactly poor."

"Yeah, well …at least I notice when my teammate brings pitiful left-overs for lunch." He poked back at her, frowning.

Hanabi's shoulders fell as she capitulated. "I know, I know." Then suddenly she stood up straight. "I know! I know!" She waved at a confused Michi as she raced down the street, leaving him in the dust.

Michi sighed, shaking his head. "And I'm supposed to lead this team?" He muttered to himself, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Ibiki is touched in the head."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro knocked on Hanabi's door much later, entering when she called him inside. "What did you do?" He asked, bemused.

"Nothing much." His sister-by-marriage shrugged.

"Nothing much?" The puppeteer mocked. "Hiashi is happy. Hinata is napping. The boys are being cuddled by their new nanny and you call that NOTHING?" He shook his head in wonder.

"Koji Ani is the sister of a teammate." Hanabi said with pretend nonchalance, inside she was quivering with victory. "I told Hinata about how she'd lost her job and how unfair it all was. How my poor teammate was supporting five people plus himself on a genin's pay."

"But …but …" Kankuro scratched his head. "She wouldn't let the other nannies help out at all!"

"Let Hinata know she's doing someone a favor, and she's more receptive than if you simply order her around." Hanabi gave him a wink. "And it helps that it's not a lie. Ani needs this job and she's highly qualified."

"What about Hiashi?" Why is he looking so happy?

Hanabi quirked up a half-smile. "This nanny at least has ninja experience, unlike the others. And Hinata went to him personally to ask him to hire this girl after I introduced them to each other. Hinata also apologized to him. He's happy, Ani's happy, and Hinata's finally resting."

"And happy." Kankuro shook his head in wonder as he headed back out the door. "You're a marvel."

"I know." Hanabi winked at him as she shut her door. Now that all of THAT was out of her way, she gave herself a mental pat on the back. She promised herself she'd not be so blind to her teammates in the future, instead of only focusing on herself.

She'd been so busy with learning to write kanji better that she'd neglected a whole heck of a lot. Frowning, she looked over at her desk. She still had a long way to go on perfecting her brush strokes. Absently she rubbed her sore elbow and looked away from her desk. Her eyes fell on her shopping bag.

In the end she hadn't bought the outfit that mirrored Ino's. Quickly she shed her clothes and put on her new outfit instead. Staring at herself in the mirror she frowned. Something still wasn't right. The skin tight mesh body suit wasn't bad in and of itself she decided. And the soft cream-lilac of the short skirt complimented her, she was sure. Again, the problem was with the brief top. It looked ...flat.

Hanabi grabbed a box of tissues and started putting them in her top, under the mesh netting and the brief top as well. Just to see what she would look like in a few years. Smiling at the results in the mirror she turned her attention to her hair and make-up.

A good half-hour passed that way as she tried multiple combinations and hair styles. Frowning, she finally yanked it all down and just brushed it out loose. Nothing was working out. Contemplating her hair in the mirror, she was distracted when there was a tap on her door.

Without remembering the tissue in her top, enhancing her endowments, she opened the door. The servant took one look at the mesh covered cleavage under her 'top' and blushed, keeping his eyes at her nose. "There's a visitor for you in the library, young miss."

"I'll be right down." Hanabi nodded, and thought about changing for a moment, then deciding against it. She'd meant to change her look, and she was going to do it. Starting now.

The servant nodded and made room for her to pass, before hurrying to the servant's areas to spill the beans on what the young mistress was wearing.

Neji was heading up the stairs when Hanabi passed him, his nose buried in a scroll. He nodded absently at her as she passed. Three steps up, though, he stopped cold and spun around watching as Hanabi entered the library. His mouth gaped open in shock. He briefly thought about going to ask her what in the world she was doing, but then he spied Hiashi heading down the stairs.

"Neji." His uncle nodded to him.

The young man nodded back, unable to speak. He held his breath as Hiashi turned and headed ….to his office, and not the library. Neji blew out the breath he'd been holding.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi watched as Michi's sea-foam green eyes widened in shock, then snapped close in exasperation. "Oh, I so don't think so."

"What? It's a great solution. Hinata needs Ani's help, and it gives her a good paying job." The young kunoichi ignored his reaction to her new clothes, deliberately turning the subject.

Michi made motions in front of his chest, mimicking her new 'curves'. "That is not right." He pursed his lips. "What have you got in there?"

Hanabi crossed her arms. "Me."

"Riiiight." He mocked her, reaching out towards her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko looked over at Neji strangely as he stood still as a statue on the stairway. "What ARE you doing?"

"Waiting." Came the blithe reply, he glanced at the irritating kunoichi who'd married his uncle. "And it will be worth it."

"Worth what?" Anko was tired, she'd spent nearly the whole afternoon with an ecstatic Katashi as he'd bugged her for stories about chuunin exams. He'd not even gotten through his first day at the Academy and already he was thinking ahead. She was proud, if irritated. It didn't help that she felt poor after giving that unnecessary bribe.

Hiashi came out of his office, heading for the library. Neji stiffened with anticipation.

Anko nodded in satisfaction. Oh, yeah …she was married now. To a rich guy. Screw the bribe. She still wasn't used to the idea of being rich….all thought scrambled when she heard Hiashi'sloud roar of shock and anger.

Neji grinned as he headed down toward the library. "So worth it."

Anko hurried after him, stopping as she saw Hiashi's face red with apoplexy and looking like he was going to stroke out any moment. Her eyes flew to …. "Hanabi?"

Michi sighed, his hand down Hanabi's top as he pulled out a wad of tissue.

Neji smirked, biting his tongue to keep from laughing.

"Why is your hand down my daughter's top!" Hiashi roared, moving automatically into the gentle fist style of fighting.

"Father." Hanabi whispered, horrified with embarrassment as Michi held up the tissue she'd stuffed in her top earlier, waving it. She'd actually forgotten the tissue was there when she'd been working on her hair.

"I can't believe you did it." Anko whispered. "You've made me speechless. Oh, wait …I'm speaking, so no you didn't. Nice try Kaen-take." She said, referring to her step-child as a poisonous mushroom. "Hmmm ….stuffed mushrooms! Ooh those do sound delightful for dinner. Neji?"

At this, Neji put his hand over his eyes to keep from losing it.

"Get your hand off my …" All of a sudden it registered. All Hiashi had seen when he'd looked up was a young man with his hand down Hanabi's top. Now his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING?"

Neji lost it.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	12. Reactions

The Kazekage of Suna scowled as his stomach growled almost painfully. Not even pausing, he reached for another stack of scrolls, looking up only when the scrolls weren't there.

Baki held up the scrolls. "Not until you eat."

Jade-pale eyes snapped with irritation, his expression stony.

"You've been up since 3 a.m. and have had exactly one meal in all that time." Baki continued. "If you can call three rice balls a meal."

Gaara blinked slowly, his facial set looking menacingly. "I have a lot to do."

Baki tossed the scrolls to an assistant. "You do more than you have to. Perhaps because you miss your siblings?"

The pen in the red-head's hand creaked, then snapped into pieces. He stared at the ink staining his hand ruefully. He accepted Baki's offer of a towel with ill grace. "I guess this little incident makes denying your charge impossible."

"You barely even visit your residence anymore." Baki said gruffly. "The council worries."

Gaara growled low and wiped the ink off his fingers, grimacing at the blue stain on his pale fingers. He remembered when Hanabi had been stained blue. And how she had managed to stain him first. He still had some sand in his gourd that was blue actually.

"Perhaps if you were to request assistance from Konoha to look into the bandit situation between the borders of Wind and Fire?" Baki gestured for another servant to put down the steaming bowl of stewed meats. "You could say that you were sending teams as well and a joint effort would be appreciated. Then perhaps requesting someone familiar with Wind country?" His tone trailed off suggestively.

The tempting smell of spices and hot stew had Gaara's mouth watering and suddenly it dawned on him that he really was hungry. The red-head started in on his meal quickly and then nearly choked on a bite as he had a sudden thought. Coughing, he grabbed his tea and nodded, pointing mutely at Baki.

"What?" The one-eyed former sensei asked.

"Good idea!" Gaara muttered. "I'll write to the Hokage immediately." He said, then dug back into his stewed dish.

Baki nodded and backed away, having done all that he could. Mentally he patted himself on the back even as he wondered, whom would the Hokage send? Kankuro or Temari? Or would Gaara specifically ask for one of them?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi blinked owlishly at Lord Hyuuga, holding up the wad of tissues he'd just pulled from Hanabi's top.

Hanabi, though, wasn't just standing there. No. She glared at her father's furious face, Anko's sneering one, and then marched over and kicked at Neji's shin. The prodigy was laughing so hard he should have made an easy target, but he still effortlessly eluded her strike.

Only to get nailed by Anko as she pushed him into his uncle. Both men righted themselves without effort and turned their Hyuuga-proud eyes on her. Anko pointed at both of them. "Out." She ordered.

But Hiashi had had enough of being bossed around in his own home. He drew up to his full height, his pale gaze flashing with rage and anger. Baring his teeth at his wife he gave her a hard look.

Anko nodded, grabbed Neji's arm and dragged him from the room. She looked over at Hanabi. "If you survive the next few minutes, we'll talk." She was a woman who needed to have the last word. And very little scared her, in truth, she wasn't even frightened now.

It was just better for her marriage to let Hiashi have his way in some things. Right?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Mizutori Rinako was having a bad day. Her bad day had a name. Shihei.

As if on cue. "I'm tiiiiired!" The petulant voice sounded behind her. "Why can't we stop at an inn and get a proper meal? And a proper bed? A fire place and …"

"It's still summer." Rinako finally snapped. "What the hell do you need a fire place for?"

Shihei paused in his litany a moment, then scowled behind her back, sticking out his tongue. She turned and shot him a spiteful look and he wondered for a moment if she could see behind her. "Well?" She prodded him. "What do you need a fire place for?"

The young blond shrugged. "Don't all rustic inns have fireplaces? Besides you could heat up my bath water for me with a fireplace."

Rinako felt the small muscles at the side of her left eye begin to spasm. Taking a deep breath she turned and kept going. Mentally running through her litany of 'you can't kill him …you can't kill him …you can't kill him …'

Her nin-dog woofed up at her and she shook her head ruefully. "No, we can't just leave him behind." She told her dog loudly.

Behind her was the predictable gasp. "You were talking about me! Weren't you? You were, weren't you?! Well it doesn't matter, because I'm stopping HERE! I need a rest break and you are a horrible guard for ignoring my needs so badly."

With that Shihei dropped his pack. Rinako sighed and looked up at the sky. "It took you until nearly supper to quit today. You must be getting stronger. Yesterday you 'stopped' only an hour after breakfast. Yep. Definitely an improvement."

With that, she kept walking, having learned that the kid would only let her get so far ahead before he started wailing and then would run to catch up with her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho felt the displacement of air, letting her know someone had entered her work area. Hoping it was a certain shadow-using shinobi, she smiled brightly as she looked up. The smile quickly faded into a sharp frown. "What do you want now?" She asked waspishly.

But Ino wasn't in the mood to talk. Instead she was looking around the room, her face mutinous. "Is he here?"

"Since you have not specified the name of the 'he' in question, my assumption is that you are looking for Nara. Who is not here. Instead of the head of my department, who also happens to be a 'he' and if you are looking for him …then that he stepped across the hall but will be back later." Shiho matched the blonde's frown.

"Don't play stupid with me!" Ino snapped, her hands on her hips standing over Shiho's desk. "You and I have only one 'he' that we both know."

Behind her thick glasses, Shiho's eyebrows raised as she stood up. "I never play stupid, I wouldn't know how. Unlike you!"

All of a sudden something sad passed behind Ino's eyes as she blinked several times in quick succession. Others might have missed the signs, but Shiho was trained to deal in spotting patterns, especially subtle ones. Swallowing hard, she realized she'd hurt Ino's feelings. "What's wrong?" She asked, her natural helpful personality superseding the petty desire to leave the insult standing.

Ino's bottom lip barely quivered, but again Shiho saw it. She groaned. "You're not stupid you know."

The blonde's face tightened as she fought her embarrassment, drawing up haughtily. "And you shouldn't let yourself be played like that. It's unseemly for a kunoichi of the Leaf village. You fell right for it." She lied, pretending she'd not had her feelings injured in the first place.

Shiho sighed and leaned against her desk. "Number one, you weren't acting. I may not be on your level as a kunoichi, but even I know how to read a face."

Ino sighed and perched herself on Shiho's desk too. "Shikamaru and I had a fight."

"I gathered." Came the droll response. Suddenly the cryptologist perked up, smiling brightly. "And you thought he'd come to see me?"

The blonde blew out a frustrated breath. "Don't get so excited. This was the seventh place I looked for him. He's not gone to any of his usual places."

"Oh." Shiho sighed, sinking dejectedly back into her chair. "Of course it was."

Ino sighed and debated with herself before giving in. "Okay, okay, it was only the fifth place. I checked his usual haunts, but nothing." She looked over at the other girl, but Shiho had her head bent back over her papers. "Ignoring me won't make me go away, even Shikamaru figured that one out eventually."

"Is that how you got him?" Shiho asked quietly, looking up.

Ready to blast the other girl, Ino paused at the earnest look on the other kunoichi's face. Sighing, she shrugged and admitted the truth. "I don't know."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi stared at the closed door of the library and then back at Hanabi's father. He turned to look once more at his teammate. "Should I worry?"

"Yes." Hiashi said roughly. "Now get out."

The young shinobi nodded, then pursed his lips, not moving. "Nothing was happening you know." When Hiashi turned his stone-cold gaze on him, the young man gulped, but didn't back down. "And I know that you know that."

One eyebrow rose mockingly, but Michi still didn't break and run, though he was starting to sweat a bit. "Why aren't you gone yet?" Hiashi said in a frosty tone of voice, the threat evident behind the words.

Hanabi sighed. "It's okay, Michi."

The dark-haired youth nodded, but still didn't move. Finally, he managed to tear his eyes away from the threat and look at Hanabi. "He looks mean."

"MICHI!" Hanabi hissed, struggling not to laugh.

Hiashi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine. You've defused my anger, knowing that …what? I wouldn't go into a complete rage and kill you or my own child over this fiasco?"

Michi shrugged and finally headed for the door. "Sir, no disrespect intended. You have a reputation as a cold bastard. Not one that goes into a killing fury. Still, I couldn't leave Hanabi alone to face you with making sure of that."

Hiashi was several steps away when Michi reached the door, and then he wasn't. Sea-foam green eyes widened as Hiashi stared into his face from an inch away. Moves that fast should be allowed! "You are not skilled enough or wise enough yet to deal with me one on one." His hand reached out and caught a sweat drop from Michi's brow and flicked it away. "Don't forget that."

"Y…yes sir." Michi stammered, then shot Hanabi an apologetic look before slipping from the room.

Hiashi sighed and straightened his robe. He too looked over at his daughter. "I thought Yugao, then Ibiki were using questionable reasoning to make that young man the leader of your genin team. It appears the boy has depths I had not yet seen."

Hanabi nodded and opened her mouth.

"No." Hiashi said sternly, his brows snapping together. "That was not something that I need nor want your opinion on."

"Hai." The kunoichi nodded nervously.

Her father came and circled her, inspecting the skin-tight mesh body suit along with the short cream-lilac skirt that skimmed the middle of her thighs. He stopped in front of her and eyed the low-cut top with its mismatched bosom. Hiashi held out his hand and blushing, Hanabi reached in and pulled out the remainder of the tissue paper, handing it to him reluctantly.

"This outfit will be burned." He announced with utter authority.

Hanabi nodded, knowing better than to argue with him. In fact, before this whole series of events had started with a list and an idea to marry off her father, she would never have dreamed of acting like this in front of him. Was he changing, or her?

"I will not have this." Hiashi growled. "And while I am grateful for your assistance in gaining a nanny that Hinata will use with the babies, I will still not abide by this kind of behavior. I have long been tolerant of your 'adventures' and small pranks, seeing these as a way to increase your ninja skill set …but it ends now."

"Yes father." Hanabi nodded.

"You are fourteen now. A genin and a kunoichi of the Leaf Village. Act like one." His voice was commanding.

"Yes father."

A grunt was her answer as her father circled her once more. "It is fortunate that your team leader, this Michi is just as young as you. He was misguided in his efforts to rectify your …unfortunate …choice of clothing, but at least his intentions were good. A few years from now and having his hand down your …" He paused, feeling a headache coming on. "Well, his intentions will be different in a few years. Do you remember the talk we had following your sister's wedding?"

Hanabi looked up, blushing slightly. "Hai."

"When a young man gets to a certain age, Hanabi …certain hormones come into play that cause a change. Young men that you have grown up with will become nearly strangers to you and their thinking will change."

Rolling her eyes behind his back wasn't a good idea, not when the bloodline limit of the clan was the Byakugan. Still, Hanabi felt like it. She listened as her father outlined sex in the most austere and circumstantial language. Finally, he came to a conclusion, dismissing her from his presence.

Hanabi had the door open when Hiashi stopped her. "Daughter. I don't mean to imply that all men are animals. But you see, Michi will grow and change. And …well, a provocative outfit like that …well, you don't want a man attracted to that."

She should just nod and walk out. Hanabi knew it down deep in her bones. She needed to leave now. Agree with her father's old-fashioned and outlandish ideas and leave. Unfortunately she couldn't keep her mouth from opening.

"I wouldn't want a man who isn't attracted." Hanabi found the words spilling forth, seeing the precipice before her and yet unable to stop herself from going over it into freefall. "I certainly wouldn't want any man not attracted to THAT, as you put it. Attracted to me physically that is. But you don't have to worry about Michi. He's not attracted, to me anyway."

Hiashi's face went red as his daughter dared to talk back to him.

"And in a few years, Michi still won't be attracted to me." Hanabi smiled at her father, completely unable to help herself. "But he did mourn when he found out Neji was getting married."

Red went to white and back to red again as Hanabi waited for his response. Nerves jangling as she watched her father, one of the most powerful clan leaders of the village. In his day he'd been on par with the best shinobi Leaf had to offer. He was still dangerous, even retired from active duty to run his clan.

A long, tense moment passed. Finally Hiashi pointed at her ruthlessly. "BURN THAT DAMNED OUTFIT!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako peered over the edge of the hill, flat to the ground and filthy with bush debris. Damn it! She thought to herself, disgusted. What was that caravan doing on this trail? She deliberately chosen one that was usually ignored by traders as being too steep for wagons …so what were they doing here?

She'd have to get closer to find out. But should she attempt it?

Inching her way backwards down the small rise until she was sure she couldn't been seen by the caravan, she moved with utter confidence, yet very cautiously. Crouching a dozen yards away, she moved a bit faster until she could take stock of her situation.

Rinako had chosen this path toward Konoha, though it was highly circular and certainly not direct. She'd even sent a message back to Kumogakure to that effect, though she'd hidden her exact whereabouts. She wanted the Raikage to think she was working on the mission he'd given her.

The longer it took for the Raikage to discover her treason, the longer her family had to live. A vision of her mother and two younger brothers tore at her, but she ruthlessly pushed the memories away. She was signing their death warrants with her actions. But her mother was a former jounin herself, and one brother was nearly a genin. The other studying and training to become a shinobi. They knew the life. It was part of them.

And to each of them, Kumogakure was everything. They would understand, wouldn't they? Even as death took them, they'd understand why she did this. Right?

With these morbid and dark thoughts in her mind, Rinako arrived at the camp and looked over at Shihei. "We have a caravan coming this way. It is one that usually stops in the Cloud village. I need to find out why they took this route."

Pausing, Rinako went over to her pack and pulled out extra weapons. "You don't mind if I go scouting some more, do you? It's for your protection, I assure you. Dinner will be delayed a bit, but it can't be helped. Oh, and no fire tonight, not with that caravan so close. So no heated bath water, so sorry about that."

A mumble was the boy's only response.

Rinako nodded. "So glad you approve. But don't worry, I'm leaving my nin-dog to watch over you." Kirohu whined at her, but settled himself down next to the boy.

With that, the kunoichi took off at a fast, but stealthy clip.

Hidden in the leaves of the bush, bound and gagged, Shihei watched her go with wide, wide eyes. He wriggled, but was unable to move much at all.

Kirohu sniffed the air to make sure all was well, and then settled down to guard the young noble. Happy that Rinako had muzzled the kid at long last.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"And then the guy behind the counter realized I'd been standing there the whole time." Ino giggled, sitting on the floor with her back against a bookshelf. "You should have SEEN his face!"

Smiling, Shiho shook her head. "You're making that up." She accused lightly as she sat next to the other kunoichi.

"No, no, I promise!" Ino held up one hand solemnly, her lips trying to suppress her smile. "The clerk was talking about 'these two kunoichi, one blonde and one pink-haired' and how shameless they were in following the other student."

Shiho shook her head in wonder. "I can't imagine any guy ignoring you so that you had to chase him."

Ino sighed and gave a rueful look. "Uchiha Sasuke, to be exact."

"No!"

"Yes." The blonde girl shrugged. "What can I say? I had lousy taste back then, but I got better!"

Reminded that Shikamaru was Ino's fiancé, Shiho looked away then shrugged. "I should have known I didn't stand a chance to catch his eye."

"He respects you." Ino muttered and nudged the other kunoichi, knowing without asking that they were talking about Shikamaru again.

"He's marrying you." Shiho nudged the blonde back.

"I'm not as smart as he is." Ino looked over at the other girl, putting her head down to rest on her drawn-up knees.

Shiho shrugged. "Fat lot of good book learning does me."

Ino sat back up, drawing a deep breath. "Now. Look at you. You're not wearing a single one of your new outfits. I went to a lot of trouble just to find the right three looks."

The cryptologist blushed lightly, looking away. "The outfits are nice. But I put them on …and I'm still just me."

"There's nothing wrong with that." Ino protested.

Shiho threw her arm out, indicating her work space and all the books and scrolls. "This is me. I never get to go anywhere. No one comes to see me much, they just send the codes they want broken …or made. I can make them too, you know." She paused with a sigh. "Shikamaru has been the only young shinobi to come into my office in a long, long time. Then there was all the fuss with the code and he brought in Naruto and someone else. But that's a rarity in my field."

Ino shook her head. "Take a vacation. You have the right. Go somewhere!"

"With whom?" Shiho scoffed. "Besides, I'm not really encouraged to even take a step outside of Konoha." She tapped her forehead. "I have too many codes up here. I'm not important in and of myself, but only for what I know."

"Bullshit. You're important. Smart. And you have everything it takes to be pretty if you'd try." Ino sighed. "I'm sorry, but Shikamaru is mine." She said bluntly and honestly.

Shiho nodded, blushing. "I'm no danger to that."

The blonde reached over and shoved Shiho's shoulder. "Stop selling yourself short. You just need to get out more. And have you thought about contacts?"

"Too much trouble."

Ino paused, blinking. Had the other girl meant to sound like Shikamaru? No, probably not. It must be a smart-people thing. "You sit here and talk about wanting things to change, well …you're smart enough to know that you have to go to some trouble to make that happen." Ino stood, brushing off her bottom and held out a hand for the other kunoichi. "And tomorrow you're making an appointment with the eye medic. I know him, he's a good guy."

"Single?" Shiho couldn't help but ask, laughing as she let the blonde help he up.

"Yes. But trust me, you don't want him." Ino's mind boggled at the visual. "He's three times your age!"

"He's got to be better than the other guy you tried to foist me off onto."

Ino drew back, surprised. "Most girls find Kiba very attractive. Rough, but attractive."

"And he knows it." Shiho murmured, remembering at how Kiba had looked at her as if he EXPECTED her to fall all over him. Like she needed that!

"Look. Does Sh …does Shikamaru ever talk about me? When he comes over here?" Ino couldn't help but ask the question.

Shiho shook her head, then saw the hurt expression on the blonde's face. Hurrying she reassured her, "But he doesn't talk about anything personal. Not with me."

Ino nodded and smiled wanly. "I'll come by and let you know when your appointment is with the eye medic. And Shiho? Thanks."

Nodding, the cryptologist watched the blonde head for the door. Hurting, she knew that she'd never win Shikamaru's affections like Ino had obviously done. Still, despite everything, she kind of liked the talkative kunoichi. "Ino?"

"Hai?" The blonde stopped and turned in the doorway.

"If Shikamaru doesn't want to be found, he wouldn't hide anywhere he would know you would look. So look for him where you would never expect to find him." Shiho told her with a soft smile.

Ino nodded her thanks.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Two hours later, after helping Hanabi burn her outfit, Anko stared at Hiashi's library door. It was still closed tightly.

Yugao stepped up beside her, having just returned for her postpartum medical appointment. "I've heard."

Anko nodded. "He's hiding now, I can feel it."

"Blow to the ego to know your daughter is ready to grow up like that." The blue-haired kunoichi said quietly. "What are you going to do about it?"

The spiky-haired jounin shrugged. "I sent several servants out to buy out three entire baby boutiques of their most expensive items. Ordered a new bedroom suite and dining room set."

Yugao looked surprised. "How very female. Civilian female at that. Isn't that a tad low key? Especially for you? I think I'm rather dissapointed."

"It was fun, more fun than I'd thought actually." Anko smiled. "Then I personally took Hanabi shopping and got her one of those new push up bras and helped her pick out a new outfit."

"But Hiashi wanted her to burn ..."

Anko smiled nastily. "He wants her to act like a Leaf kunoichi. Dress like one too. Hiashi told her to get rid of her new outfit, he didn't say she couldn't find a new new one!" She smiled and put her hand on her hip, posing provocatively. "So be it."

Whistling, Yugao nodded. "I'll warn Neji."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi nodded in appreciation as Hanabi twirled for him. She was wearing dark-tan shorts that came to mid thigh and weren't too tight to restrict movement, but rode down low enough to emphasize her slender frame and taut abdomen. Her midriff was bare, but her top was far more conservative than the last one.

"Is that all you?" Michi nodded toward her bosom.

Hanabi grinned. "In the flesh, so to speak. Great advances in bras these days. No tissue needed at all."

"Good." The dark-haired shinobi murmured, smiling. "I like the top."

"Me too." Hanabi fingered the soft blue cowl neck top that was layered under a mesh piece, then over that was a dark-tan t-shaped brief top. There was no cleavage showing at all. But a nice, if small, shape.

"Ossu." Rokuro said languidly as he walked up to them, greeting Michi. He looked over at Hanabi. "Nice outfit." He told her, right before hitting her in the face.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	13. Open Mouth, Insert Foot

As totally unexpected as the blow was, Hanabi was first and foremost, well trained. Even though she threw back her head, the fist still connected with her left eye just a second or two before she'd managed to activate the Byakugan. But she'd managed to significantly lessen the impact.

Cataloging Rokuro's chakra movement didn't take more than a few seconds, so second nature was the effort to her. Not to mention that as her teammate, Rock's was a frequent sparring partner. She knew him. Maybe not his mind, but she knew his and Michi's charka patterns better than her own.

Thought did not interfere as her head flew back and she arched into her fall, her arms going over her head in a flip that would land her neatly in a fighting stance. But before she got there, her foot flexed and flew smoothly at his head during the apex of her motion. Rokuro sneered as he threw his own head back and her booted foot passed mere centimeters from his nose.

"You missed." Rokuro winced, rubbing his shoulder with his eyes wide.

The words hadn't even come out of his mouth before her foot, chakra pointed like a blade from her toes, connected with Rokuro's left shoulder. Right at the nexus of nerves bundled there. Not only did the entire left arm go useless, hanging at the shoulder, but the chakra center was now spasming.

In one move she'd shut down his chance at forming hand seals and using his air jutsu moves against her. Rokuro had made a rookie mistake, not following his strike through with the next three moves. Now he was paying the price.

Michi sighed, watching. He'd wondered what their prickly teammate's response would be to Hanabi's getting Rock's sister a job in her household. Now he knew. "Calm down you two ..."

But their team leader's words were cut short as Hanabi made a fateful mistake. Appalled with herself for striking back without thinking and using a bruising ending move instead of simply sparring, Hanabi opened her mouth and added fuel to the fire. "Oh Rocks, I'm so sorry ..."

Michi groaned and closed his eyes as Rokuro's face went beet red with shame and anger. The way it looked, Hanabi had beat him without thought or effort and then to add salt to the wound ...she felt sorry for him. Male pride can only take so much.

Exploding weapons landed at Hanabi's feet and she had to quick-flash away only to find more weapons land right where she reappeared. One kunai actually cutting a few strands of her long hair as it thunked into the large tree limb behind her.

The Hyuuga kunoichi's eyes narrowed and her own hand went to her weapons pouch.

Rokuro sneered and fell into a fighting stance that made use of his one good arm. Hanabi fell into the gentle fist fighting style of her clan.

Suddenly, freezing cold water drenched them from stem to stern. Rocks gritted his teeth as Hanabi screeched in outrage. Both drenched ninja turned their narrowed gazes on their erstwhile team leader.

Michi let his hand seals drop as he grinned apologetically at them and scratched the side of his neck.

Hanabi shivered despite the heat of the day, nearly frigid water dripping from her long hair.

"Now. Rokuro, Hanabi didn't mean anything by having her family hire your sister. It wasn't charity, they really need Ani right now. And Hanabi? Rokuro's feelings were hurt, that's all. Can't we just let this go?" Michi blinked at them both hopefully. His sea-foam green eyes large and open-looking on his earnest face.

Rocks kept his face toward Michi, but his eyes cut to Hanabi. Hanabi's eyes cut to him. Rocks raised one eyebrow. Hanabi nodded subtly. Suddenly Michi's open expression looked slightly alarmed.

In an explosion of sudden movement Rokuro went left and Hanabi went right while Michi was frantically forming hand seals in order to protect himself from the duo.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So."

The one word was enough to set Kiba's teeth on edge. "No."

Hana looked over at her little brother across the table. "What do you mean, no?"

Kiba sighed. "So? That's an opening line if I've ever heard of one."

Tsume looked down at her son and spooned more stew into his dish. "More?"

Growling, Kiba ignored the delicious sent wafting up at him. Akamaru whined and looked up from the corner. Even Hana's three nin-dogs had their tongues lolling out and their eyes were eagerly following the serving spoon.

"Family dinner? Just the three of us?" Kiba crossed his arms, looking up at his mother. "Take out from my favorite place? Hana gushing about how wonderful life is now that she's married and how happy her husband is?"

Hana and Tsume watched him as Kiba ticked off the points on his fingers.

"Neither of you look happy enough for Hana to be expecting." Kiba droned on. "But now that she's happily married off, you're both staring at me? So ...the answer is no."

Tsume took the stew pot back to the kitchen before returning to her seat. Hana sighed. "Look, I'm not saying that Ise isn't a lovely girl."

Akamaru whined and put his head back down, a sneer on his doggy face.

Tsume grinned. "Your nin-dog has better taste than you do."

Kiba dug into his food, not answering.

"And I'm not only your mother, but your clan leader. Find a bride or at least start dating someone eligible, or I'll find one for you."

Rudely, Kiba spoke around his food. "Oh really? Since that worked out so well the last time. The Cloud Village girl? The assassins? Yep, you have great taste Mom."

Tsume growled, fangs showing as she grabbed her son's dish and crossed over to the nin-dogs and to their utter delight, gave it to them.

Hana laughed at the sour look Kiba threw her way.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari was whistling as she brushed her hair. Shino paused in the doorway of their bedroom. The blonde caught sight of him in her mirror and gave him a quick grin and a wink. "Home early." She crooned.

Shino put down his pack and nodded. "Mission go well?"

"Easy." She blew off the question with a small wave of her hand. Turning to look at him, she smiled lazily. "I was going to put my hair back up and head to dinner."

Shino stilled.

"But now that you're here ...I could leave my hair down and we could raid the kitchen later." She slid her tongue over her bottom lip and turned, crossing her legs. Her soft robe fell open to reveal the lithe line of one long leg.

He swallowed hard, reacting to her like he always did. Ruthlessly he reined in his impulses, his fingers twitching to touch her. "I already ran into everyone downstairs." He said softly, watching her smile fade at the edges. "They're expecting us for dinner in a few minutes. I ...I told them I'd be right down."

"Oh." Temari turned back to her mirror, pulling the brush through her hair with more force than necessary. "Right. Good." She watched him in the mirror as Shino turned away to hang up his coat in the closet.

The silence between them grew.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The next morning was bright and beautiful. Kiba finished his duties around the house, having been up since early. Stretching he sighed in contentment as he whistled for Akamaru. He frowned slightly as he heard his mother returning from her own early morning workout. The entire Inuzuka clan were basically morning people. Canines included.

Longingly, he looked toward the main house. He grimaced as he sniffed himself. Not only had he already worked around the house, he and Akamaru had been out for a vigorous 'walk' that included bounding through the forest areas. Kiba sighed. He really wanted a shower.

Kiba's ears twitched as he heard his mother greet one of his cousins. There was no chance that he could sneak in and get cleaned up, his mother's senses were better than his own.

He looked down at the face of his best friend. Akamaru panted up at him. "Looks like we'll be hitting the public baths." The dog-ninja murmured.

Akamaru yipped and gave a soft bark to indicate he thought Kiba was being a coward.

Kiba nodded and grinned. "Better to stink than listen to another lecture on the need to produce more Inuzuka!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho yawned as she opened her front door, blearily blinking at the blonde kunoichi standing on her doorstep. "Ino?"

"Takasugi-san has agreed to fit you in today if you can come in now." Ino said quickly, grabbing the other girl's hand. She stopped pulling as Shiho stood there, stumbling forward. "Late night?"

Yawning, Shiho nodded. "Coded missives from two jounin teams came in late last night. The signature line meant they couldn't wait until morning. So I don't have to go in today until after lunch."

Ino grinned. "Great! Then we can definitely get over to see the eye-medic."

Shiho protested. "No, it means I don't have to ...where are we going?" She pouted as Ino pulled her ruthlessly forward.

"Eye-medic. For a smart girl, you sure didn't catch onto that one." Ino teased her, tugging her forward one more step until Shiho woke up enough to dig her heels in. "Come on!"

With a jaw-cracking yawn Shiho grumbled. "Let me get dressed first."

"No time! No time!" Ino groused as Shiho headed back into her apartment. The blonde frowned at the other girl's wrinkled and shapeless clothes. "We don't have time for you to change into something better."

Shiho shook her head wearily. "I slept in this, these were my clothes from yesterday."

Ino frowned at her. "It'll have to do, you can come back and clean up afterwards. Takasugi-san is booked solid for the next two weeks. It's now or never."

"Never." Shiho yawned and flopped down onto her futon.

"NOW!" Ino demanded imperiously and dragged the other girl up and out the door, a big grin on her face. "It's a glorious day to get contacts! And it's so gorgeous out!"

Shiho blinked at the bright sunlight, mumbling. "I hate morning people."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi blinked up at his father, his pale-eyes rounding as he waited for the reaction.

Hiashi blinked down at the ball of fuzz currently looking at him with gold-green eyes. He then looked at his son, waiting.

"His ...his name is Asobu." Katashi's hands wrapped around the scrawny cat, the feline protesting softly and swatting at the boy.

"Ah." Hiashi nodded slowly.

Nervously, Katashi petted the creature and a soft rumbling purr came from the cat. "I found him."

"Did you?" The clan leader said, his tone giving away nothing of his feelings.

"Anko said I could keep him!" The words poured out as Katashi put the cat down next to the food bowl. Skinny and as undeniably hungry as the cat was, Asobu still sniffed carefully before eating.

Hiashi nodded and walked toward the door. "Well, if Anko said so." He murmured before taking his leave. "It must be true then."

Katashi relaxed visibly.

"Don't forget that just because you're starting the Academy on Monday that you can slack off today." Hiashi said, his face unreadable. "Meet me in two hours at the training yard."

"Hai!" Katashi snapped to attention, reaching out to pet Asubu. "Two hours!"

Hiashi nodded. He needed those two hours. Once outside the room, he activated his Byakugan and located his troublesome wife. He found her quickly, running through some light training of her own out in the garden. Hiashi sighed. She'd just given birth barely a few weeks ago, and she'd agreed with the medics when they'd ordered her not to train for at least six weeks.

Anko had lied to the medics.

"Big surprise." Hiashi muttered and headed toward his study to plan his strategy. In the meantime he looked for his daughter Hanabi. Frowning, he noted she wasn't in the Hyuuga family compound. She must be avoiding him. Well, she was a bright child after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The trio sat on the thick branch of the old tree eating breakfast. Rokuro bit off a piece of grilled fish off the skewer with relish. "Good training this morning. Worked up an appetite."

Hanabi nodded and bit down into a rice ball. "Mmm ...eel. I'll trade you another skewer for the rest of your aunt's rice balls."

"Two skewers." Rocks handed over the box of rice balls, accepting Hanabi's proffered trade. They two traded right in front of Michi, who was sitting between the two of them. He didn't look happy as he glared down into his porridge bowl.

"What, don't like the breakfast?" Hanabi asked ever-so-sweetly.

Rocks looked at their team leader, feigning innocence. "Give him a break Hanabi, we've worked hard this morning." He grinned cheekily at her. "How's the eye?"

The Hyuuga gave him a look as she touched the swollen area around her left eye. "Not bad, not bad. Not too much bruising." She returned his grin. "How's your arm?"

Rokuro flexed his left arm. "Stiff, but workable."

Michi mumbled something rude. Both of his team members turned to stare at him. He made a rude gesture. Hanabi glowered at him.

Rocks laughed. "Oh give him a break. After all, his mouth is really swollen and I think between the two of us, we loosened a few of his teeth."

Hanabi grinned wickedly. "That was fun."

"Hai." Rokuro concurred.

Turning serious, Hanabi picked at her food. "It's not charity you know. My sister refused every nanny and was running herself into the ground."

Rocks nodded, his grin fading a bit. "Ani read me the riot act when she got home last night to pack up some things. Said she really enjoys working with the twins and that your sister is really nice. Honest work for honest pay." It was as close as an apology as he was willing to make.

Hanabi took it, knowing quite a bit about pride. She was a Hyuuga after all. Suddenly she stiffened, her head whipping around to the left. Both Michi and Rocks turned to look as well.

Rokuro shook his head slightly. "Poor girl."

Ise had turned the corner and was window shopping her way down past their perch. Michi rolled his shoulders back and turned to look at Hanabi, but before he opened his mouth, Rocks stepped into the breach.

"Gonna pull a ridiculously childish stunt?" He asked her.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed on the other girl and Michi groaned as he watched his teammate contemplate mayhem.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko tapped on Hiashi's open study door. "You sent for me?" She asked with fake sweetness, an edge to her voice.

The Hyuuga clan leader nodded, shuffling papers around on his desk without looking up.

"Well?" She prodded him, thinking she knew what this was all about.

"I've set up some interviews for you this afternoon." Came his rather bland response.

Completely in the dark, Anko straightened and headed toward his desk, perching on the side. "What? Interviews for what?"

"Secretary." Hiashi said, not even looking up as he held out a sheet of parchment listing several names. "I hope you find someone you can get along with in this group, if not we'll just have to look farther."

"You can look in Earth Country for all I care, sea-slug!" Anko crossed her arms, glaring at him. "How's THAT for farther?"

Hiashi looked up at her, raising one brow haughtily. "You don't want a secretary?"

"Wow, even sea-slugs can catch a clue." His wife sneered. "I've never needed a secretary, and I don't plan on starting now."

Hiashi nodded. "As you wish." He said, then watched as she relaxed a moment. "You can go through the invitations yourself then. Oh, and there's the correspondence and charity things." He pointed to a huge pile of scrolls and parchments that rivaled the Hokage's desk.

Anko's eyes widened comically and Hiashi had to fight back his smile of victory. She wandered over to the pile and smiled over at her husband. "I'll make it easy on you, send all the charities a lot of money and refuse all the invitations."

"You told Katashi he could have a pet cat."

A bit taken aback by the sudden change of topic, Anko smiled cheekily. "I am his step-mother."

"And you spent quite a bit of money redecorating the house yesterday." He said more calmly than she'd anticipated.

Anko grinned. "I am your wife."

Hiashi stood up, pinning her with his pale-eyes. "Exactly."

The spiky-haired woman shrugged at him. "Slug? If you have a point, make it."

"If you are my wife, and step-mother to my children. Mother of Jishin. Then you can't pick and choose. You either are or aren't. There are events that we need to go to as a couple. There are obligations that go along with being my wife."

Anko opened her mouth to shut him down.

"But you don't have to if you don't want." He continued and she shut her mouth, trying to figure out his strategy. Anko knew he wouldn't give in this easily.

"And if you're too much of a coward to step into the role of a Hyuuga ..."

Taking in a harsh breath, she glared at him. "That's low, slug."

Hiashi didn't answer, but he did go over to pick up some of the papers off her pile. "Kurenai sent a baby gift for you and Jishin."

Anko blew out a frustrated breath. "I'll thank her next time I see her."

"So did Ibiki and Shizune, as well as the Hokage and every member of the Elder Council. Oh, and just about everyone you know." Hiashi continued. Then he picked up another sheath of papers. "And here are notes from all my political connections. My secretary attached notes showing what gifts they sent along too."

Growling, the kunoichi bared her teeth at him. "I'll thank my friends, and let your secretary handle the other stuff."

Hiashi shook his head. "My secretary doesn't have time for this. Besides these were all addressed to you and Jishin. Not me." He pulled out another sheet. "And here's an invitation to a Hyuuga wedding next week."

Anko paused, blinking. "I don't remember any ..."

"A very nice young chuunin, he's marrying the daughter of a friend to the clan. You remember, he did the carvings in the nursery." Hiashi continued.

"Oh." Anko swallowed a bit nervously as she recalled the young Hyuuga in question. "Those carvings of animals playing is very nice. Time consuming."

"A gift from a member of my family." Hiashi stated. "If you had a secretary you could send them out to get a proper gift for him. And we will have to attend the family commitments, even if you want to refuse going to attend Kurenai's birthday invitation."

With a sinking feeling, Anko felt like she couldn't breathe. "A secretary?"

"Someone for you to boss around." Hiashi continued almost gently. "Someone to do all the work of going through all this so you won't have to do it yourself."

Anko nodded, a ringing noise in her ears. "But I'm going to have to go to some of these events aren't I?"

Nodding, Hiashi pulled her into him, holding her tightly. "Hai."

"I never should have married you, sea-slug."

A smile played on his lips where she couldn't see him. "You don't have to go to all of them."

Anko sighed unhappily. "Tell me I least put a dent in your wallet with all the things I bought yesterday."

Hiashi bit back a rough laugh. "Sorry. I was thinking of putting that much in your accounts each month."

Sighing Anko laid her head on his chest. "You'd better be glad the sex is good or I wouldn't put up with this shit."

Hiashi hugged her tighter. "Most women wouldn't get upset about suddenly having a lot of funds to spend as she sees fit."

"I'm not most women." She bit his chest through his robes.

Now he did chuckle. "And I thank heaven for that every day." His hands slipped under her coat, trailing down her sides. "Now what were you saying about the sex being good?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba and Akamaru were heading for the public baths when he spotted Ise out with some of her friends, shopping. The sun made her hair glow, pulling his attention to her smoky eyes. His gaze then flicked down her body in appreciation. He whistled low before he could stop himself.

Ise looked up at him with a smile, then her nose wrinkled as he neared. "Have you been rolling in a pig sty?" She teased him. "Is this what it'll be like forever? You coming in all stinky from walking with your dog?"

Usually, he let her inane words roll right off of him. But why was she talking about the future? They'd not been going out that long, besides he could not see a future with this bit of nonsense, smoking body or not. "He's a nin-dog, and his name is Akamaru."

The big shaggy dog sat down and panted by his side, looking up at Ise. "Oh, of course he is. And he's a handsome devil too." She smiled hugely.

Kiba looked at her, seeing right through the fake attitude. Had she always been this obvious? Kiba looked down at Akamaru. "I'm sorry, boy. We'll find someone who actually likes you."

Completely stunned and embarrassed in front of her friends, Ise drew up sharply and pasted on a huge grin. "But I adore Akamuro! Don't I boy?" She leaned down and then drew back with a shriek as Akamaru snapped at her fingers. "Kiba?!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi watched from her perch, her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

Michi leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Looks like you can leave Ise alone now. She's digging the hole herself now."

Rokuro bit into the last fish skewer and grinned as he watched.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You know, Inuzuka Kiba isn't all that bad." Ino said as she dragged Shiho down the street. "Come on! We need to hurry up for your appointment."

Shiho sighed and allowed the energetic blonde to pull her along behind her. Yawning as they turned the corner. "I guess I can't really judge someone from one meeting." She allowed reluctantly.

"Hey!" Ino quickened her pace as she caught sight of the shaggy-haired shinobi up ahead of them. "There he is!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What do you mean, 'it's a bad idea'?" Ise hissed. "It's a movie! Don't you WANT to take me?"

Kiba sighed. He'd not wanted to do this with an audience, but then she'd told him to pick her up at six tonight for a movie date. A date he'd not asked her to go on. His tries at a polite dismissal weren't working either. "Look, Ise ...I just have family plans, that's all." He lied.

"Family plans? Family plans?" Ise went red as she looked around at her friends beside her, completely embarrassed by this turn of events. There was no way that this stinky jerk was going to get the last word in. "You didn't mention that the other night, while you were kissing me goodnight."

Kiba grinned, remembering they'd been doing a bit more than kissing.

Ise saw his cheesy grin and went nuts. "And why haven't you invited me to meet your family? Am I not good enough for them?"

Akamaru barked sharply, his meaning clear to everyone. HE didn't think she was good enough.

Ise growled at Kiba, who shrugged. "My mother ...she can be a bit rough." He tried to be nice about it.

"Well, I don't want someone lets his DOG make his decisions!." Ise huffed, completely underestimating the ties between an Inuzuka and their canine companion.

Kiba shrugged, too tired of the situation to lie any further. "He never liked you, I guess he's a better judge of character than I am." He said snidely. Sick of being pushed around.

Ise shrieked in outrage and grabbed her friend's large soda. "And I would never marry a man who doesn't even know how to bathe!" She tore off the lid, dashing the drink in his face.

Kiba sneered and glared at her. "Like I would ever marry you." He held out one hand, soda dripping down his arm to mix with the dirt. He grinned at her and then shook himself off like a dog, making the dirty soda water shower out around him.

Ise shrieked and backed off as the sticky soda water hit her.

But it was the shrieks from behind him that had him going still as a statue. Whipping around he saw a shocked Ino making a face at him as she wiped at the soda sprinkles from her face with a look of disgust.

Besides her that twit of a cryptologist was staring at him. Calmly she took off her glasses and frowned at the sticky mess now covering the lenses. "Well, he doesn't make a better impression the second time around either."

Kiba felt hot with embarrassment. And he snapped at her before he could help himself. "Well, from the way you look, a little dirt and mud wouldn't do anything but improve your looks!"

In the trees, the genin team went still, holding their breaths.

Ino looked ill as a hornet. "KIBA?!"

Shiho looked up at him and Kiba fell still. He was stunned by the heart shaped face now no longer hidden by the thick glasses she usually wore. Huge dark blue eyes blinked at him. Thick, soot-dark lashes framed the eyes a second before she squinted at him. "You know, without the glasses, your looks improve tremendously."

Kiba growled even as Ise bounced the empty cup off his head. He ignored her completely. Akamaru whined and looked back and forth between his master and the new girl. He yipped in question.

Shiho cleaned her glasses and popped them back on her face, covering up those spectacular eyes. She looked down at his nin-dog. "He's not only better looking than you are, he has better manners. Cleaner too."

Akamaru walked up and sniffed Shiho. Kiba growled and grumbled, he had a better rein on his temper since his genin days. Or so he liked to think. But something about this brainy little nothing put him on edge, especially the way she didn't seem impressed with him at all. "Clean? You must not be a REAL ninja if you're afraid of a little dirt. Did you even PASS the Academy?"

Stiffening, Shiho pursed her lips and let her hands flow into hand seals. "Doro Tsuchi no Jutsu! Earth style!"

"Throw it at me!" Kiba growled, dropping into an offensive posture. "I can take anything that a bookworm cares to throw at meeeeee ..." His voice trailed off as the ground beneath him gave way to mud and he sunk to his knees. Akamaru jumped clear, sniffing carefully.

Ino grinned and laughed at Kiba as the Inuzuka tried to pull out of the mud, but kept slipping and sliding until when he came clear of the mud hole, he was almost completely covered.

Shiho pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose, satisfied. "You must be a completely REAL ninja now. Since you use mud as a measuring stick that is." She countered, then marched past him.

"That's a pathetic jutsu!" He called after her. "Mud? What kind of ninja are you?"

Ino ran to catch up with the other girl, as the blonde giggled at him, calling back behind her. "Which is more pathetic. The jutsu, or the idiot who got caught in it!"

Kiba looked around, but the two kunoich were now gone. Leaving him with a grinning Ise. "Serves you right." She sneered and walked away with her friends. Akamaru barked after her and Kiba frowned, sighing as she sped up, obviously nervous about his nin-dog.

The Inuzuka looked over at Akamaru. "This is our secret, right?"

The nin-dog whined.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You sure can pick them." Rocks poked at Hanabi, who swatted at his hand as they came down from their perch after everyone else had left. "At least you don't need to be pulling any childish pranks on that girl anymore. They broke up all on their own."

Hanabi nodded slowly. "He really wasn't acting very nice though." She said thoughtfully.

Michi sighed.

Rocks laughed. "He's a guy, give him a break. Even us guys have bad days."

Hanabi stared at him a moment, a little surprised he was being supportive. She looked at Michi who shrugged, he wasn't used to Rocks like this either.

"Thanks." She murmured and the three took off down the street. "What time did Ibiki say to meet him again?"

"We have plenty of time." Michi sighed, wincing as the words hurt and pulled at his lip. Then he nudged Hanabi and pointed with his chin.

The Hyuuga kunoichi peered around him and sighed at the sight of Ise already flirting with another guy. The young woman was leaning over a counter, giving the young man a clear view down her blouse as she chatted and giggled. "Poor guy."

Rocks stiffened. "Poor guy my ass."

Michi looked over at him, curiously.

Rokuro stuck his hands in his pockets, looking put out. "That's my sister Ani's ex-boyfriend. He believed those stupid rumors about her that her last employer put out, about her hitting on her boss."

Hanabi looked shocked. "But no one believed that mess. It was ridiculous."

"He did. Said some awful things to her." Rocks stared at the guy a long moment.

Hanabi grinned and nudged him with her elbow. "How about a stupid, childish, prank?" She teased.

Rocks looked at her, rocking back on his heels. Ruefully he gave her a half-smile. "Any good ideas?"

Hanabi blinked. "You serious?"

Michi groaned.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki looked at his wife a long moment. Shizune just held out the parchment.

"Suna?" He questioned. "Sure, it's not a bad mission, but why us specifically?"

Shizune shrugged. "The Hokage just said you all were requested."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	14. Bad Things

Just after lunch the door to Hiashi's study flew open without warning. He looked up, unsurprised to see Anko beaming at him with a victorious look in her dark eyes. She was nearly strutting into the room, so proud she was of herself. He frowned over at her. "No knock?"

"You keep telling me this is my home now, our home." Anko blew him a kiss that had more to do with trying to rile him than trying to seduce him.

Pity, he thought to himself. Though truthfully she'd worn him out only that morning. He looked behind her to eye his highly competent and loyal secretary. "Toson-san." Hiashi greeted the man neutrally.

Iseya Toson bowed low, looking flushed and nervous. Hiashi's eyes narrowed, but not on his secretary. Instead he turned his gaze on the most likely culprit for whatever was the matter. "Anko?"

"Pet?"

"Pet?" Hiashi protested gruffly.

Anko shrugged diffidently. "Pet sea-slug? Is that better?" She cooed.

The Hyuuga clan leader carefully put his pen down and steepled his fingers, giving her his coldest stare.

Anko wasn't immune, she just didn't give a damn if he was upset or not. She stuck her tongue out at him. Hiashi sighed, looking a bit worried.

"Oh, uhm …Hyuuga-domo?" The thin little man coughed to gain the duo's attention. "I regret to inform you that I will be putting in my notice, effective immediately. I have found a new position."

A harshly drawn breath and cold Hyuuga-pale eyes flying back and forth between Anko and his erstwhile secretary were all the clues the kunoichi needed to realize that Hiashi had made the connection. She grinned, pumping her fist in victory.

"I hired a secretary." She clapped her hands together and gave him a saucy bow that was less than respectful. "Just like you wanted."

Bellowing, Hiashi rose to his feet in a rage. "You stole MY secretary?"

Pouting, Anko ignored his temper and leaned forward to smile in his face. "You didn't say I couldn't." She said, batting her eyelashes furiously at him with a wicked grin.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The cry of outrage and disbelief could be heard several buildings over. Shiho looked up from her frequency distribution chart, frowning as she tapped her pen against her cheek. A moment later she was engrossed in her work again, blinking at the unfamilar contacts she was wearing. She wasn't sure about them yet.

From across the street Naruto paused in eating his noodles, mid-slurp. With no follow-up noise, he figured it wasn't an invasion and turned back to his meal. He was meeting Sakura for a date later, and his mind was preoccupied.

In mid-step, Kakashi paused in the street and looked up at the window to the Hokage's office. Shrugging a moment later, he reinserted his nose into his book.

Shino had his hand raised to knock on the Hokage's office door, heard the shout and decided to wait for a few more minutes before speaking with her.

Next to the direct source of the outrage, Ibiki winced and rubbed his ears.

Rocks sighed as he eyed the angry red face of their teammate curiously, unsure of what was going on exactly. He looked to Michi for an explanation, but the dark-haired young man was grinning from ear to ear.

Tsunade put down her papers and glared at the team. "What? You don't want the mission?"

"NO!" Hanabi shouted. Later she knew she would be appalled by her reaction, but she just couldn't seem to hold back. "No I do not want to go to Suna!"

Frowning, Tsunade nodded.

Hanabi started to relax as Michi's smile faded around the edges.

"I don't care." The Hokage informed her. "I don't really have anyone else free to send, besides your team was specifically requested for this assignment."

Hanabi's breath hissed out menacingly. Every eye was on her as she fought to maintain her cool. "Oh reeaaaallly?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shihei threw a rock at Rinako's head. The kunoichi turned to stare at him, pointing at her face. Then walked over three feet to her left and pointed at the tree trunk which the boy had managed to hit with the rock. "Were you actually aiming?" She looked amazed at anyone missing a target that badly. First year ninja students did better than that.

Shamefaced, the noble pouted. "You gagged me!"

Rinako nodded. "And I'll do it again if you keep talking." She whispered. "There are people around."

The boy shook his head, waving his hands as if to indicate that he didn't see anyone.

She reached into her jacket and pulled out the cloth she'd gagged him with before. Shihei's eyes widened and then he glared at her in outrage, one second before taking a huge breath and opening his mouth to scream.

Before anything but a harsh breath came from him, she pounced. Rinako quickly gagged the boy and as he tried to pry the gag loose, she grabbed him and made a gesture for her nin-dog.

Quick-flashing her way to the top of a nearby tree, she paused there. Listening. Shihei reached for his gag and suddenly a kunai was at his throat. Rinako gave him a look that promised pain and blood if he didn't shut up.

Suddenly, there was some sound in the brushes and three men just appeared, so quick did they move. They were standing right where Rinako and Shihei had been not a moment before.

Eyes wide, Shihei gulped.

One of the men pulled out a sword. A big sword.

Shihei slumped against Rinako in terror, trembling so hard three leaves fell from the tree. Wafting down to the ground below.

The first man looked up, an ugly scar bisecting his rough features as he tried to peer through the foliage.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki knocked on the Kazekage's open door. "Kazekage? There's a problem, a chuunin-led team on their first mission is overdue to check in from the border area between Wind and the Grass village. They had orders to avoid any ninja from the Hidden Rain village."

The red-head looked up with relief. "Good."

Good?! Baki mouthed from the doorway as Gaara motioned him inside. Once he'd entered the office he realized that the Kazekage had simply meant it was good that he needed to address some business …and get rid of his current guests.

Yoshida Hideo had been a good friend and advisor to the former Kazekage, Gaara's father. Back when Gaara had first risen to the rank of Kazekage, he'd kept the old man on the council to make peace with any members who still weren't sure of him. For years now Yoshida had been mouthing all the right stuff, but Baki knew that deep down …Gaara still didn't trust the man.

Three beautiful young ladies rose with the elder, making polite noises as they apologized for taking so much of the Kazekage's time. Baki noticed that Gaara didn't play the polite game and made no comments about how they were 'no bother'. The wind shinobi kept his face smooth with no hint of a smile as he bid the group a good day, which is more than Gaara did.

The moment the door closed behind them, Gaara groaned, leaning back against his desk. "I can't simply kill them, can I?" His whisper was honest, open and heartfelt.

"No." Baki grunted. "Sorry."

"It would have been easier if I were still a demon vessel. Built-in excuse." Gaara sighed, running one hand down his pants, as if to wipe away something.

Snorting lightly, the former sensei shook his head. "Is Yoshida still trying to marry you off?"

Gaara nodded and shuddered. "They were all named after flowers." He paused a moment. "I think I might actually be nauseous."

"Focus on blood and battle, it'll calm your stomach." Baki told him, handing Gaara the messages. "It would me." He said truthfully.

Gaara tried, but the image of three giggly non-entities kept interfering. Finally he called to his mind an image of Hyuuga Hanabi. Putting his memory of her next to those three his council had introduced him to; he smiled at the vision of Hanabi's reaction to them.

In his mind one girl turned blue and green with spots as a hidden tag exploded, another fell into a pit filled with snakes, and the other ran screaming from a kunai Hanabi was flipping back and forth from hand to hand. With the three girls banished from his mind, thanks to a certain Leaf genin …Gaara nodded. "Never mind, I feel better now."

Baki nodded and the two men got down to business.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko stopped at the door of the study. "I've given that list of possible secretaries to Toson-san to give back to you, as his first act as MY secretary. Perhaps you can find someone suitable for your needs there. Haisha, Hiashi." Blowing him another kiss, she made her grand exit.

Eyes wide, the aforementioned secretary watched her go before turning back to his former superior. "Did she just call you a loser?"

Sighing, the Hyuuga leader motioned for the other man to go ahead and close the door. "She's playing on my name. Haisha? Loser? Hiashi? See how her mind works? Are you perfectly sure you want to work for her?"

Making sure the door was shut, Iseya Toson smiled. "She'll be a handful."

"That she will." Hiashi nodded. "Good work, by the way. How much did she offer you?"

Naming a sum, the secretary pulled out the list of prospective new hires and tore it up.

Hiashi grunted. "You could have held out for more."

Toson nodded. "The bonus you gave me, and the raise she's giving me, it's a good amount. Besides, she threatened me." The man shivered slightly.

"I warned you." Hiashi reshuffled his paperwork.

"That you did, Hiashi-san." Toson nodded, using the less formal honorific now that they were alone. "But …you never said …how did you know she'd try to hire me instead of choosing someone you suggested?"

The clan leader smiled smugly. "I must be learning her ways, letting her think she's had the last word on the subject. Now, you did say your cousin can step into your shoes as my secretary starting Monday, yes?"

"Hai."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi was still fuming as the three genin ate a late lunch at a local barbeque place. She didn't even bother to fight with Rocks over his bad manners as he reached across her for some extra sauce.

Michi just grinned and ate quietly.

Finally, Rokuro couldn't take it any more and sighed. "Look. I get that we're not into trading secrets with each other and all, but would someone mind explaining what in the world has gotten into the two of you?"

Hanabi didn't answer, instead sinking her teeth viciously into the meat on her skewer. Rocks eyed her for a moment and turned to Michi as an easier target to get answers from. He kicked the other boy in the shin.

Michi have him an arch look, but his smile never really faded.

"What's with you?" Rocks groused, ill at not knowing what was going on.

Sea-foam green eyes blinked lazily. "I'm just happy to be going to Suna. That's all."

That wasn't an answer. Rocks looked back at Hanabi who actually growled at him. "Okay, what's your story?"

"I don't want to go to Suna." She hissed.

Rocks threw down his napkin in disgust. "Well, that's clear as mud."

Michi smiled wider and winked.

Rokuro sat up a bit straighter. "Oh really? Tell me who!"

Hanabi interrupted, giving a bitter smile. "Suna is a big place, we won't necessarily run into him. We're only genin after all. We can avoid him."

"Him?" Rocks turning to her once more.

Michi nudged him again. "The Kazekage."

"The Kazekage?" Rocks scratched his head absently. "Okay, wait …which question were you answering. The one to you, or the one to her?"

"Both." Michi grinned widely.

Hanabi hadn't been paying attention to them and was now confused. "Both what?"

"Michi wants to meet someone and you don't." Rocks shrugged. "But I still don't know which is which."

Sighing, the kunoichi pushed away the remainder of her meal, having lost her appetite. "I don't want to see Gaara."

"Oh." Rocks said, unsure as to why.

"And I do." Michi leaned forward, eyes sparkling.

"Huh?" Rocks answered, then caught his breath as it sunk in. "OH!"

Hanabi threw a sour look at Michi. "Is that why you finagled an invite to eat with my family for you and Rocks? Because the Kazekage was staying at our residence?"

Michi nodded. "He's brilliant. Strong. Hot. What's not to like?"

"You can have him." Hanabi sneered.

Sighing, Michi shook his head. "Unfortunately, I'm not his type. You on the other hand …are exactly his type. Don't think I didn't notice the looks you two were sneaking at each other."

Rokuro groaned. "Oh please."

Michi grinned widely. "And it's going to be so much fun watching you two dance around each other. I'm really looking forward to visiting Suna. And to answer your question. No, Suna is not big enough for you to avoid the Kazekage. Not if he wants to see you!"

"You're not wired right, you know that don't you. Both of you?" Rocks looked disgruntled as he leaned back in his seat. "And we still haven't figured out a way to get back at Tokaji. Remember? Ani's ex-boyfriend. The jerk. Focus! We don't leave for Suna until tomorrow. Today we have other fish to fry."

Michi's smile finally faded as he gave Rokuro an apologetic look.

Hanabi nodded. "We have to work fast, we do leave tomorrow."

Rocks looked at her, hoping for suggestions. "Itching powder? Do you have any?"

"Already done. Ise." Hanabi frowned. "Besides, it's not enough. We don't know how long we'll be gone since this stupid mission is open-ended. We need something spectacular and decisive."

Michi sunk a bit lower in his seat. "And something that doesn't lead back to us."

"Bugs, Ani said he hated bugs …" Rocks scowled as Hanabi shook her head. "Oh sure, guess you did that one to Ise too."

"Biting ants." She assured him as Rokuro sighed. "This time it has to be something even better."

"Oh! Good!" Rokuro nodded, leaning in. "What do you have in mind?"

Hanabi shrugged, her mind racing when out of nowhere Michi straightened up and leaned forward. "Bugs?" An unholy grin spread across their team leader's face. "I have an idea." He then laid it out for them.

Silence fell over the small group. Hanabi looked shocked and Rocks whistled, impressed.

Finally Hanabi poked Michi in the arm. "You've been holding out on us." She accused him.

Rocks nodded, his eyes wide. "That's pure meanness. I love it."

The kunoichi pulled back and crossed her arms. "You've been against me pulling pranks. Now you're going to help us? Why?" She glared at him, wary of a trap.

Rocks sobered and gave Michi a chill look. "What's up? Is this for real?"

Michi sighed. "You two working together toward a common goal? One that doesn't include beating ME up? Prank or not, it's a start in teamwork development. And we're going to need that for the chuunin exams."

Rocks looked at Hanabi and she looked back. "He sounds sincere. And it's a killer idea." She finally said, slowly.

Michi held out his hands, palms up. "I'll stand by my suggestion. It's fitting for the guy, what's his name? But actually …I have no idea how to get the resources for this one. I just overhead some medics talking and …well …can we get our hands on something like that? I wouldn't know where to start."

Hanabi sighed. "Me neither, actually."

"I do." Rokuro grinned. "I've got it!"

Michi and Hanabi both leaned away from him and Rocks scowled at them both. "Well, not me personally! I don't have them!" He protested. "I know someone …."

"Ew!"

Rokuro sneered at them both. "So. I have the goods. We just have to procure them."

Michi nodded. "Rocks and I will do the disgusting gathering. Hanabi, you're in charge of scouting the victim and designing a delivery system."

"On it!" Hanabi grinned.

Rocks chuckled suddenly, nudging his kunoichi teammate. "I take everything back I said about pranks being childish. This feels ….good."

Michi sighed. "Don't you start too. I'm only helping with this one. ONE."

Rocks and Hanabi grinned at each other winking while Michi pretended he didn't notice their mocking him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"How come you left them alive?" Shihei asked, after having run full out for what he knew had to be miles. Not that he'd done any running, he'd been carried by Rinako, still ...he was tired. "You killed the others we've come across."

Rinako shrugged. Kirohu whined and lapped up the water she'd poured into a bowl for him, not wanting to go near the water sources around here, not without some serious scouting first.

Shihei sighed, plucking leaves and shredding them in his hands. "Look, I get that I'm not a ninja and that you're the expert."

Kirohu looked up at the unexpected words, then peeked over at Rinako to gauge her reaction. The kunoichi gave the boy a tight smile. "Oh, you finally get that do you?"

The young noble nodded. "Look, I'm not an idiot. And I don't like you treating me like a child. I turned thirteen two months ago!"

Rinako whistled mockingly.

"Oh, I suppose you'd already killed a man by my age?" He looked cross.

"Several actually." She grinned at him with more than a hint of malice in her face.

"Stop it!" Shihei pointed his finger at her. "You're making fun of me!"

"Only a little." She admitted, then chuckled. "Let's see. I'd graduated to genin at twelve, and had already accomplished several missions before turning your age." Rinako gave him a hard stare. "Missions that included people dying, some even at my hands."

Reading her openness, Shihei stilled, swallowing hard. "Really?" His voice sounded weak, and a bit frightened.

"Really." Rinako stood, stretching. "And I didn't kill those three men because they weren't ninja. They're caravan guards. Poor ones at that." She said, though she was only halfway convinced herself.

Two of the men had been completely untrained. Brigands for hire. Brawlers. They moved fast, but not quietly. No finesse. But there was that one …the one with the scar. Rinako frowned. He moved as clumsily as the others, but there had been something about him. Something not quite …right.

What had she heard the other men call him? Ozawa. That was it.

"Well why did you leave them alive?" The boy persisted.

Rinako shrugged, not wanting to explain a gut feeling. But she knew, somehow in some strange way she'd knew that Ozawa wasn't as he appeared. And she couldn't risk attacking with Shihei under foot. Her first priority was to protect him …and his information.

"Would you rather I killed them?" She asked him outright.

Shihei hurriedly shook his head, then paused and slowly shrugged and nodded. "No, but what if they noticed us?"

"They didn't." Rinako prayed she was right. "And there's a whole caravan of people behind them. People who would notice three guards being killed or going missing. The last thing I need is for people to talk, and for talk to get back to Kumogakure."

"Oh!" Shihei nodded to show he understood while sitting there shredding some more leaves.

Kirohu looked up and sniffed, then padded over to the young noble and 'woofed' an alert. Rinako looked over at him and then followed the nin-dog's line of sight to the leaves. "Shit!"

"What?"

Rinako grabbed the boy's wrists and applied pressure, his hands opened and dropped the fragments of the leaves. "Poisonous."

Shihei groaned, frightened. "Am I going to die?" He whispered.

"Yes." Rinako told him deadpan, and waited a beat or two. "One day. We all will, but not from this. You will wish you were dead maybe, when the itching starts. Now, did you touch your face after picking these leaves?"

Frightened blue eyes met her dark gaze and his bottom lip trembled.

"Shit." Rinako muttered in disgust.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi and Rokuro held the bag with tongs, standing as far away from it as they could get and still carry it.

"Did anyone see you with that?" Hanabi asked, staying clear herself as they gathered behind a certain young man's apartment building. She'd already scouted out which one was his. They were secluded back behind the building, which suited their purposes perfectly.

"Get real." Rokuro sneered. "No, no one saw us."

Michi nodded. "You ready?"

Hanabi gritted her teeth and pointed at a place on the ground. "Byakugan!" She activated her family bloodline limit. First she stared at what the boys had brought her, carefully judging dimension and … "Damn! So small!"

Michi gave her a measured look. "Can you do it?"

The Hyuuga kunoichi shrugged. "I wish I had puppet chakra strings for this. That way we could carry those inside without touching them."

Rocks nodded, it wasn't like he want to risk touching the bag himself either.

Hanabi thought about it a long moment, then shook her head. "They're too small."

"You did the ants!" Rocks reminded her.

"Much bigger!" She hissed. "Besides, I moved their whole mound, not individual ants."

Michi pursed his lips. "If you use a replacement jutsu and send the whole bag in, Tokaji will notice. Not good."

Hanabi grinned suddenly. "If you can't move the small things, move the big ones!"

Rocks relaxed as he watched her. "You've got it figured out?"

The kunoichi nodded and pulled out a stick from under a nearby tree. She broke part of it off so it was about as big as a hair brush. Setting it down, she used her Byakugan to scout the interior of Tokaji's bedroom.

Using her family jutsu, Hanabi did what she was best at doing. Gaara and Ibiki had both fallen for it. Several times.

She grinned. There was a given distance where a substitution jutsu just wasn't used, because it was unreliable and you couldn't perform it blind. What people tend to forget is that simple things are often the best things.

Using a simple replacement jutsu, combined with her family bloodline limit, Hanabi could replace things at almost double the distance of anyone else. Because she wasn't blind, and she could see through walls and such. Her father and the other Byakugan users could too, but only if they thought of it. The lowly and genin level replacement jutsu? Not something Neji or her father would think to use like she did. Too strong, too proude those Hyuuga males. Their loss! She grinned as she set to work.

A moment later the stick was in Tokaji's room and his hair brush was in front of her. Picking it up she nodded for the guys to open the bag with the tongs. Making sure to avoid contact, Hanabi dropped the brush inside.

Everyone took three big steps back.

Silence reigned.

Finally, Michi coughed. "How long do you think it will take?"

Hanabi shook her head. "It was your idea, don't you know?"

Sourly Michi pursed his lips. "I'm not a medic."

Rocks picked up his tongs and grabbed the bag, shaking it. Michi and Hanabi both quick-flashed to the tree limbs above. "Oi! Warn a person next time!" Michi called down sourly.

"Send it back." Rokuro dropped the bag, backing away. "If it doesn't work, it wasn't for lack of trying. Do you know what we had to go through to steal this away without touching it? They were burning this stuff!"

Hanabi nodded and replaced the stick once more with the brush, making sure it was resting on Tokaji's dresser. "We may be gone before there are any results."

Rocks nodded. "All the better to keep anyone from suspecting us."

"What now?" Hanabi asked, feeling like a million bugs were crawling all over her. From the looks of them, the boys were feeling the same way she did. "Baths?"

"You bet!" Rocks and Michi agreed wholeheartedly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako stared at her hands, at the red and swollen palms that already itched. "It's not fair."

Shihei brushed his hair as they sat around the small camp. "It's my strong noble blood." He pronounced. "I knew I wouldn't react. Your blood is common, more susceptible it seems."

The kunoichi glared at the boy with murder in her thoughts. Shihei blinked at her, all innocent. His face baby smooth and perfect with nary a scratch, mark, or any sign of the poison.

Rinako growled at the kid, her hand reaching for her weapons pouch. Kirohu barked and sat up, staring at her. Slowly, the kunoichi backed off, her temper cooling slightly as her nin-dog called on her to calm down.

Kirohu whimpered and sat down next to Shihei. Rinako looked back down at her hands, which actually hurt from the effort it took not to scratch.

"It's just not fucking fair."

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, as there has been no real leading up to it. But this fiction is rated "M" and there will be a lemon in the next chapter. No, it's not Hanabi.


	15. The Path of Water

When hunting for something or someone, no one was better than an Inuzuka. These days, Kiba's chakra-enhanced senses were even better than Akamaru's natural ones. Still, he had to utilize his chakra control to utilize those senses to their fullest.

Like he was doing now.

Intense looking when hunting, Kiba always looked like he was scowling when he concentrated fully. And as such he didn't have to maneuver through the crowded village. The people parted for him and flowed around him like water.

The scents of a crowded village street mixed with the smells of food, wine, and perfume did not deter the Inuzuka for one minute. Unerringly he turned to the left and glanced up at the sign over the door.

**_Nobara's Fine Dining_ **

Kiba barely paused at the line of people waiting to be seated.

The maitre'd sneered at the plainly dressed young man invading his establishment. The nose shot up in the air. "Sir? Do you have a reservation?" His tone suggested clearly that he didn't believe the answer to be in the 'yes' catagory.

Kiba grinned at the man, fangs showing plainly as the thin little maitre'd suddenly gulped. "I don't need a reservation." He pointed to a table on the far side of the room. "I'm here for her."

Misinterpreting the words to mean that the waiting woman was his date, the maitre'd gave an unctuous smile worthy of any toady anywhere. "Of course sir, follow me."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're missing dinner."

Kankuro didn't look up as he snapped two minute springs into place, setting the counterbalances in a precision formation. "Don't come up here." He muttered absently.

A soft gurgle was the only response he got. Startled, he finally glanced down from the rafter where he was perched. His eyes lit up as he saw Hinata holding one of his twin sons. Then he frowned. "You shouldn't bring him in here! Not yet."

Frowning up at her husband, Hinata gave him a long look, then sighed. "I'm not moving into this house."

The puppeteer nodded as he dropped down to the ground with far more grace than his stocky build would indicate at first glance. Shirtless, his chest gleamed with perspiration from working hard all day. Hinata's eyes traced the lines of corded muscle, feeling her pique fade as Kankuro bent over his son and gently pushed the blanket back from his small face.

"Which one are you holding?" He asked, since the baby was covered except for his little face. The gray-mottled eyes blinked up at him and Kankuro grinned widely.

"Ryusei." Hinata frowned. "He doesn't sleep as long as his brother."

Kankuro nodded, his eyes never leaving the baby's tiny face as he pressed his hand to the small of Hinata's back, rubbing gently. "This one doesn't want to miss a thing, he wants to see it all now."

The younger of the twins yawned and made a small mewling sound.

"See?" Kankuro sighed happily. "As for the house, it'll be done soon."

Hinata tensed slightly as if preparing for something distasteful. "I'm not living here. Neither are the boys."

The puppeteer's hand stopped rubbing her back, his fingers flexing slightly. "It'll be safe for them, Hoshi. I promise." He said, using his pet name for her.

"Kiseki …" She murmured, leaning into him in a way that showed she wasn't angry or upset. "Kiseki. I don't know …" Hinata bit her bottom lip as she cradled her son close to her breast.

Kankuro pressed a kiss to her temple. "The house will be safe for you and the boys. I would never put you or them in danger."

Hinata blinked the moisture from her eyes as she looked around the room. "Show me." She whispered.

The master puppet user nodded and kept one hand around her and with the other, waved his hand into the air. Chakra strings flared to life and Hinata watched, amazed at how the room came alive with defenses she'd never dreamed of in her life.

More moisture built into her pale-lilac gaze as she looked up at him. "You really are a miracle. Kiseki." Her eyes followed the lines of his puppetry strings. "How you can control so much with but one hand …"

"I designed them and built them especially for my use." Kankuro boasted, a lump in his throat from the look of pride on his wife's face. "But I've also built in a lot of automatic features that can be armed by you, for when I'm not here."

Hinata nodded, looking around with awe at the one room, wondering what else the house had in store. "You made a house-puppet. Like your Salamander defensive puppet. Just bigger."

Startled, Kankuro looked down at her as he laughed. Scratching his head in bemusement, he shrugged. "I guess I did." Not having looked at it like that before.

Hinata gave him a measuring look. "What about when the twins start crawling, walking, exploring?"

Kankuro shook his head as he pulled the two of them in tighter against him. Hinata leaned against him, ignoring the sweat of a hard day's work, instead reveling in his heat and protection. "I'll show you all the defenses when I'm done. But I would never put the babies in jeopardy, Hoshi."

Hinata nodded, feeling more at peace with the idea of moving into one of Kankuro's puppets than she should be.

Kankuro watched as suddenly his wife turned to look toward the house. "Nowaki's awake." She murmured.

The puppeteer gave her a measuring look. "How can you tell?"

Hinata turned, heading for the main house. "I just know."

Kankuro grabbed his discarded shirt and headed after her, giving one last long look behind him at the house he was making over for his family's safety. He grinned. Hinata was right.

It really was just one huge puppet for him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

On a hill, a good distance from their prey's apartment, Hyuuga Hanabi sat with her teammates. They watched her. She watched the action going on below them with the use of her family's bloodline limit.

No one spoke.

Finally, Hanabi made a sour face and deactivated her Byakugan. "He just brushed his hair. I think I feel sick."

Rocks brightened and grinned, pumping his fist in victory. "Mission complete?"

Hanabi nodded as Michi sighed. "That's really disgusting." He commented.

His excitement undimmed, Rokuro jumped to his feet holding out his hand for Hanabi. Not needing the help, but appreciating the gesture, the young genin accepted the hand of friendship and climbed to her feet.

Hanabi brushed off the seat of her pants as she shot Michi a look. "It was your idea."

"And I'm disgusted with myself." The dark-haired young man grinned ruefully.

Rocks hooted and did a small victory dance as his teammates watched, smiling. Hanabi shot their team leader another look. "It was fun, wasn't it?"

Michi nodded. "It was fun. And that's why I'm disgusted with myself. I shouldn't take this much pleasure in pulling this off."

Rokuro laughed as the three headed back toward the main part of the village to get ready for their mission the next day. "It's been a great day!"

Hanabi laughed with him, then let her smile fade as she realized that it had been a great day. But tomorrow she was heading to Suna. And no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise, she knew she'd be running into a certain red-headed Kazekage.

Michi noticed the slip in her mood and he nudged her with one hip as they walked.

Hanabi bumped him back as she pushed thoughts of tomorrow out of her mind. No sense in brooding. And if that red-headed jerk thought she'd fall into his palm like a ripe plum, he could think again.

Besides it was a three day journey to Suna. So tomorrow could still be a good day. A red-head free day.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako stared down at the caravan below her. This was the third she'd seen since joining the main roadway. It too was heading toward the difficult passages, up into the hills rather than continue on the much used main roads.

And she was looking at the reason why.

She stared with hard eyes as the bandit backhanded a merchant's wife who had the audacity to move a bit too slow in handing over her wedding ring. Bastard.

Rinako's palms itched to take the bandit apart and teach him what if felt like to be hit like that. He was nothing but a bruiser, a thug. No training, no finesse …but damned lucky.

Lucky because Rinako could not abandon her mission in protecting and escorting Shihei. She could take no chances in their being seen, and their presence reported back to Kumogakure. And the Raikage, of course.

The Cloud kunoichi stiffened in outrage as one of the caravan guards was knocked down. The group of bandits had been deliberately taunting him, pushing him in particularly. The boy had broken and snapped back. Now he would pay the price.

Rinako felt sorry for the young man as he was dragged off behind one of the bigger wagons. This wasn't going to end well.

His belly low to the ground, Kirohu shot her a questioning glance and Rinako gave a tight lipped frown as she shook her head. No, they could not interfere. Shihei watched, keeping his mouth closed for once.

The robbery continued below them and in her rage, it took Rinako a moment or two before she could believe her own eyes.

That bandit, the one with the stained shirt, was passing up on taking some of the travel goods. Merchandise that could be sold for profit. It was a trading caravan after all, but why were they were taking gold and small items yet leaving behind silks and spices?

What the hell kind of robbers were these?

Rinako tensed as some men came back into the main encampment, dragging the young guard with them. They dumped his body unceremoniously on the ground and started to pull away.

The kunoichi's eyes narrowed as the young man moaned, and slowly climbed to his feet. She only hoped he had the good sense to let the bandits leave and not to taunt them or …whoa!

Rinako's eyes went huge. What in the world was going on?

Biting her lip uncertainly, she used her own chakra to double check. Oh shit. She watched as the caravan traders started to dust themselves off and congratulate each other on having survived the attack.

If any of them wondered why they'd been let go, and their most valuable sales goods left intact, no one seemed concerned. Only relieved.

Rinako drew back, thinking furiously. Why? What was going on? And who was the man now standing in the camp being tended by some young ladies?

Because he wasn't the same man that had been dragged off. He'd been replaced. The henge was good, good enough to fool the merchants certainly. But then none of the caravan traders were trained in the ninja arts.

Rinako felt troubled as she watched the traders pack and clean up, readying themselves to continue their journey.

With an imposter in their midst.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino paused as he came out of the bathroom. His eyes ate up the sight of Temari as she bent over to pull out some clothing from the dresser. The thin material of her gown was near sheer.

Then his mind took over the reins from his hormones and the bug-ninja didn't cross to his wife. Didn't reach for her. Didn't do anything.

A gown? Lingerie? Not his Temari. She'd used to sleep in old worn-out shirts of her brother Kankuro's, but had been slowly replacing them with Shino's old shirts since their marriage. Lingerie wasn't her style.

"Well?"

While his mind had been racing, she'd turned to look at him. The ice-blue of the gown was perfect on her. The sheer material hid little and teased much. Shino could feel his body reacting. And Temari could see that reaction. Her eyes sparked with pleasure.

"When did you get that?" Shino's tongue felt too big for his mouth, his words mumbled as heat poured through his veins. Ruthlessly he held himself still, even though every instinct he had wanted to grab his wife and ….

Temari shrugged, the movement letting one skinny little scrap of a strap fall down her shoulder. Shino swallowed hard, his muscles aching to move.

Shino grunted. "You don't think this is a good time, do you?"

Stiffening, Temari looked uncertain.

The bug-ninja waved a hand at the travel packs she'd been making up for them. "We leave for Suna tomorrow. Getting pregnant tonight isn't necessarily the best timing."

Uncertainty turned to hurt, which flashed almost immediately to anger. One moment she was across the room, the next she was in his face. "What is THAT supposed to mean?"

Shino felt the pricking of his own temper as he looked at her. "Dinner just finished, you never go to bed this early. You're wearing lingerie, obviously looking to seduce your poor husband. Why Temari? Is this the perfect moment in the month to get pregnant?"

The slap knocked his glasses across the room to smash against the far wall.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho looked confused and startled as Kiba slipped into the seat across from her. He grinned cheekily at her.

Drawing back, her big blue eyes blinking rapidly she shook her head at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Apologizing." The dog-ninja surprised her with his one word answer.

Opening and closing her mouth in stunned disbelief, Shiho actually turned to look behind her. "Is this a joke?"

Kiba scowled at her. "I'm apologizing."

Shiho turned back to study him a long moment with her big blue eyes. "Okay."

Now it was Kiba's turn to be surprised. "Aren't you going to make me spell out why I'm apologizing? Rub my nose in it? Drag this out? Gloat?"

"No." Shiho reached for her glass of wine, taking a small sip.

Kiba cocked his head to one side as he watched her. She wasn't exactly pretty. More plain than anything else. The heart-shaped face was nice, her skin was clear and not deeply tanned like his was. But then she was indoors most of the time. In the candle light of the restaurant, her hair picked up more golden-red highlights rather than the honey color it really was. The color was nice actually, but …he grinned, she couldn't tame it. Small pieces of her hair refused to lay flat and smooth, giving her a slightly unkempt look.

The eyes though. The eyes, he decided, were spectacular. If not for Ino dragging her out to get contacts though, no one would ever have known. And that would have been a shame, Kiba decided. Still, she wasn't his type.

She was too brainy, too sharp-tongued, with too few curves, and a personality that set him on edge. Still, he'd needed to apologize for his words earlier. He'd been in an ill mood and he'd gone too far.

"Okay then." Kiba grinned standing back up as he pushed his chair back into the table. "You accept my apology?"

"Yes. Okay then." Shiho nodded at him, still a bit off balance by his unexpected appearance. And apology.

Kiba stuck his hands in his jacket, rocking back and forth on his heels. "You took me by surprise with the mud." He admitted with a wry grin.

Charmed in spite of herself by the dog-nin's ability and willingness to laugh at his own expense, Shiho nodded. "It's not much of a jutsu. I'm better with codes."

"I like mud." Kiba grinned.

"Okay then." She murmured, wondering if the Inuzuka was actually flirting with her. A small blush stained her cheeks and she turned away to reach for her wine glass again to hide the fact.

"Don't drink too much before you eat." Kiba said, watching her. "Who are you meeting? Your mother? Family?"

All her good feelings faded as she put her glass down. Shiho gave him a cold stare. "And if I said you were interrupting a date?"

"You'd be lying." Kiba motioned at her practical outfit.

Not realizing that he was looking at how she was dressed, Shiho blushed again but this time with anger. "You don't think I could get a date?"

Kiba sighed, shaking his head as he held up his hands. "That is not what I meant." He protested. "Oh, just …I apologize for this too. Can we just drop this? The more we talk the more you bring out the worst in me."

Shiho stood, incensed and dashed the remainder of her wine in his face. Eyes at the nearby tables all turned toward the duo. Kiba grimaced as he wiped the wine from his eyes.

"I don't bring out the worst in you." She said plainly, hurt in her liquid blue eyes. "You simply don't have a better side."

Kiba could feel the glares all around him. Embarrassed and left with nothing to say to fix the situation, his perverse sense of humor took over. He dropped to one knee and captured Shiho's hand. "Baby, I'm sorry."

Smiles and nods came their way by the restaurant customers as Shiho's face went up in flames. She tried desperately to tug her hand back, but the damned male wouldn't let go! She couldn't even form hand seals like this. She opened her mouth to blast him verbally, but the stupid shinobi was too fast for her.

Reading her intent, he quickly stood and covered her mouth with his own.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako felt the chakra signatures, dampened and suppressed as they were. Swallowing a curse she sped up, scooping a startled Shihei into her arms as she quick-flash moved through the trees.

There was no sound behind her. Which only meant she was being followed by professionals. "Shit."

o.O.o.O.o.O

They'd both retired early. Both citing the need to get up early tomorrow to leave on their mission. Neither slept.

No words had been spoken by either except about their journey tomorrow. Stiff as a board, Shino lay in his bed next to the woman of his dreams. The woman he'd fought so hard to marry. The woman he loved more than anything in this world.

And the woman he did not know how to fix things with. His kikai bug's usually soothing hum was agitated, following his own mood.

Shino sighed.

Beside him in the bed, Temari ignored him completely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

In the moonlight they stared at each other. Shiho had her arms crossed as she just stared at him. Kiba had his hands in his pockets, his shoulders rounded.

"That was humiliating." She commented as she sat on the park bench underneath the carvings of the former Hokage in the cliff side.

Kiba nodded sheepishly. "I guess I owe you another apology."

Shiho gawked at him. "An apology? You grabbed me. Kissed me. And then you had the gall to throw me over your shoulder and carry me out of the restaurant."

"You didn't exactly fight back." He said softly, kicking the ground with his feet.

Outraged, the cryptologist raised her fist and growled at him. Kiba grinned. It was the cutest damned thing he'd ever seen. The little bookworm had spirit all right.

Finally she dropped her fist and turned away from him. "I didn't want to make a scene."

"The restaurant was crowded." Kiba admitted ruefully.

"My mother and aunt saw you carry me out over your shoulder." Shiho sounded mortified. "I didn't want to start a fight in there. With everyone watching." She didn't add that her mother had looked happy and her aunt had flashed her a thumb's up sign.

"You threw your wine at me."

"You said I couldn't get a date."

Kiba stared at her. "Is that why you doused me? That's not what I meant. I just meant you weren't dressed like you were on a date."

"Oh." Shiho slumped in her seat. She was embarrassed to have misread him. She was supposed to be an expert at nuance and small clues. Still, it stung since she was wearing her good clothes. This outfit would have been exactly what she would have worn on a date. Maybe she needed to rethink her stance on the outfits that Ino had made her buy.

"We need to stay away from each other." Kiba said softly. "I say and do things I don't mean and I'll only end up owing you more apologies."

Shiho felt the sudden lump in her throat. "Okay."

"And don't worry about me stealing your first kiss." Kiba continued as he stood, trying to act more casual than he felt. "That wasn't a real kiss."

Shiho gave him an odd look. "Don't worry, that wasn't my first kiss."

The dog-nin turned to tease her, but caught her expression and his words faded. She was being sincere. He hadn't been her first kiss. Why did that surprise him so much? Turning away from her, he ignored his own uneasy feelings on the matter. "Good."

"Good." She parroted.

Kiba paused.

Shiho looked at him. "So this is it."

The Inuzuka nodded. "We've never really ran into each other before, so it shouldn't be difficult to avoid contact."

"Right." Shiho nodded, standing up as well. Her lips still tingled from that kiss he wanted to forget about. She held her head up high and said the only thing that would save her pride. "Good night. Goodbye."

"Good night." He repeated her words. "Goodbye."

Then she did the unthinkable. She turned and walked away. Kiba watched her go, his feelings in turmoil. Why did he feel …alone …all of a sudden?

The little bookworm was out of his sight when he finally turned to head back to his own home. Automatically he looked for Akamaru, then nodded as he realized he'd left his nin-dog at the family compound. He'd wanted to apologize without an audience. Kiba snorted. That plan had certainly fallen apart in a hurry.

No wonder he felt alone, he wasn't used to being out and about without his nin-dog. Kiba put his hands in his pockets and sauntered back home, whistling. Yep, it was because Akamaru wasn't with him. Shiho certainly wouldn't make him feel so …unbalanced. Nope.

Still, he did wonder who had kissed her first.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino was normally a light sleeper, so when he came suddenly to full alert, he wasn't surprised. What did surprise him was his current position.

Temari watched her husband from the light of the candle she'd lit on the dresser. "You look good like that."

Shino frowned, pulling on his arms, but the ties were ninja ropes. Wire reinforced. His kikai buzzed in question. "My bugs are used to your presence. They didn't sense a threat."

"You need to train them better." Temari said deadpan, flashing the kunai in her hand.

Shino didn't give the obvious answer, that he didn't exactly train the kikai. It was more like they learned each other and worked together. Instead, he eyed the kunai in his wife's elegant hand.

Temari grinned at him and crawled onto the bed, straddling his hips. She had to hike up her pretty ice-blue gown to do so and he got a good look at her long, lithe legs. He couldn't help but admire them, even with the kunai held in front of his eyes.

"Pay attention." Temari snapped. Then quick as a striking snake, she slid the razor sharp weapon down his body, slicing open his t-shirt. "Too many clothes." She murmured, slicing the material away without scratching him at all. She had skills, he had to admit. "You don't usually wear anything to bed while we're at home. Did you think your mission sleep attire would be armor against me?"

"No." He said simply. "It was to keep me from feeling you against me."

The truth rang between them, making Temari's eyes narrow dangerously. She slid down his body and cut through his sleep pants. Shino's eyes rolled up to the bed where he was leashed at the wrists to the head board.

"One move of the kikai to release you, and you lose blood." Temari told him in a scary sing-song voice. The kunai flashing to the bottoms of his feet, pricking his toe so one drop of blood slid down the blade.

He watched his wife carefully. She was an enigma. Every time he thought he knew her, she would do something to surprise him. He winced as the kunai was dragged slowly up his calf to his thigh, and further up. Looking up to her eyes, he caught his breath. By all that was holy, she was scary …but he adored her. He couldn't help it.

"I love you."

The words made the kunai pause, her eyes flew up to meet his gaze. She bared her teeth at him. "It's the wrong time of month. I probably couldn't get pregnant tonight even if we went at it like rabbits."

Shino stilled as the kunai pressed against his lower abdomen, not hard enough to draw blood but definitely hard enough for him to know it was there. "The lingerie?"

"For you." She crooned, lifting the blade from his skin to dip down and press a hot kiss to his belly. "You've been so distant. Not as a lure to get you to impregnate me."

"I can't stand to see you hurting." Shino grunted as her fingers dug into his thigh. With her other hand the sharp blade slid down close to very sensitive parts of his anatomy. "Careful." He admonished.

Temari quirked an evil grin at him. "You don't want to get me pregnant." She threatened, pushing the blade a bit closer. "So why keep it?"

Shino winced. "It has other uses." His voice was gruff and a bit …worried?

The blonde kunoichi looked down and frowned sharply, pulling back the blade. "I didn't know it could do that."

Sighing with some relief, Shino looked down his body. "It pulls back in really cold water too."

Temari shook her head in wonder. "Really? Let's see what we can do about this." With that ominous sounding sentence, she reversed her grip on the blade and tossed it into the headboard, inches from Shino's hair. He was looking up at the quivering kunai when he felt the first lick of her tongue.

Groaning, Shino arched his back as she took him into her mouth. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head as she traced the line of his balls to where they attached to the root of him with her clever fingers. With her mough, she sucked him down deep as she pressed her tongue upwards, the sensation pulling another moan from his throat. His fisted hands strained against his restraints.

As suddenly as she'd taken him in her mouth, she released him. Shino felt like yelling in denial as cold air hit his upstanding penis. Temari smiled down at him. "Now that's better." She cooed. "There's the man I know."

"Teeemaaarrri …" Shino's voice wavered gruffly.

"I want a baby."

The bug-nin closed his eyes, trying to get a handle on his raging hormones. This moment, what she was saying, was important. He could almost feel the weight of the moment, as if what he said here could affect them, their marriage, in ways he couldn't possibly foresee.

"I want your baby." She said simply.

Shino opened his mouth to talk, but she shook her head at him. "But not at this expense. Not if I lose you."

Suddenly Temari squeaked as her husband, in a move so fast she didn't really realize he'd moved at first, pounced. Suddenly, she was rolled onto her back, Shino staring intently into her face.

"How? The kikai can't eat through wire reinforced rope." She looked up at the headboard, frowning as she saw the bugs swarming over the remains of the wooden posts.

"They can eat through the wood though." Shino smirked down at her, pushing himself up on his elbows. "First. I love you, you can't lose me. I'm sorry if I've been an idiot."

"IF?" She arched her back to try and move him, but it only accomplished pushing a very needy part of his anatomy closer to the juncture between her own thighs. "OH?!"

"Second …"

"Fuck second!" Temari grabbed his head, pulling him down to kiss her. "Talk later!"

She didn't have to ask him twice. Raising his weight off of her, to her angry protest, he yanked the ice-blue gown off her body. He tossed it to the side without thought as his hands flew to her breasts, his mouth trailing down her throat as needy noises were pulled from her body.

Temari's toes curled as Shino's hot, moist mouth found her breasts. Nipping at the peaks with his teeth, he tortured her then eased the small stings with his tongue. Temari burned with need as her nails scratched down his back, drawing furrows in his skin She actually screamed out loud as his fingers found her hot, wet core.

A moment later, his fingers left her and she came apart as he thrust inside in a volcanic rush with a much bigger part of himself. Shino grunted and adjusted his angle, then started to pull back only to push forward so hard her head banged against the headboard. To far gone to protest, Temari mewed and wrapped her legs around his hips as he began thrusting in earnest.

The storm between them was swift and it wasn't long before Temari fell over the edge, arching her back and screaming as Shino kept up his pace and hammered into her over and over again until he too came apart at the seams.

Puffing and out of breath, he collapsed, only managing to fall to the side of her so as not to crush his wife.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Downstairs Shibi sank lower into his chair in the library, a cup of sake in his hand. He really needed to talk to Shino about moving into a new place.

"Grandfather? Aren't you going to check on Temari? She sounds like she got hurted." Katsumaru looked up from where he'd been studying Shibi's kikai bugs.

The Aburame clan leader closed his eyes wearily, finding no words that would suit the subject and that would appease his three year old grandchild. Sachi, the boy's mother, giggled from across the room.

"Maybe she stepped on a tack." Katsumaru sat up. "Maybe she hit her toe!"

"You handle this." He groaned piteously as he looked at his daughter. Sachi then had the gall to laugh at him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari raised a shaking hand to her hair, pushing it out of her face.

Shino studied her, his silvery eyes tracing the curve of her cheek, the tilt of her eyes, the smile on her lips. "I don't want you hurt."

The blonde turned to look at her husband, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "You hurt me more by holding back."

"You didn't get mad at me." Shino said slowly. "When you didn't call me on pulling back, I thought …I …."

"You thought I valued getting pregnant over our relationship?" She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.

Propping his head up on one elbow, Shino used his other hand to reach out and trace the line of her throat. "I didn't know what to think. Then you kept trying to seduce me."

"I love you, I want to be with you."

He blinked at her.

"And the gown? I didn't buy it for you specifically. In fact, I bought it in Suna while I was helping Hinata pick out lingerie to seduce my brother with." Temari gave him an arch look. "That was before you and I got back together."

Shino groaned, he'd misjudged that!

"I still want your child." Temari said, and Shino opened his eyes to look at her. "But I want you in my life more. We'll stop trying."

Seeing the pain in her eyes, Shino shook his head. "No. We'll stop trying. But we won't stop trying."

Temari sat up, staring down at him. Finally she shook her head. "Explain."

"The path of water." Shino looked up at her, lying back, putting his hands under his head. "Block a stream of water and it builds up, or it washes over, or it sinks in, or it simply finds a new route. You can't stop it."

"You can drink it." She pointed out.

"It comes back out again." He gave her a droll look. "What is, is. What will be, will be."

Temari nodded thoughtfully. "Live our lives and be ourselves. Don't plan our sex life around a fertility schedule."

"If we get pregnant, we'll deal with it. But don't stress about it, Temari. Just be yourself, and be my wife, and …be happy. More than anything I love to see you smile."

Temari smiled down at him.

"And don't ever hold a blade to my balls again."

Temari's smile turned into a full out grin.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	16. Little White Bugs

Hanabi scowled down at her dinner, lost in thought. Tomorrow they should arrive in Suna. The thought of which was leaving her feeling restless in her own skin. Jumpy. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling.

"A yen for your thoughts." Temari settled down next to the younger kunoichi, balancing her own food in her lap like an expert. Inanely Hanabi wondered how many meals the other kunoichi had eaten while out on a mission.

Shoving off the unimportant from her mind, the genin focused on the actual words and shook her head. "They're not even worth that much."

"Less than one yen?" Temari whistled through her teeth. "That's pretty low as thoughts go." She said, biting into her food with a healthy appetite of someone traveling all day.

From his seat across from them, Rokuro snorted. "That's so cheap even I can afford it." He groused as he ate his own rations.

Ibiki smiled vaguely as he listened in on the camp, all while attending his surroundings. He'd eat after the others. Even in so-called neutral territory, no ninja of any worth went without keeping a watch. Looking over his shoulder and upwards, he grunted in approval to see Michi alert and focused outwards.

In fact, Michi thought he was the shinobi on watch. The genin had no clue that Ibiki was actually also keeping all his senses open. How else was he to gauge how well his team was getting at noticing things out of the ordinary?

From where he was sitting next to his wife, Shino looked up suddenly, peering off into the darkness. The ANBU torture division leader noticed immediately and he too focused his attention in that direction.

Chagrined to be caught flat-footed himself, Ibiki sharpened his senses and …there it was. He shouldn't feel so badly though, the Aburame probably had his kikai stationed out there for an early warning system, something Ibiki didn't have. And the small party approaching them was still pretty distant.

Shino and Ibiki both looked up at Michi. The young genin was sitting on the tree limb, looking alert. As his sensei, Ibiki checked the time and wondered how long it would take the young water-jutsu user to notice the newcomers approaching them?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Are we all going to the reception tomorrow?" Yugao asked at the dinner table, sitting across from her husband.

Seeing Neji had his mouth full, Hiashi nodded as he answered instead. "No choice. It's being held by Kasuse Soichiro, for the honor of his grandson's birthday."

Pausing as he ate, Katashi looked horrified. "But he's the guy that tried to have me fail the Academy exams! Why are you going?"

Hiashi gave his son a stony-eyed look until the seven year old sat back in his seat and looked down at his dinner. "Manners dictate that it is rude to question your elders. Even more so with your mouth full." He delivered his point calmly with a detached air.

Anko ruined the moment by sticking her tongue out at her husband. "Katashi? It is bad manners to stick your tongue out at people too, or to contradict an old fart when he's talking."

Hiashi stiffened in his seat.

"It's also very bad manners to point with your chopsticks." Anko continued unabated, as she pointed at the wide-eyed boy with her chopsticks. "And it's bad manners to pick your nose at the table."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Roared Hiashi as Anko teased him, raising one finger slowly toward her nose. He scowled deeply, his right hand fisted as she gently scratched her eyebrow instead.

"But it is fun to get someone's goat. Especially when he pulled a fast one on his wife earlier today." Anko purred, narrowing her gleaming eyes toward her husband who went very, very still at her words. "But Katashi, keep in mind …retribution can be fun."

The words were directed at the son, but the father was the target. And everyone in the room knew it.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Two days! Every muscle Rinako had in her entire body ached. She'd been ninja quick, running through the forest without more than a few minutes breathers here or there. She'd even had to lash Shihei to Kirohu's back as the boy had passed out from hunger and exhaustion.

There was still no sound behind her, but she could sense their pursuers closing in on them. Worse than that, she was being herded. Yesterday, she'd found herself turned southward as at least two more had come after her from the side. And that was leading her toward the cliff side according to the maps she'd memorized before leaving Kumogakure.

She was not going to be able to slip by whomever it was giving chase. Rinako knew she'd tried, but there was no way in hell. They knew the land better, they were many to her one. And she was handicapped by Shihei's presence and the need to keep him whole.

Her only mission, her only goal was to get him to Konoha. And she was running out of options.

o.O.o.O.o.O

For the past two days, something weird was going on. Yesterday, Inuzuka Tsume had found it very odd when the green grocer gave her a crooked little smile yesterday. But then, he was a widower and she was single. He wasn't her type, so she blew off the incident.

And Yamanaka's wife had stopped her in the market, wanting to know if the Inuzuka's had any fresh flower needs. As if.

And today? When she'd gone out to pick up some take-out food, she'd gotten another odd little smile from the lady manning the counter. This time she knew it wasn't flirting as the lady was old enough to be Tsume's mother! Not to mention already married to the crafty old chef in the back. Something was definitely up.

There was also the fact that outside of these strange moments, she'd caught several odd looks here and there throughout her whole day. And a few had even looked away grinning when she'd looked up. Some had stared openly, but giving her happy looks. It was enough to turn Tsume's stomach.

But she couldn't exactly attack any of the civilians for information. No, she needed someone on her own level. So it was simply bad luck on the part of a certain copy-ninja when he winked at the Inuzuka clan leader and asked if she was busy making 'plans'.

Several gasps followed the duo as Tsume grabbed Kakashi and slammed him against the wall, growling in his face. "What the fuck are you talking about, Scarecrow?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi stiffened about five minutes after both Ibiki and Shino had noticed the travelers heading their way. "We have company coming." He said quietly.

Ibiki nodded. The boy had done well. He looked over at the rest of their traveling group. Hanabi and Rocks perked up, looking around as the Hyuuga activated her bloodline limit in the direction the water-nin was pointing. He was unsurprised to note that Temari didn't look at all interested; she'd already sensed the approach as well.

"It's Inuzuka Hana and someone else." Hanabi perked up, then frowned in disappointment. "I think it's her veterinary assistant."

Rocks turned away so his teammate wouldn't see his smirk. He knew who she wanted to see, and this was the wrong Inuzuka!

"Oi! Camp!" The words came a few minutes later.

"Come on in." Ibiki called out, then nodded his head in greeting as the heiress to the Inuzuka clan came into view followed closely by her nin-dogs. The man shook his head when he noticed there were only two dogs, instead of her usual three. "Being careful?" He asked.

"Always." Hana whistled as her third nin-dog entered the camp silently from the other side of the group. "The small farmers around here are talking about bandits a lot lately."

Shino frowned. "I've not heard anything." He looked over at Ibiki, who shrugged.

Hana sat down next to Shino, who was her brother's teammate. Her assistant made a questioning gesture toward the food. "Go ahead." Temari said quietly.

The vet assistant pulled out some rations and tossed them to the wind-kunoichi. "Trade. I grabbed my brother's pack on the way out and he likes mustard more than I do."

"I like mustard." Michi grinned and tossed the other shinobi a sandwich as he moved closer.

"You're still on watch." Ibiki reminded his water-nin sternly.

Sea-foam green eyes looked appalled that he'd made such a misstep, and returned to the tree tops at top speed. "Hai."

Ibiki shook his head. Just when he thought his genin team was improving, they had to go and do something stupid. Michi flirting. Hanabi pouting. Teenage hormones, it was the pits for a sensei. He looked over at Rocks who was setting up camp for the night. Since when had Rokuro stepped up to play the mature role? Would wonders never cease?

"Hey, Hanabi? You going to help or sit there like a spoiled rich kid waiting for everyone else to do the work?" Rokuro sneered. "I forgot to pack the silver platter to serve you with."

Ibiki sighed. "So much for wonders." He muttered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako judged right and waited in ambush. The clearing held the false trail she'd left for her followers while she perched below in a spot that nature had washed out for her from some recent rains, leaving perfect cover. She'd pulled the leaves over her, ready to spring when needed.

Three to one, with her exhausted? Bad. But she was good and she knew it. Better to try to take them now before they met up with the other group closing in from the left.

Shihei had blinked his blue eyes at her as she'd quickly outlined her plan, still lashed to her nin-dog's back. At least he was awake again. She whispered her final command to her faithful canine companion. He whined, barking in protest. Rinako slapped his nose lightly and told him to obey. Then sent him into hiding with his charge.

Kiruo had growled, clearly not happy. But he'd dropped his head in compliance.

All the while, Rinako had been pulling out her weaponry. This might be her only chance to get out of this trap.

When they arrived she cursed silently. As good as her senses were, she'd thought there were only three. But it turned out to be four ninja coming after her, moving far too swiftly toward her hiding place.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kakashi blinked his one good eye at Tsume, then cut a glance at his companion who was looking on in horror. "Kinue? I'll be just a moment."

Tsume spared a glance for the pink haired civilian. "I heard you were raiding your student's closet."

Haruno Kinue stiffened, mortified. "Now see here …"

The copy-nin grinned beneath his mask and interrupted his date before she pushed the wrong buttons with the volatile Inuzuka. "You're just jealous. Your kid's sensei was Kurenai, and while she's hot …I don't think she's the right gender for you. My student's mother? Hmmmm."

Kinue blushed beet red, giving Kakashi a good frown.

Tsume cocked her fist back. "One good reason I shouldn't?"

"Rumor is your boy proposed at a fancy restaurant the other night." Kakashi didn't even bother to look worried as he winked at her. "Down on one knee and everything. Kissed her in public and carried her off over his shoulder." He cocked his head and gave her a strange look. "He didn't ask your permission first?"

Forgetting herself, Tsume's mouth dropped open. "Shit! That dumb puppy!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ise's scalp itched, it had almost all day. Unhappy, she'd skipped dinner to wash her hair. It hadn't helped. Looking in the mirror, she parted her hair and then screamed as she saw the little white bugs.

"KIBA!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I thought we weren't going to run into each other?" Shiho pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose as she sat at the counter of the ramen shop. Inside her nerves jumped at the very idea that he may have searched her out again. Her lips even tingled, she frowned, it wasn't like she WANTED him to kiss her again. She didn't care for him. Right?

Kiba lounged against the wall, arms crossed. He looked grouchy. "What happened to your new contacts?"

"Not used to them yet." The cryptologist waved away the question. "What do you want?" She asked point blank, her expression showing she wasn't trying to be as rude as she sounded. She was just that straight forward.

Kiba found he liked the fact that with Shiho there was no subterfuge, no guessing at what she was really thinking. "There are some rumors going around the village. About us."

Shiho shrugged. "So?"

"So? They're saying I proposed to you." He snapped. "Like I ever would!" Kiba only meant that he couldn't propose without his mother's permission as his clan leader.

Taking it for the way it sounded, Shiho drew back, stung. Having suddenly lost her appetite, the kunoichi pushed her half-empty bowl away. "Tell them you didn't. It's only gossip, it'll fade. Or are you too embarrassed to have your name linked to mine?" She couldn't help but tack that last part on, even though she really didn't want to hear his answer.

Needled, Kiba growled, flashing his fangs slightly. "I've been getting strange looks and winks for the past two days! Some have asked me outright when the betrothal will be announced! Stupid gossips." He ignored her question as ridiculous.

"Really?" Shiho thought his silence was answer enough. He was embarrassed about the thought of being linked with her! Almost bitterly she pulled the napkin off her lap, throwing it on the counter. "Just let it go. No one seriously would believe we would get married to each other." She bit the words out.

Taken aback by her angry tone, Kiba clenched his fists in the air in front of her throat. He wanted to tell her to stop cutting herself down, that there was nothing wrong with her, but she spoke first. She may not be HIS type, but she had to be to some guy's taste. Right?

"Of course not." The kunoichi said, giving him a hard frown, her hurt feelings giving rise to her cutting remark. "Why would I agree to marry you? Now that's something no one could take seriously."

Shiho stood as Kiba watched her, stunned. He felt his own temper rising when his keen senses picked up on some small details. Number one, she was faintly blushing and number two, her hands weren't quite steady as she paid for the meal she hadn't finished eating. His nerves calmed somewhat as he realized she was saying these things to protect her own feelings, rather than to hurt him.

"Shiho …" He began gently. "I didn't mean to m …"

"KIBA! You filthy cur of a dog!"

The shrill and cutting voice had heads whipping around to watch as the furious blonde approached them. Akamaru whimpered and dropped to his belly. He really didn't like Takizawa Ise, not one little bit.

Confused, Kiba watched the girl flounce up to him all in a dither. She looked like a colorful jungle bird. Her dress was yellow and her face was bright red with anger. What had he done now? Uneasily he looked to three of her five brothers as they flanked their baby sister. All three were huge, being in the family trade. Blacksmiths with the corresponding muscles to match. Not that they were a match for him, but he would get into a lot of trouble for mixing it up with civilians if they happened to get hurt.

"You filthy, diseased, mutt!" The girl shouted in his face as she yanked on her hair. "You did this to me!"

Akamaru barked in protest, getting up on his feet. His growl was a loud rumble that had everyone backing up a step, even though the huge nin-dog wasn't even baring his teeth. The growl was merely a warning.

Kiba sighed, ready to tell everyone that Akamaru was fine and not going to attack when he noticed that while Ise had squeaked and backed off, Shiho had not. The little bookworm was still standing exactly in the same place and looking totally unaffected by the canine's display.

"Did what?" Shiho asked calmly, intrigued in spite of herself. She remembered this girl from the last time she'd run into Kiba on the street. Was this the kind of girl Kiba usually went out with? No wonder he didn't want anyone to think he'd been going out with plain little Shiho. The cryptologist knew that she looked nothing like the overly-endowed, yet slender pretty blonde. And though she had no romantic interest in Kiba, it hurt to know he didn't think much of her.

"Are you the best he could come up with?" Ise sneered haughtily. "Dating livestock now, Kiba? First you bring your dog with you everywhere and now you're sleeping with a cow?"

Gasps came from all around them, in fact Kiba thought at least two of Ise's brothers had groaned while the other rolled his eyes.

"I am hardly a cow." Shiho said coldly. "I don't have the udders that you do."

Muffled laughter exploded around them.

"KIBA! You gave me FLEAS!" Ise wailed loudly for all to hear, ignoring the jibe from the plain kunoichi. "You and your filthy mutt gave me fleas!" She broke down, appearing to choke on her fist as she fought not to cry.

Angry, Kiba opened his mouth to defend himself and Akamaru when Shiho stepped forward, right into his path.

"Kiba does not have fleas." Shiho said point-blank. "If you have fleas, it didn't come from them."

Startled by the bookworm's defense, Kiba settled back to listen, not used to being the one protected by someone else.

"Oh yeah? Look at these! White little fleas all over my hair!" Wailed Ise.

Shiho's eyes narrowed. "Fleas are dark bugs, not white."

"But head lice are." A matron's voice cut through the crowd as she stood, openly gawking at the scene being enacted in public. "And there was an outbreak in the lower ward, near the tannery."

Ise sneered. "Like I would be caught in THAT part of the village."

All sympathetic looks in the blonde's direction vanished and the crowd mumbled under their collective breath. Ise's older brother grimaced as he fought not to suddenly scratch at his own head the moment the word 'lice' was mentioned. "You gave her lice? That's worse than fleas."

Shiho clucked her tongue. "Kiba doesn't have head lice." The Inuzuka bent his head forward and ran his hands through his hair. His clean hair. "No white bugs there."

"Then they're from his mangy mutt!" Ise hissed.

The youngest of the three brothers sighed, turning to walk away. "This is going to end badly. I'm going to the store to get some medicated shampoo."

"Hang on!" The matron who'd spoken earlier bustled up and grabbed Kiba by the ears, bending him forward. "Nope, no lice here."

"I'm telling you it's that damned dog!" Ise screeched, her façade of pretty manners and delicate nature fading as she pointed at Akamaru like an avenging harpy. "You just can't see the white bugs against his shaggy white coat!"

The crowd murmured behind them, shifting uneasily.

Kiba bared his teeth, ready to jump in and defend Akamaru when Shiho crossed her arms. "The nin-dog has not been scratching and you have. Not only that, but if Akamaru gave you lice, how did Kiba escape catching them? No. Akamaru is not only cleaner than you, nicer than you but it appears he's also has better manners than you do."

Kiba bit back his grin as he felt Akamaru relax beside him, sitting down and letting his tongue loll out. The bookworm may generally be a quiet person, but as it turns out, she was hardly shy!

"Alright, alright! What is going on here?" The Hokage's assistant waded into the knot of people looking more than a little put out.

"That dog gave me lice!" Ise screeched. "I want him locked up, quarantined …and neutered!"

Shizune drew up in stunned disbelief. "You are demanding what?"

Kiba's face went beet red with anger as he called her a name so nasty that several people gasped in shock. Akamaru got to his feet, growling. And this time he was baring teeth. "There is no way in HELL woman!"

Ise looked to her huge brothers for support against this one lone woman. Her brothers took one look at Shizune and held up their hands, backing away swiftly, though not leaving.

"But …but the dog gave me lice!" Ise sputtered, realizing that she was losing. "You can't just ignore that!"

Shizune sighed. "Idiot. Canine's don't get lice, they physically can't. That's a human thing."

"But I never went down to the lower ward! I've never been near the tannery!" Came the wailing protest.

Shiho winced for the other girl, whose face was getting splotchy as she cried and yelled. Then the next words made all sympathy disappear as quickly as water vapor under intense heat.

"It had to come from Kiba, or this cow he's been playing loose with!"

Shiho started to form hand seals before Shizune put her hands on the other girl's arm, shaking her head in warning. "Not worth it."

Shiho fumed. "It might be." She huffed, making Kiba grin. He liked this side of the bookworm, prickly though she might be most of the time. He liked her sense of fair play, standing up for someone she didn't really care for just because it was the right thing to do.

He reached out without thought and grabbed her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "Thanks."

Startled at the warmth of his palm against hers, and the heat his appreciation caused to stir within her, Shiho blushed slightly.

Shizune gestured for Kiba and Shiho to bend their heads. "Nope, no lice here." She pronounced a minute or two later.

"How can you tell in that rat's nest?" Ise sneered.

Defensively Shiho's free hand went to her wayward hair, those words stung more than 'cow'. Kiba squeezed her other hand again, shaking his head. "I think she meant me, not you." He said, pointing with his own free hand to his wild spiky hair that refused to be tamed.

Ise sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "But I had to get it from Kiba, I don't know anyone else who is as …messy as he is."

Shizune shook her head. "There's been a secondary outbreak, but I'm not going to say where for the privacy of those involved. You may have picked it up t…."

"Nemoto's youngest came down with a case just this morning. Tokaji, I think his name is." One bold voice came from the crowd.

Shizune grimaced. "So much for privacy." She mumbled to herself.

"Tokaji?" One of Ise's brothers scowled. "Didn't I see you out with him yesterday?"

"But …but …it can't be from Tokaji!" Ise wailed. "I've only been out with him twice now! And he's always so perfectly groomed, not like this jerk!"

"What did you just call my son?" Tsume stalked into the crowd, glaring around at everyone with equal menace. She'd been heading home when she'd noticed the crowd around the ramen noodle stand. Having thought to skirt the group, she'd caught wind of her son's scent and had come to investigate.

Ise gulped, gave a small squeal and ran. Her three brothers shook their heads and trailed off after her.

"Show's over." Shizune waved her arms. "Go on, get out of here."

"Unless you want food!" The chef called out as potential customers started to turn away. "Best ramen in town!"

Tsume turned to her only son, her hands on her hips and her eyes flashing with temper. Her gaze went down to where Kiba was still holding Shiho's hand. "Do you have something to tell me?"

Grinning, Kiba nodded even as he dropped Shiho's hand to push back his hair.

"Well?" His mother demanded, leaning in toward the two.

"I broke up with Ise." The dog-nin smiled wider.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Bloodied and badly wounded, Rinako swiped the blood from her less swollen eye. All four ninja were down, but …but she'd taken too long. Reinforcements were mere moments away. And she wasn't sure that she'd killed the last two, they were out cold now ...but ...but ... there would be no help for it. She knew what she had to do.

She whistled the signal to her nin-dog.

Kirohu wouldn't like it, but he would obey. The mission had to be completed. They weren't too far from the borders, with any luck her beloved canine companion would arrive in Konoha by tomorrow noon.

That is if he wasn't stopped by the bandits who weren't bandits.

Rinako struggled to find her balance as she readied her remaining weapons. She planned on giving Kirohu as big a lead as she could manage. And if by some small miracle she defeated these new ninja, she'd follow behind and catch up with Shihei and Kirohu in the Hidden Leaf village.

She just prayed Kirohu could carry the stupid noble brat to safety, and not only that, but to those that could help Kumogakure.

As the first attack came, she kept up the prayers as she started fighting. Blood ran unchecked into her eyes, blinding her. So she fought by smell. It was enough.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara frowned down at his reports.

From across the room, Baki scowled. "These reports don't make sense."

"Bandits who don't take everything?" The Kazekage of Suna sighed, leaning back in his chair. "They let their victims go, badly beating a few but that's it. And they only take the small stuff?"

"Like I said, no sense." Baki mumbled darkly. "Where's the angle?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura looked at Shizune as the other medical kunoichi rejoined her. "You know, that makes no sense."

Shizune nodded as the two headed toward the hospital each for a shift. "Lice just don't skip areas. They have to have human carriers. And I believe Ise when she says she's not been down to the tannery. She's not the type to go into the poorer sections."

"Neither is Nemoto Tokaji." Sakura said quietly. "He's something of a snob. Can't stand him." She said of the merchant's son. "His dad makes the best rock candy around though."

"His dad is a lecherous old fart." Shizune sighed, "but I do love the candies he makes."

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed, shaking her head. "So how do two people get head lice out of nowhere?"

"Eggs take up to two weeks to hatch."

"So they were exposed to live lice." Sakura shuddered and her skin crawled at the thought. "But where? I thought the outbreak had been contained."

"Me too." Shizune sighed. "Guess we were wrong."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"And you are?"

"Yoshida Shiho." The cryptologist said plainly, without deference.

Tsume pulled back slightly and nodded. "Kunoichi from the headband you wear around your waist. But I don't know you."

"Cryptologist."

Kiba looked back and forth between the two intense females. He didn't want his mother ripping into the little bookworm. Shiho might think she was tough, but she had no clue how to deal with someone as rough and strong as Inuzuka Tsume.

"Ah." The older kunoichi nodded. "Young." She commented.

Shiho shrugged. The statement didn't require an answer.

"Did my son propose to you?" Tsume asked baldly.

Kiba opened his mouth and his mother reached out and grabbed his ear, twisting it to keep him quiet. "OUCH!"

"No." Shiho replied.

"Did he kiss you?" The Inuzuka clan leader continued. "In public?"

"If you can call it that." Shiho said bluntly. "It was just a way to shut me up, that's all. He couldn't come up with a better plan at the spur of the moment it seems."

Kiba pulled away from his mother, rubbing his ear and scowling. "What do you mean it wasn't a kiss?"

"You said it wasn't." Shiho pointed out to him, blinking behind her thick glasses.

Tsume's lips thinned and she crossed her arms. "Did my son carry you out of a restaurant, over his shoulder?"

Akamaru perked up and barked, one paw in the air. He looked disgruntled to have missed seeing Kiba doing that! He yipped and barked a question.

Kiba ran his hand through his hair, getting agitated. "No, I didn't plan it! And no, I didn't leave you behind to make …er, be private with Shiho!"

"Well?" Tsume let her fangs peek out through her smile.

Shiho didn't balk. "Yes. He tossed me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and carried me out. Completely bad manners."

"Maybe you provoked him." Tsume glared.

"Maybe you raised him poorly." Shiho countered.

Kiba groaned and backed away slowly as to keep out of the line of fire. Akamaru dropped to his belly and whimpered as the two women glared at each other. This wasn't going to end well, both males just knew it.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	17. Company

The bleeding man held the torn and wadded up shirt to his belly in order to staunch the bleeding. "Stupid bitch."

Another man grunted. "Stupid bitch almost gutted you." He commented dryly.

The third man stepped up and kicked the kunoichi as she was sprawled out on the ground, out cold. She grunted softly. "Stupid bitch is still alive." He sounded almost surprised.

The shinobi who was bleeding shook his head. "Not for fucking long."

"Calm down Jun." The third man, the one who'd kicked Rinako held up one hand. Despite his obvious reluctance, the wounded shinobi stopped and waited. "Wait until we find out who or what she sent out …I think it was a nin-dog. Let's hear from our tracker first. We may need information from her."

"Tsuneyo, you weren't here." Jun countered, wincing as he pushed the make-shift bandage harder against himself. "She fought like a crazed beast. We should kill her now."

The blonde shinobi bent down and tapped Rinako's headband protector. "What did you expect? She is one of ours after all."

The other two Cloud ninja both nodded, frowning. The second man, known as Isobe clucked his tongue. "Too bad we can't keep her alive, she's a prime piece."

"Put your thoughts back in your other head." Tsuneyo sneered.

Jun leaned against a tree as he pulled the wadded up shirt away. "I think the bleeding is slowing."

Isobe eyed the kunoichi on the forest floor. "What do you think she's doing out here?"

Tsuneyo shrugged. "She didn't come by the prearranged path for messengers, she didn't offer the code words, so ….who knows?"

Jun gave the downed woman an evil glare. "Shouldn't we give her first aid or something? What if she dies before the tracker gets back?"

"Her tough luck." Tsuneyo snapped, giving the girl a nudge with his foot that only elicited a small groan. "I'm not wasting any of our medical supplies on her."

Jun smiled darkly, then winced as fresh blood started seeping from his wound again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

One minute the two kunoichi were staring at each other from a few feet away. Then suddenly Tsume was in Shiho's face, the light of the near by lantern gleaming off her bared fangs. "What did you just say to me?" The Inuzuka clan leader growled low and with the bite of threat lingering in her tone.

Behind her thick glasses, Shiho's eyes went wide and she suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Unable to move, she just stood there. A sweat drop formed on her forehead and slid lazily down the side of her face.

Kiba watched in horror. "Mom?" Beside him, Akamaru whimpered again. Neither male wanted to get between the two.

"Well now, my son just interrupted me." The soft tone belied the threat etched in every muscle in Tsume's body. The older kunoichi was poised to attack, and it was obvious to one and all. "Maybe you're right, maybe he was raised poorly."

Shiho's mouth felt like cotton as she cleared her throat. "Perhaps I spoke too soon."

Tsume nodded slowly, smiling with dark menace.

Shiho's head nodded as well, without thought mimicking Tsume's movements. She felt like a mouse caught in the gaze of a huge predator ready to strike.

"Mom, don't. It's not like it matters what Shiho thinks. We're not dating." Kiba was trying to help. He really, really was. Too bad he failed.

The words stung Shiho deep inside and suddenly her mind was free of Tsume's threat. She cleared her throat once more before speaking. "As if I would have him." She said quite clearly.

The clan leader for the Inuzuka lifted one brow curiously. "Oh? Why wouldn't you?"

Shiho shrugged, unwary anger replacing healthy fear. "I'd take Akamaru before I'd take Kiba."

Tsume drew back, studying the smaller girl more closely. Her eyes missed nothing. She didn't care if the girl's glasses were too thick, or if her hair was straight, or if she wore something stylish. No, the Inuzuka was looking for deeper things. The small blush tinting Shiho's cheeks, the small tremble in her fingers, the tightening around the mouth to indicate hurt feelings. These are what Tsume took stock of as she thought about what to say next.

"There's no call to make fun of Akamaru." Kiba whined, feeling off kilter. Hadn't Shiho just defended his nin-dog against Ise's verbal attacks?

Surprised, Shiho actually turned to glare at Kiba, rather than face the threat Tsume posed. The Inuzuka clan leader fought not to smile as she watched the byplay between the two. "I'm not making fun of Akamaru! I think he's a magnificent nin-dog, just look at how handsome he is! Why, you groom him better than you groom yourself! Of the two of you …you're the runt of the litter!"

Blinking hard, Tsume tried to keep the grin from forming on her face. She failed. Oh, this was getting good!

"Runt? RUNT!" Kiba shouted at the slender kunoichi. "You look underfed! I've got several inches on you, I can look down and see the top of your head! You're so scrawny you have no …" Suddenly the shinobi gritted his teeth and nearly bit his tongue. He'd been about to say that Shiho had no curves, but the look of her pale face in the lantern light stopped him.

"What? No udders like your last girlfriend?" Shiho purred, crossing her arms defensively.

Kiba reared back, surprised.

"Code breaker." Shiho said smugly. "I can usually figure out a lot of things that go unsaid."

Suddenly Tsume stiffened, finally having caught onto something that Kiba had missed. "Code breaker?"

Shiho nodded. "Cryptologist."

The girl had told her that when they'd first spoken, Tsume realized. But she hadn't caught on, not then. "Full? Or in training?"

"Full." Shiho said with some pride.

Tsume whistled and Kiba's gaze shot back and forth between the two. "So? She's a bookworm? Big deal."

Akamaru yelped and leapt out of the way as Tsume sent her son flying to land in the street with one swat of her hand. "She's right, you are the runt. Runt."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hyuuga Hiashi stiffened in spite of himself as he watched the small male slip into his private study. He scowled as the cat his son had brought home padded directly toward him.

Asubu the cat and Hiashi the shinobi stared at one another for a very long time. Neither blinked, and neither looked away. A sudden cough from the doorway had the Hyuuga looking up, startled.

"You lost." Anko purred as the cat began to wash his hind legs. "Score one for the cat."

Hiashi grunted. "It wasn't a contest." He lied.

The cat purred and started to rub up against Hiashi's robes, leaving tracks of black and gray fur on the pristine folds.

Anko watched with deep amusement as Hiashi sighed deeply and looked heavenward for patience. "Not fond of cats?"

"No."

"How do you feel about dogs?" Anko perched herself on his desk, crossing her legs and giving him a sultry look.

"I don't really care about them either …" Hiashi paused, gave her a suspicious long look. "Anko? What have you done now?"

"Kids need pets."

Hiashi's pale eyes snapped with temper. "Pets? As in plural?"

Anko winked at him cheekily and blew him a kiss.

"This is a house, not a zoo!" Hiashi roared, standing up and making Asubu bat at the swinging robes with his claws. In fact, the cat looked thrilled with his new toy.

"This isn't a house." Anko replied, not in the least bit worried about her husband's temper. She enjoyed making him mad. Almost as much as she enjoyed calming him down. "It was a house, but now it's a home."

Completely thrown, Hiashi just stared at Anko in sheer awe. The words pierced something deep down inside him and in that moment, he fell in love with his wife all over again. "You're right."

"Trout?" Anko waved her hand in front of his eyes. She hadn't thought her words would strike a chord so quickly.

With a muffled 'eek', she felt him grab her and haul her over the top of his desk, knocking over scrolls and letters as well as a couple of books. She opened her mouth to speak, but found his lips in the way.

The kiss was long, drawn out, and extremely hot. When Anko finally came up for air, she had to fan her face. "Damn!"

Hiashi leered at her, running his hands under her top as he trailed his fingertips over her mesh-covered skin. "Can we forget retaliation for the secretary just for tonight?"

Anko started to nod, then stopped cold as she held one hand to his chest, straight-arming him. "Secretary? When I said that about retribution, I meant about the seamstress you sent after me today. For dresses."

Hiashi's stomach dropped at his rookie mistake.

Anko's eyes snapped with irritation as she growled through her teeth. "Now, what is it about the secretary that would have me seeking ….retribution?" She stressed the last word with the flick of a kunai that was suddenly in her left hand.

"Damn." Hiashi sighed, watching his chance for a very pleasant evening ebbing swiftly away.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsuneyo noticed the tracker's return before the other men. "Well?" He snapped, pulling out a long curved sword that gleamed with etched kanji along the hilt.

Jun snickered as he watched the mysterious Cloud kunoichi's eyes blink open as their leader's razor sharp blade neared her throat.

The tracker looked anxious as he tossed a pack at the other men, watching as it hit the ground at Rinako's feet. She fought not to give a reaction as she saw that the pack was in fact Shihei's. Was the boy dead? Had she failed after all?

"He got away." The man said without inflection. "I couldn't get close enough to see what was lashed to the nin-dog, but a couple of thrown weapons did cut this loose at least."

Relief like a soaking rain after a hard drought filled Rinako's veins. Kirohu was away with Shihei. She had managed to gain enough time for them to get away. Her death was worth it after all.

"Kill her." Jun pouted even as he ran his hand over the bandage that Isobe had fashioned for him. "Better yet, let me ride her and then kill her."

"Stop." Tsuneyo scowled as he pawed through the bag, pulling out scroll after scroll. He broke the seal on one. "Coded." He crushed the paper in his hand in a fit of temper.

Isobe stalked over to Rinako and pulled her head up by the bloody shirt she wore. "What's your mission?"

"To serve Kumogakure." She coughed up some blood from a cut inside her mouth. When had she done that? Oh well, it hardly mattered now.

The shinobi who held her looked unsure, the man turned to his leader for direction. "We're supposed to kill all ninja we come across traveling our way that might have noticed our activities. Especially anyone from Cloud not aligned with ..." His voice trailed off maddeningly.

The tracker pointed to her headband. "She is Cloud, I think my cousin even worked a mission with her once last year."

Tsuneyo looked unimpressed as he knelt down next to the hurt kunoichi. "Your mission?" He asked almost gently. She might have fallen for it if not for the cold look in his dark eyes.

"All missions …all missions are secret." Rinako whispered. "But mine isn't. It's been the Raikage's wish for many years."

"Kill Hyuuga." Jun guessed with disgust in his voice.

Rinako nodded slowly.

"Anyone in particular?" Tsuneyo cocked his head in interest.

Rinako shrugged, the movement hurt like hell. But then, so did breathing. "The Raikage didn't specify." She coughed, closing her eyes as pain swamped her once more.

The leader of the band tapped her cheek sharply, making her eyes slit back open. "Pass out now and I'll make sure you never wake again." He warned her. "The coded scrolls?"

A smile split her already wounded mouth and she tasted blood again. "If you were meant to read it, then it wouldn't be coded."

"You're dying." He told her bluntly. "And I'm not wasting my time trying to save you."

"Your fault." She sneered, blinking back the pain. "And you explain my death, and the abandonment of the mission to the Raikage." With that, she spat the excess blood in her mouth directly at his face. Direct hit.

Tsuneyo dropped her hard, her head banging against a rock hard enough to make her vision spin. He stared coldly down at her as he wiped the blood off his face. "Isobe? Go kill a Leaf Hyuuga. Pick one, don't care."

The man nodded and took off to get ready for his new mission.

"Your mission is safe." Tsuneyo looked down at the kunoichi at his feet. "You're not. Now. Jun? Wrap her wounds."

The man balked. "Why? I thought you weren't going to waste time, medicine or effort?"

"I'm not wasting my time, I'm wasting yours." Tsuneyo said frostily. "Besides, I need her to live long enough to torture the information I want about these damned scrolls out of her."

Jun glared down at the woman who had managed to wound him so badly. "Do I have to be gentle?" He whined.

"No." Came the cold response.

Rinako swallowed her nausea, not wanting to give the men the thrill of knowing that they actually scared her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was much later when Kiba padded into the family den, glaring at his mother.

Tsume gave him a long look, taking in his sleep pants and bare chest. "That's wasted on me. You need a girl. A marriage. Puppies."

"They're actually called children." Kiba groaned, flopping onto a nearby futon. "And I was engaged. It didn't work."

"You had a girl too. That didn't work either." Tsume did snide very well.

Her son dropped his head back on the cushion and stared up at the ceiling. "Your attitude changed when you found out Shiho is a code-breaker. Why?"

The Inuzuka clan leader gave her son a long look while he pretended not to notice. Finally he did cut his eyes toward her. "Well?"

"Figure it out on your own." Tsume yawned, standing. "I like her. She has a spine."

Kiba snorted. "She can make mud pies with her jutsu, that's about it. And she was too scared to move, that wasn't bravery."

Sighing, Tsume headed for the stairs. "She figured out in the first few seconds that I couldn't follow through with my threat. Your scrawny girlfriend knew that I couldn't kill her, not murder. And she knew I wouldn't make too much of a bother in the middle of the village. She was scared, but she also didn't run."

"You're giving the bookworm way to much credit." Kiba whined. "Besides, she should have known you could have beaten her into a bloody pulp without much effort. Scary enough for most."

"Not her." Tsume grinned. "Your girlfriend is a code breaker."

"She is NOT my girlfriend!" Kiba shouted, his temper close to the surface.

"Too bad. Good genes there." Tsume started up the stairs.

From his place on the futon, Kiba yelled up at her. "Sure. That is if you want puppies with bad eyesight and too many brains to be a proper ninja."

Tsume stopped on the stairs turning, astonishment on her features. "You really don't know do you? She was right, I did raise you poorly after all."

Kiba groaned as he watched his mother disappear upstairs. "WHAT DON'T I KNOW?" He yelled to the ceiling. No answer came his way. "Wait! What does her being a code breaker have to do with anything?"

Silence.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ino leaned in closer. "You did what?"

Sakura swallowed her ice cream and dipped her spoon in for another bite as she listened intently. "I missed all of this part. I'm so glad that that third year wanted to switch shifts at the last moment, or I would have missed this too!"

Shiho shrugged and repeated the story of what she'd said to Inuzuka Tsume. Then she touched the mask on her face. "How long does this stay on?"

"Forget that!" Sakura groaned eagerly. "How did you survive?"

"I really think it's time to take this off, it's dry." Shiho commented. "And I don't remember how you talked me into this in the first place. It's silly."

Ino shook her head. "You have great skin, but you can't take it for granted."

Shiho touched the mud-mask again. "Usually I use mud as a weapon, not as a cleanser."

Sakura ate another bite of ice cream, then pointed her spoon at the other girl. "Tell me again about the part with Ise. I love it! I only came in at the last of it all."

Ino shuddered. "I can't believe she has head lice."

Shiho picked at the mask, only to have the blonde kunoichi slap her hand away. She sighed. "Fine. Which part do you want to hear again?"

"Ise!" Sakura demanded.

"Tsume!" Ino laughed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi handed over the watch duty to Hanabi as he finally went to join the others when his turn was up. He avoided looking at Ibiki, still embarrassed by his gaffe. Hanabi settled onto a different branch, activating her family's bloodline limit to give the whole area a quick scan.

Hana yawned. "Thanks for sharing your camp tonight." Her assistant nodded as he laid out his own sleeping bag.

Shino nodded as he looked over at her. "You haven't said what you're doing out here. You don't look like you're on a mission."

Hana shrugged. "That's because I'm not. I'm a kunoichi, but I'm also a veterinarian. Lots of farms out this way."

"Farms with cattle and the such." Her assistant piped up. "By the way, I'm Akaike Sen."

Greetings followed along with some discussion of funny animal anecdotes, even Shino told a story about his first date's reaction to the kikai.

Temari looked stunned. "She actually pulled bug spray out of her purse?"

Shino shrugged with wry amusement. "Looking back, I think she might have been the wrong choice for a festival date."

"You think?" Temari laughed, though appalled at the very idea of how hurt Shino must have felt at the time. She gave him a loving look and Hana looked away with a smile, turning her attention to Ibiki as he talked about a prisoner who'd once tried to tame a rat in order to steal his cell's keys.

Rokuro settled back on his sleeping bag, ready to get some rest. He was supposed to take the watch from Hanabi in just a few hours.

"Company."

The one word had every ninja on alert. Ibiki sent out his senses, how had he missed … he frowned. "Where?"

Hanabi pointed. "It's a large …dog. Maybe."

Rocks sneered as he put his head back down. "Wildlife doesn't count as company, brat."

"Idiot. Wildlife does count if they have a person strapped to their back." Hanabi said quietly, watching with her Byakugan.

Rocks sat back up and stared up at her. "Seriously?"

Hanabi nodded. Everyone looked at one another, unsure. "They're heading for Konoha." She whispered.

Ibiki shrugged. "Our mission to patrol this area was supposed to start AFTER reporting to Suna."

Michi looked at him. "Early start?" He grinned as his sensei nodded.

Hana shook her head, checking her weapon pouch. "Mind if I tag? Large dogs are among my specialties after all."

Temari nodded. "Be our guest." The others all agreed as well as the group packed up their stuff and went to intercept …well, they weren't sure what they were going to find. But it sounded interesting at least.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	18. Familial Ties

Tsuneyo was positively glowering as he entered the room, carelessly tossing some wicked looking blades into a small bin. The metal was covered in blood.

Jun cocked his head to one side. "She still not speaking? You've been working her over for the good part of two hours now."

The twin shinobi over in the corner didn't even look up from their game of shogi as their leader walked up to them. Neither acknowledged him in any way, and he was about sick of their little mind-fuck games.

Disgruntled, Tsuneyo put his bloody hand down on the board, making both Eizan and Eishi frown up at him. "Did you tend our wounded?"

"They rest." Eishi muttered.

Eizan, who never spoke, nodded and gave a hand signal that all was well with the men that the strange kunoichi had wounded. No one knew if Eizan couldn't or wouldn't speak, but it was basically accepted that if he had anything to say his twin spoke the words for him. Or he let his blades make his thoughts known.

Tsuneyo grunted and walked away, still watching the strange duo as Eizan quietly righted their game board and all the pieces on it. The silent shinobi even put them back exactly as they'd been even though he'd been about to lose to his brother. Even after working together in close quarters for nearly a year, he was no closer to understanding those two men.

"You have good timing." Jun quartered and apple, offering a section to the mission leader. "Ozawa is back."

Tsuneyo's head snapped up, the slice of apple half-way to his mouth. "What the hell? He's not supposed to be back yet!"

"He's got news." Came the whisper soft reply.

Tsuneyo went still as everyone in the room looked up from their business, putting down half-mended boots, polishing weapons and such. Even the twins looked up from their game of shogi.

"News?" Tsuneyo nearly choked. Was this it? Was this the key piece of information they needed in order to head back to Kumogakure?

"News." Jun stressed the word carefully. "He's waiting in the back room to speak with you."

The mission leader grunted, nervous that he was getting his hopes up. Still …he needed to know. He grabbed a towel and rinsed the blood off his hands. It didn't help much, he still reeked of sweat, fear and blood. Only one of those three came from him though. The other two had belonged to his new prisoner.

But no matter the fear and pain reflected in her eyes, and no matter the blood he'd spilled. She still hadn't talked.

"While you're talking to Ozawa, should I take over your …interrogation?" Jun asked with apparent nonchalance.

Tsuneyo wasn't fooled though as he gave a quick shake of his head, he knew Jun wanted to hurt the girl. "She's out cold. We'll continue after I've spoken with Ozawa. And to have broken protocol in order to come back like this, he'd better pray his 'news' is good."

"We all do." One man said from where he was leaning against the wall. Everyone else in the room grunted their agreement. Even Eizan.

o.O.o.O.o.O

They flanked the large dog with his unwieldy cargo. Sen, the veterinary assistant, gave the prearranged signal to indicate that the big canine was indeed a nin-dog, and not one of their own. The dog sensed their presence, but was obviously exhausted and could find no hole in the Leaf flanking maneuver that would allow an escape.

Besides. He recognized the scent of one in their group. A Leaf kunoichi. And wasn't his mission to get Shihei to Konoha? Unsure, Kirohu stopped and stood at alert. Anxiously waiting for the confrontation.

Hana suddenly stood from her hiding place, her face a picture of confusion. Ibiki's eyes went wide from his own hidden spot. Why was the Inuzuka walking out into the small clearing, her hands free of weapons and her own three nin-dogs flanking her sides? He tensed, ready to move at the slightest hint of trouble.

"Kirohu?" Hana whispered, looking reassuring as she knelt in front of the large canine. Her nin-dogs growled at the new-comer, but didn't attack.

The huge nin-dog whined piteously, as he sat and lowered his muzzle to the forest floor in submission. His eyes looked up at her in hope.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko sighed and rolled over, holding up the remnants of her clothing. She chuckled as she poked a finger through a large rip. "Maybe I do need that seamstress after all."

Hiashi grunted, managing to turn his head toward her as the two lay on the huge bed in the master bedroom. "I thought you took offense over the seamstress? It doesn't matter, I just thought you'd like someone coming to you and designing clothing for some of our more …refined …engagements. That is unless you'd rather go shopping on your own?" He teased her.

"Bite your tongue anteater." Anko sighed, hissing as she stretched. "Oh, you've outdone yourself tonight."

Barely managing a smile as sleep threatened the spent male, Hiashi licked his lips, smiling as he could still taste her essence there. Seeing that look in his eyes made Anko shudder with remembered pleasure.

"Mmmm …you may even be off the hook for the sneaky secretary thingy." She purred, turning to run the bottom of her foot down the length of his leg.

Somewhere, a dog barked out in the night.

Hiashi's sleepy eyes snapped open. "Is there a dog …in the house?"

"Maybe." Anko licked his ear, giving the Hyuuga leader a shudder of his own. "Just think of Katashi's grinning face."

"Damn." Hiashi muttered as his wife rolled him over onto his back, grinning down at him. "I don't think I can go again." He muttered as she started licking her way down his chest.

"We'll see about that." Anko nibbled along his ribcage, sending thrilling sensations throughout his body. After much work on her part, Hiashi discovered he was wrong. He could go again. Much to the delight of his wife.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well?" Kankuro asked as he watched Ani change Ryusei as the newborn kicked his little legs. Hinata rocked baby Nowaki, humming gently as she took a long look around with her family ability. "What was it?"

Hinata disengaged the Byakugan with a soft smile. "Katashi has a new pet."

"Cat's don't bark." The puppeteer shook his head at her.

"I should say, he has new pets. Not only does he have a cat ...but there's a dog in his room. And out in the small garden shed there's a box with an injured bird. I'll bet a lot that says it's his." His wife amended her assertion. "Anko has such a wonderful effect on this house."

Kankuro shook his head in wonder. "I wish I knew how your father was taking all this."

Hinata blushed and shook her head. "I don't use the Byakugan on him." She whispered.

The puppeteer grinned. "Never know what you might see. Since Anko has such a WONDERFUL effect on him and all…" He mocked her, mimicking her voice.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsuneyo carefully skirted those parts of the huge cavern and cave system that they hadn't thoroughly checked. Too many traps left over from the previous occupancy. He had his path memorized, lest he get lost in the maze of tunnels and walkways, some that didn't even start on the ground. Once more he wondered about the sanity of those that chose a place like this in the first place.

He opened the door to the small room that he was using as his own office. The bigger rooms were too dangerous to use right now, even after nearly a year disarming everything. "Ozawa? This had better be good."

"He's not on the mainland, not anymore. I've heard that he is on one of the islands off the coast of the non-aligned lands." The scarred shinobi said, his mouth twisting as certain muscles no longer moved properly. The scar had been issued years ago, by the very man they now called Raikage.

"You're sure?"

Ozawa nodded. "I left the caravan early, once I had this piece of news. A woman's uncle had been out there only last month. There's no mistaking that description."

Tsuneyo held in his shout of triumph, but only barely. His eyes fairly gleamed with victory. "We leave for Kumogakure tomorrow."

Startled, Ozawa gave him a measured look. "Shouldn't we simply send a message?"

"With information this valuable? No." The mission leader dismissed that option immediately. "We can't afford but to deliver this message in person."

"Send me tonight, I can be there in a week." The shinobi offered, even though he was pale with exhaustion from hurrying back with his news.

Tsuneyo thought it over a moment, then reluctantly shook his head. "No. We have a prisoner. I want to get what I can from her tonight, as she will not survive such a journey back to the Cloud village. We leave at first light. Tell the others we leave, but not why."

"They'll guess."

Tsuneyo's smile was mean. "Yes, they'll guess. But they won't have any specifics. Keep that to yourself."

Ozawa grunted in acknowledgement of the direct order.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I don't like it." Hana mused, staring down at the thirteen year old. "Why won't you tell us why you want to go to the Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

The youth shrugged and pursed his lips. Despite the tears in his clothing and the stain of dust, sweat and even some crusted blood …he held himself with the utmost dignity. He refused to be cowed by Hana's arch glares.

Hanabi watched from the edges, as did the rest of the group as Ibiki and Hana questioned the stranger. Pointing at a long gash on the boy's arm, Hana once more asked if she could sew him up.

"I need a healer, you said you were a …veterinarian. You know, you work on animals." The boy's voice was cool and haughty in the extreme. "But before that, I need to send you to fetch my bag, it was lost back there when the bad people threw a weapon at me. Then I need to see your Kage."

"Hokage?"

"Hai. The Slug Queen." The boy said with a curl of his lip as if he was smelling something rotten.

Shino shook his head at the stupidity of their captive. He looked at his wife who shrugged as if she didn't get it either.

"The Hokage should be treated with respect!" Michi's voice sounded almost strident as his sea-foam green eyes nearly bugged out at the tone the other boy was using.

"Ninja." The word held a world of disdain. "I've had enough of ninja."

Kirohu whimpered and tried to get loose from Sen as the vet assistant stitched him up and cleaned the wounds. "They may have aimed for you, but they hit this nin-dog instead." Sen muttered under his breath. "He's lucky to have carried you this far."

"It wasn't luck." The boy turned up his nose. "It was his duty."

Ibiki rocked back and forth on his heels as he looked at Hana. "Can I torture him yet? Please?"

The boy drew back in disdain and a healthy dose of fear as the Inuzuka kunoichi fought not to laugh. "You HAVE to go get my pack! It's important! And you can't torture me, you wouldn't DARE!"

Hana shook her head and pointed over at the wounded nin-dog. "That's Kirohu. I don't recall the kunoichi's name, it's been a while. Rin …something. Where is she?" She lied, she knew the name of Kirohu's mistress, but wanted to gauge the kid's reaction.

"Oh. Her. Dead probably. But she died bravely making sure I got away and to Konoha. I will honor her death by completing my task." The boy gave a nod of his head.

Hana thought it more telling that there wasn't one ounce of regret or remorse in the boy, nor did he name Mizutori Rinako at all. She'd met the other kunoichi only a few times before the girl had become betrothed to Kiba. But what she'd seen, she'd liked. Up until the assassination attempt by the Cloud representatives. Had she misjudged Rinako?

Rocks sidled up to Michi. "Hey, he's only a year younger than you and cute in a girly sort of way. Why don't you try to flirt the information out of him? Maybe you'll fall in loooove."

Michi nearly gagged at the thought. "Pretty boy? Oh, that's wrong! Besides, he's annoying and I'd end up strangling him after five minutes."

Rocks then turned to Hanabi. "Guess I owe you an apology. I thought you were the rich, stuck-up heiress. But you have nothing on this kid. I guess I didn't know a real spoiled brat yet."

Hanabi nodded absently as she watched the boy sip from the water canteen like it was tea served in the finest porcelain. "You're right. Rocks? You are so RIGHT!" She grabbed him, hugged him, and gave him a sound kiss on the cheek.

Heads turned to stare at her as Hanabi marched up to the group by the fire Hana had lit to mix up some herbs and ointments for treating Kirohu. Ibiki shook his head at Hana and the other jounin as the Hyuuga pulled out a handkerchief and brushed off the log next to the boy. He didn't know what she was up to, but knew her well enough that she wouldn't interfere without a good reason. Or at least, he hoped so.

She could tell the stranger was watching as Hanabi carefully laid out the handkerchief. "We have yet to be introduced, but these are rough surroundings. Pray forgive me?"

The youngster nodded suspiciously, waving a hand at her to go on.

"I thought I might offer some tea for brewing, it's the only civilized thing I can offer you out here. These are hard times, you know. Hard things are necessary, but still ...I can offer you some tea as we plan our next move to retrieve your ...bag." Hanabi opened her pack and delicately poked around to pull out a tea packet. "We might be on the road, but nothing beats gyokuro. Well …except for one fine tea of course, but it is hard to import so far. But I do love the flowery aroma, don't you?"

Hana looked at Ibiki, who shrugged. Gyokuro was the highest quality tea in Japan. But it certainly didn't smell like flowers.

The boy nodded. "It has a very lovely aroma, but I haven't had tieguanyin since we left my grandfa …." Here the boy shut up, clapping a hand over his mouth.

"He's a noble's kid." Hanabi announced victoriously, almost crowing as she tossed her tea back in her pack. Her inexpensive travel tea that didn't even come close to the cost of the very costly and imported tieguanyin. "Very wealthy, probably highly connected to the Daimyo Lords of his country. And since he was being carried by a nin-dog Inuzuka-sama says comes from the Land of Lightening …"

"Well done." Ibiki nodded. "And without torture. Still, what is a Lightening noble doing trying to get to Konoha?" He looked pleadingly over at Hana. "Torture? Just a little bit?"

"Oh, for him …sitting and talking with the likes of us IS torture." Hanabi said snootily as she stood and grabbed the handkerchief she'd been sitting on. She wadded it up and tossed at the boy's head. She smiled as the kid squealed in protest at something that had touched her rear end landed on his face.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The stalker moved with utter silence down the halls of the Hyuuga household. Peering around the door, the eyes accustomed to night watched his prey. Asleep.

Muscles moved with utter grace and deadly stealth, though his weapons were not drawn. There was no need.

The stalker judged the leap and took his moment before landing on his prey.

Hiashi grumbled and opened his pale eyes to stare into the gold-green eyes of his son's cat. A rumbling purr immediately began as the cat began kneading Hiashi's chest and turning round in a circle before settling down.

Anko stirred and turned her head, smiling. "I think Asubu likes you." She murmured.

"Then he is an idiot." Hiashi pushed the cat off his chest, where Asubu landed on all four feet and gave the Hyuuga a haughty stare of disdain. The cat then padded away quietly, looking like a Daimyo Lord taking his leave.

Anko smirked into her pillow. She had a feeling this battle of wills between man and cat was far from over.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako woke when the frigid water was dashed in her face. Far from alert, it took her a moment to recall where she was. Her eyes were swollen completely shut, and without her sight, all her feelings of touch were heightened.

Which wasn't a good thing.

Pain burned and ached through her right hand and wrist, well everywhere actually, but more acutely there. A man's voice cut through the fog clouding her mind. "Without a right hand, how can you form hand seals?"

Fear lanced through her body, then she relaxed. Slurring her words through swollen and bleeding lips, she answered. "If I'm dead, it won't matter."

"Now, I might be persuaded to let you go if you talk. Whose side are you on?"

For the first time since the torture started, Rinako was truly confused. The question made no sense. "I'm Cloud. I know you'll never let me live." She whispered.

Pain arched through her hand as she heard a sharp crack as one of her fingers snapped. "Oh, I broke it." The man sounded very fake in his sympathy. "Let's make it better."

With that, pain like she'd never felt before exploded throughout her body as he took her broken finger and jammed the two ends together, grinding them. Nausea overtook her though there was nothing left in her stomach. Dry heaves shook her, making every ache worse.

The man questioning her let up enough so she could breath a moment. Then he leaned down. "You're a Cloud kunoichi, as you've so kindly pointed out. We both know breaking a few bones won't make you talk. I could cut off your hand and you'd spit in my face. So how about …."

Something heavy smashed her right hand, crushing every bone there. Then the heavy stone began to turn, grinding the bones and ripping the skin to shreds.

Finally she screamed and passed out.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hana and Ibiki stood away from the others, discussing matters. Finally, they turned back to the group.

"Sen? I'm sending you with Aburame Shino to escort …our guest …to the guard gates. Don't let him into Konoha proper until you receive word back from the Hokage. Let her deal with him."

"But it's your duty as leader to take me …"

"Shut the fuck up." Hana growled at the boy, clearly and quite deliberately showing her fangs. "I am not the leader." She turned to Ibiki. "Your lead."

"Temari, Hana and myself along with my team will go after this Rinako. Retrieve her and this mysterious bag." Ibiki said gruffly.

"The bag is the important thing! It holds scrolls for your Hokage!" The boy shouted.

Ibiki winced. "You might have explained that FIRST instead of playing entitled noble brat."

"You can't speak to me that way! You're just a ninja, I'm a noble!"

"You're not my fucking noble." Michi groused.

The boy sucked in a shocked breath. "Punish him!" He demanded imperiously. "His words are offensive and his attitude …"

"Is better than mine, so you better keep your tongue between your lips or you might lose it." Hana said with quiet menace.

Shino coughed quietly. "I'd prefer to go along with the group, but if the boy is the target, and it looks as though he is …then he's still in danger until we're safely in Konoha."

"Thank you, Aburame-sama." Hana gave a swift nod of her head.

"Just know, if the Hokage allows, I will be coming after you all with reinforcements as swiftly as possible." Shino continued, giving his wife a long look behind his dark glasses.

Temari gave him a brash grin and fingered her fan weapon. "It'll all be over by then."

The strange noble boy sighed and pouted, but then gracelessly he gave a nod. "At least you're doing your duty …finally." He couldn't leave off the verbal jab at the end.

Rocks nudged Hanabi as they got ready. "I apologize again. You may be rich, but at least you're not like him."

"Yeah. I bet he couldn't explode a house." Michi whispered on the other side of her.

"I only burned it down." Hanabi grinned. It was good to have friends. It was better to postpone going to Suna.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara turned out the lamp over his desk. It was late, but he wasn't sleepy. Years of going without sleep had formed a pattern, a habit he couldn't seem to break. He never really slept, but more took several naps when needed. Often getting up to work through the night.

But tonight was less habit and more deliberate. The Kazekage of Suna looked out of his office window, out over the desert landscape.

Tomorrow.

They'd be here tomorrow. Pursing his lips he decided to be honest with himself. SHE would be here tomorrow.

And she wasn't going to be happy about it, not one little bit. He couldn't wait to see how irritated she truly was.

It was going to be fun. In the privacy of his office, unseen by anyone, he allowed himself a small smile of triumph.

o.O.o.O.o.O

A lone man slipped from the cavern fortress through a hidden back tunnel that the others hadn't discovered yet. It had taken him months to deactivate all the traps and install his own.

Once away, he ran to a hidden alcove in the rocks. There he found the messenger birds he tended for just such purposes as this.

The message he'd so painstakingly written was all ready. He attached it swiftly and sent the bird on its way. They were leaving here in the morning. And the man was sure that whatever news Ozawa had come back with …it wasn't good. Not for him. Not for them.

As he headed back toward their mission headquarters, the man wondered just when he'd chosen sides. Or had there never been a real choice? Was not deciding still a decision?

Tonight's actions though, that was decisive. The warning he'd sent …was imperative. Briefly he wondered about the kunoichi the others had caught and were questioning. Was she on their side?

Too bad she'd be dead before he could do something about that.

With that thought, and in the same complete silence in which he did everything, Eizan slipped back inside the main cave through his own personal entrance. He got to his room, but stopped as he realized that his brother wasn't standing watch out front, rather he was in their shared room. Waiting for him.

"Looking for me?" Eishi said quietly. "Watch shift changed since we're heading out. Imagine my surprise to find you weren't asleep. Or even here."

Eizan turned and shrugged.

"Where were you?"

The silent shinobi stayed true to himself and didn't speak at all.

Eishi's eyes followed him, hurt that his brother had shut him off somehow. "You slip out way too much." He said quietly. "Jun noticed, he was heading toward Tsuneyo only moments ago. You only have a minute or two."

In the dark, Eizan nodded. For the first and only times in their lives, the twins weren't on the same side. Eishi tossed him a travel pack. "Go now."

Eizan held out his hand for his brother. His twin. The other half of himself.

Eishi shook his head. "No. You've chosen your side. It's not mine. Tomorrow we'll be enemies."

Sighing, Eizan shouldered his travel pack. He reached out and touched his brother's arm. They looked at each other eye to eye for one long minute.

"I always win in shogi." Eishi whispered. "Stay. Don't take the losing side."

Eizan thought about it, he really did. But in the end he couldn't. Backing up, he gave his twin one last lingering look, then headed back out his personal exit. He didn't know what Jun knew or didn't, or how long a head start he'd have.

With any luck, that damned messenger bird would only get there a few days before him.

Left alone in the room, Eishi's hand trembled as he watched his brother disappear. Was this worth it? Was he right? Was either side right? And did any of it ultimately matter if he ended up having to face his own twin across a battlefield?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hana and the rest of the group traveled swiftly, following a worn out, but excited Kirohu. The nin-dog didn't have hope. Did canine's even know what hope was? All that Kirohu knew was that he was heading back toward Rinako.

That he would find her alive, the nin-dog never doubted.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The shinobi eyed the bird in the sky and took careful aim. One shot from the modified crossbow, and the bird fell. In no time at all the three tracked down the fallen bird and had pulled free its message container.

The voice of the other Grass ninja sounded odd as it traveled through his heavy mask. "It's coded."

Their leader nodded and pointed south. "It came from that side of the cliffs. A lot of caves and such in there. Plenty of places to hide." He thought about it a long moment. "Not our territory."

The other shinobi shrugged. "No one should have an encampment there. But there's been too much activity, too many rumors. We need to know what is going on, and whether it is a threat to us."

Their leader nodded and the three ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass headed in the general direction the bird had flown from.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kill a Hyuuga. Didn't matter which one. Isobe grunted as he filled his canteen in a creek, taking a short breather. The moonlight reflected his Cloud headband in the clear water.

Now. How to find a Hyuuga? Go to Konoha. Find someone with freaky white eyes. Fine. But why risk his life going after a fully trained adult Hyuuga?

They had to have kids, didn't they? Isobe smiled nastily as he stood back up and took off for the Leaf Village once more.

o.O.o.O.o.O

On an island somewhere off the coast of the non-alligned territories, one man accepted a drink from a pretty serving girl and smiled. He loved it here. Absolutely loved it.

Still. He'd been here a while. Usually his brother would have found him by now. It had been …what? Two years now? Briefly he wondered if this time they'd forgotten about him. Maybe it was time to go back to Kumogakure and remind them exactly who he was. Surprise his brother and all that, you know.

Killer Bee smiled and sipped his drink, relaxing by the pool as he stared up at the stars. Or maybe his brother was being nice and letting him have all the time he wanted just to relax and train at his own leisure.

Well. Maybe. Still, it really was time to go home. Perhaps make it home for his brother's birthday. That would be nice.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The Raikage of Kumogakure was smiling as he reached for his pipe, an affectation he'd taken up since he'd taken over his current office from the previous resident.

Tamping the tobacco down into the pipe though, the polished wood cracked down the side, splitting off. Frowning, he stared at his broken pipe. Was this a bad omen?

o.O.o.O.o.O


	19. Slug Fest

It was nearly three in the morning when an extremely pissed off woman burst through the door. Every person in the room trembled slightly as she glared at each individual in turn. Her red and sleep-interrupted eyes settled on the one person whom she did not recognize.

"Are you the cause of this? Well, I'm going to fucking kill you."

Shihei blinked and crossed his arms, his heart racing in recognition of the danger this woman presented. He swallowed hard, and it hurt because his throat was suddenly dryer than a desert.

"I …I …I demand to see the …Hakage! I mean Hokage." The boy blushed at his slip.

Tsunade's eyes nearly glowed as she leaned down to look him in the eye. Her mouth tightened as the young teen's eyes slid from her own down to her gaping cleavage.

"See something?" She purred with menace clearly ringing through her voice.

"N…n…no! NO!" Shihei whipped his eyes upwards. "But grandfather said the Slug Queen would have an impressive …well …" He waved his hand toward her bosom, blushing beet red. "But you're too young to be her. You're trying to trick me."

Behind his glasses, Shino closed his eyes at the absurdity of the moment.

Tsunade pulled up to her full height as she glared down at the kid. "Slug Queen?" She said almost gently.

Kotetsu turned his head away and coughed as Shizune looked to the ceiling, praying the boy wouldn't suffer too much before he died.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The two groups of ninja looked equally stunned as they each noticed the other about the same time. Weapons were brandished, threats made, and aspirations cast upon the legitimacy of each other's births.

"Bastard!" The Grass ninja hissed.

Ibiki growled. "Son of a bitch!"

"What business does the Leaf village have here?" One Grass ninja held up his hand, a distinctive streak of white running through his raven-black hair.

"Rakuai? Rakuai of the Village Hidden in the Grass?" Hana gave the man a long measuring glance. "I've heard of you."

The shinobi gave her a long look as well. "I can't say I can place you other than as a probable Inuzuka, what with the nin-dogs. Him?" He pointed at Ibiki. "I have heard he proctors chuunin tests. Other than that, we have little information. Only rumors that seem to contradict each other."

"Good." The ANBU shinobi nodded. That was as it should be. "As for you, we know of your name. And we know you are a capable shinobi, who is probably far more powerful than we are aware of. Possible assassin specialist, but then again, perhaps not."

Rakuai shrugged and didn't answer the unspoken question. They had established that they knew of each other, and yet only had small pieces of information. "You still have no business in this land."

"Your village may be in the area north of here, but this is not your territory either." Temari spoke up, her tone harsh. "Don't lecture us on borders."

"Sand." One of the other Grass ninja sneered.

Rakuai shook his head and pointed. "She's wearing Leaf headband. No word has passed that the Kazekage's sister has defected. And with that great fan weapon attached to your back, who else could you be bur her? Therefore …marriage?" The tone in his voice made it quite evident he didn't expect an answer. Secrecy was a way of life to ninja.

"Yes."

Everyone turned to stare at Ibiki, but he ignored them, focusing on the Grass leader. "Sand and Leaf are allies, no secret. Marriage makes it all the tighter a bond. She is of us now."

"Bonds break." Rakuai said, more for something to say than for any real thought behind the answer. He was too stunned to form an opinion yet. Not by the information actually given, but by the very fact that it was given and not coerced.

"Two marriages between Sand and Leaf now." Ibiki continued quietly.

Hana watched intently, unsure what deep game the scarred man was playing. Why give up this information?

Obviously the Grass ninja wondered the same as they looked at each other uneasily. The man who'd spoken up before did so again. "You don't sound like you're lying. So what do you want for this information?"

"Cloud has been in the area."

Stunned expressions on the Grass ninja gave Ibiki his answer. "You didn't know?"

"No." Rakuai shook his head. "We thought it was either Sand or Leaf. This area is out of Cloud's range. We are not hostile to them, but nor are we friendly."

Hana stepped up, finally catching on to Ibiki's way of thinking. "If Cloud didn't want anyone to know of their presence, then they'd move in an area that we all would think of as coming from each other."

The Grass shinobi nodded thoughtfully. "They could travel through the non-aligned regions and skirt the barriers of the villages along their way. Travel the mountain passes that are less used. Treacherous journey though."

Temari caught the eye of Hanabi and then Michi. Rocks was looking at the Grass ninja without expression, measuring chakra and strength if such would be needed. They were all thinking the same thing. Had Mizutori Rinako brought the bratty kid along those pathways? Why? Why not travel directly from Cloud to Leaf?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shihei squirmed in his seat. The smell of fear dripped from him as he sweat under the glare of the scary blonde woman claiming to be Konoha's Hokage. "I don't believe you." He whispered through trembling lips.

Exaspirated, Tsunade grabbed the kid about the neck of his shirt and pulled him off the ground. Her strength held him up with one hand, gravity pulled him down so he sunk into his shirt with only the tip of his nose and his wide, wide eyes staring at her. "They got me up for you, supposedly a noble's brat from the Land of Lightening. Okay. I've seen you. Now I'll throw you in a pit and leave you to rot until I'm in a better mood. Maybe sometime next year."

The kid kicked and clawed at her hand gripping his shirt, but she didn't even move a muscle. Shihei opened his mouth as if to try and bite her hand and Shizune rushed forward just as Tsunade's other hand cocked back and formed a fist.

"Why won't you believe that Tsunade is …well …"

"Go ahead and say Slug Queen and you're next." Tsunade hissed, giving her assistant a hard glare that promised retribution if she dared utter those words.

Shizune stepped back, and narrowly missed stepping on Sakura's toes. The pink-haired kunoichi moved out of the way, watching intently. It had been her bad luck to be on call at the Hokage tower when the guards had brought in Shino and the kid.

After learning what had transpired so far, Tsunade had sent Sen back out with more ninja in order to complete the veterinary mission. Business was business, and complete missions meant money in the bank.

But as for the kid …the Hokage growled low and mean as she glared at the kid dangling from her fist.

"She's too young."

Tsunade stopped, her fist dropping as she widened her eyes. "I'm too young?"

Shihei tried to nod, but he only managed to bump his nose on her fist. He winced. "Grandfather said that the Slug Queen was young when he was …" He stopped himself and edited what he'd been about to say. "She'd be old. You can't be her."

"OLD?" Tsunade yelped and Shizune and Sakura had to grab her arm to keep her from punching the kid through a wall. "Let go of me!" She shook off her assistant and her former student, but when she turned her fiery gaze back on the kid, she winced.

Tsunade put him down as the boy held his hands over his bloody nose. When she'd shaken off the two kunoichi, she'd also shaken the kid and he'd banged his nose up pretty badly against her fist. She scowled. "I'll be damned if I apologize for that."

Shihei pointed an accusatory finger at her, it would have been more effective if his whole arm wasn't shaking like a leaf in the wind. "I'll have you up on charges for that! They'll execute you!"

Sakura chuckled and Shizune shook her head at the temerity of youth. Tsunade though heard the ring of something threaded through the boy's voice. She shot a look at Shino. "You told me, but I didn't credit it. He really is highly connected. Noble."

Shino shrugged. "Hanabi felt so. Got him to admit it in a round about way." He said simply.

"Who are you?" Tsunade crouched down before the boy, giving him a hard stare.

"A hostage." Came the mumbled reply as the boy tried desperately to hold his nose up in the air, but choking on blood every time he tried.

Shizune stiffened. "The Mizutori Rinako that Hana mentioned in her note she sent back with you? The Cloud kunoichi had you hostage?"

"No." He groaned, swaying dizzily as he stared at his hands covered in his own blood. "No, I'm your hostage. Or your Hokage's actually."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hana pulled Ibiki aside, glaring at the Grass ninja on the other side of the clearing. "Are you sure about this?"

"Honestly? No." The ANBU torture division leader gave a wry smile. "But they're here looking into activity coming from the area that Kirohu is leading us toward. Better an ally than a second enemy."

Hana chewed her lip quietly as she contemplated her response. "Kirohu sniffed them, they're not the ninja that were after he and the boy. Not the ones who injured him."

Ibiki nodded sagely and gave another long glance at one of the Grass ninja as he flirted lightly with Hanabi. He smiled as Rocks put himself between the two. He smiled wider as Michi engaged the other man in conversation and led them away from the young kunoichi. It seems his team was learning to protect each other.

"She does know he's only flirting with her to try and gain information, right?"

Ibiki chuckled as Hanabi stepped out from around Rocks and intercepted Michi and the Grass shinobi. "Oh. She knows. The boys? They'll learn to trust that she's tougher than she looks. Eventually." They watched as Hanabi tried to flirt with the Grass ninja, both looking for any crumb of information and neither really focusing on anything even near romantic. It was an age old dance.

Both Leaf jounin grinned at the sour look on Rokuro's face. Michi's expression gave nothing away, but he was tense enough to show he didn't like Hanabi talking to the foreigner.

"I still don't like this 'joint effort' idea of yours." Hana whispered.

"Neither do I, actually." Ibiki admitted. "But we don't need to fight a battle on two sides when we are blind to what is going on. Grass may not be our ally, but we're not actively enemies at the moment. I'd like to keep it that way."

The Inuzuka sighed and changed the subject. "Any hope that we'll find Mizutori alive?"

Ibiki shook his head. "No." He said quietly. "Not a chance."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The caverns hidden so well in the mountain side was shielded from view. But there was a lot going on nevertheless.

Tsuneyo had them all gathered. "Eizan's gone traitor on us. Instead of leaving at first light, we go now. Jun tells me Eizan's trail is cold and is most likely a false one anyway. Still, I'm having him trailed."

He'd sent Eishi and a few select others to trail the missing shinobi anyway. Figuring that the twin would know his brother's moves better than anyone else.

"What if Eishi goes rogue as well?" Ozawa grumbled.

"He would have left with his brother if that was his intent." Tsuneyo said coldly. Though he'd ordered the other two men to kill Eishi the moment that they'd caught and killed Eizan. The man hadn't left with his twin, true. But he hadn't raised the alarm or tried to stop him from leaving either. No, Eishi and Eizan both had to die.

Ozawa sighed from where he was checking the travel packs. "Did Eizan somehow glean what I found out about …Killer Bee?"

The other men looked uncomfortable at that name. The old Raikage and his brother had been highly popular. If there was anyone who could put a spoke into the new Raikage's plans, it would be the jinchuuriki. People still respected him, loved him. That made him a threat.

That's why they were looking for him. The new Raikage had put out the information that Killer Bee had been captured and was being held hostage along with the Daimyo Lord, but in a different location. Some even thought the eight-tailed jinchuuriki was dead. That was a lie, but a convenient one for the new Raikage.

Tsuneyo scowled and went into his act. "Killer Bee left us. Disappeared, even his own brother didn't know where he'd gone. He doesn't care about us. We just have to make sure he doesn't interfere with the new leadership. That's all."

A few shinobi shot each other nervous looks. They knew the party line. They knew what the new Raikage had been saying for over a year before taking action to depose the former leader of Kumogakure. And if some questioned deep in their hearts the validity of those statements, the death of over half the Elder Council and the former Raikage himself held them in check. No one wanted civil war. The coup had not been bloodless, but it had been quick.

Many had woken up one day only to discover that everything had changed. Some accepted. Some left. Some fought.

"We move." Tsuneyo grunted, not sharing his thoughts with his men.

Jun coughed, slouching as he leaned against the rock face. "The kunoichi?"

Swearing, the Cloud leader nodded and gave a hand signal to Jun. "Kill her, if she hasn't died already. I wanted more information from her, but we need to be on the move. Don't take too long." He told the man basically not to torture or rape the girl. "We don't have time for nonsense."

Jun outright pouted as he pulled out a long, wicked looking dagger that on a smaller man might be considered a short sword instead. "I owe her." His ribs ached where the girl had nearly gutted him.

"You will obey."

The two men stared at each other for a long moment, though it was Jun's eyes that were the first to drop. "So be it."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"How do I prove I am the Hokage?" Tsunade drummed her fingertips on the top of her desk.

Shizune sighed and shook her head. "You could drop …" She'd been about to suggest that the Hokage drop her illusion of youth. The glare from Tsunade stopped her cold. It was clear that THAT was not going to happen!

"You are not the Slug Queen." The boy's haughty look was lost on them as they all tried not to laugh at his grossly swollen nose.

Tsunade's smile faded as she sat up straight. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Shizune started, then drew back sharply as she watched her friend and Hokage draw blood and form the hand seals of a summoning. "Wait, there's no room in your office for Katsuyu to appear …."

Everyone stopped as a slug the size of the Hokage's desk appeared right in front of a surprised Shino and Sakura.

Tsunade chuckled with ill grace. "What? You don't think I can summon only the one giant slug do you? Katsuyu has daughters after all." She turned to the kid and grinned. "Does this prove that I am …hey you!"

Shihei was swaying in his seat, staring in horror at the slug. Everyone watched as the kid's eyes rolled back in his head and he fell gracelessly from his chair with a loud crunching sound as he hit the floor, face first.

Sakura winced in sympathy. "I think he just broke his nose for real."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Jun was flipping his kunai expertly from one hand to the other as he smiled cruelly. He was anticipating this death so much. Stupid bitch had cut him. Now he was going to cut her! Oh, he'd make it quick like Tsuneyo had ordered, but he wouldn't make it painless. Oh no. The more pain the better. He just hoped she still lived and hadn't died of her wounds before he could have some fun.

One minute he was happily contemplating murder, and the next he spun around, staring back up the darkened tunnel. Was that …the sound …of …fighting? He gripped his kunai tighter as he raced back toward the outside of the huge cavern.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Coldly, Tsunade dumped the entire carafe of water over the boy's head. As he sputtered and protested she hauled him to his feet and pushed him into his chair. "Now I will tell you one last time. I am the Hokage of Konoha. Explain your reason for coming, explain why you consider yourself my hostage, and explain JUST WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON! Oh, and while you're at it …explain why you had to get here at 3 o'clock in the fucking morning!"

Shihei whined and shuddered as he tried to breathe through his mouth. "I need a healer first."

Tsunade's desk cracked and broke as she struck it with enough force to make Shihei jump three feet in the air, his eyes wide as saucer platters. "Start talking NOW!"

And he did.

Tsunade listened intently, but with each word coming from the kid's mouth her jaw dropped. Shino's eyes grew bigger and Sakura leaned against the far wall in shock. Shizune swayed a moment and wondered what her husband was getting himself into going into a mess like this.

The Hokage's assistant turned to stare out the window and offer a prayer for Ibiki and the others to return safely. Was it bandits who had attacked the boy? Or something far more sinister?

o.O.o.O.o.O

The fighting was brutal and intense. Water tendrils flailed and threw Cloud ninja off balance. Rivers of fog and poisoned air flew at Leaf ninja faster than nature had ever intended. A Grass shinobi grunted as he got pinned between two opponents.

Rokuro stepped in and let his hand seals fly. "Tei daichi no jutsu!" He called out and suddenly one of the men attacking the Grass shinobi was clawing at his throat, trying to breathe. But the air around his head had turned as solid as the earth itself.

Seeing this, Tsuneyo's eyes narrowed as he slid past his opponent, another dog-nin kunoichi of all things. Faster than the eye could follow he was about to imbed his weapon into the heart of the child who dared try to fight with jounin. Take out the air jutsu user, and his man could breathe again. Simple.

A growl was his only warning as a chocolate streak of fur flew at him, all teeth and attitude. The dog-nin barely missed tearing out Tsuneyo's throat as he went into an evasion maneuver. The kunoichi behind him grinned as her own blade slammed home. Or would have if he hadn't formed a substitution jutsu at the last moment. That would teach him to discount a kunoichi during battle.

Rocks looked shaky as he continued his assault. He spared a glance as Kirohu, blood on his muzzle, suddenly launched himself down a tunnel passageway. "The nin-dog!" He called out, not sure who could hear him.

Ibiki was tied up fighting two Cloud ninja at the same time. Inuzuka Hana was going after the man that had tried to take him apart. Rocks turned away from that thought, he couldn't afford to be distracted. Not in a battle when he and his teammates were all genin and everyone else appeared to be chuunin and jounin level.

Rakuai, the Grass shinobi leader went down under three ninja. Rocks stepped forward, then shook his head as all three ninja suddenly went flying in an explosion. When the dust cleared, only the bodies of the three attackers remained. While ten feet away Rakuai was fighting yet another opponent.

Rocks felt out of his depth.

Suddenly, he saw Hanabi race down the passageway after the nin-dog, Kirohu. No! His eyes flew across the field of battle and caught Michi looking in the same direction. Then the water-jutsu user looked over at him. Both genin nodded and they raced after their erstwhile teammate.

Ibiki saw and growled, unable to follow until he dispatched his two opponents. And they just seemed to refuse to die! Damn them!

A spurt of wind and suddenly the ANBU torture shinobi found it hard to stay on his feet. He and the two Cloud ninja all paused a moment as two men went flying past them to slam into the rock face. They all looked over and saw Temari perched on a tree trunk, grinning from ear to ear.

A whistle behind him had Ibiki spinning and then he felt the sharp pang of relief as two of Hana's three nin-dogs took off after the foolhardy genin. In the next instant he was too busy dodging his attackers to watch anyone else.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade scrunched up her forehead. "I think I have a headache now."

"I know I do." Shihei muttered. "Can I see a healer yet?" He whined.

"You're seeing one now." The Hokage leaned back in her chair. "My professional opinion? Your nose isn't broken. Just banged up. Suck it up."

Shizune had found a chair during the boy's recitation, and now she covered her eyes with her hand. "The Lightening Daimyo lords have been taken hostage?"

Sakura whistled. "This is exactly what Danzo wanted to do here. Depose the sitting Hokage and take over."

Tsunade shook her head in disgust. "If it had ever occurred to him to simply murder me, take the Daimyo Lords hostage, and kill any council member opposed …. It might have worked."

"It did work." Shihei whimpered. "In my country. Now I've been sent to Konoha as a hostage to you. A promissory note. My grandfather wants to hire Konoha for an 'S' ranked mission."

"The Fourth Great Ninja War." Tsunade shuddered, feeling nauseated. "I don't think I can …I don't think I can even contemplate starting that. No."

Shizune sat up. "But we're not starting a war, we're freeing a country …"

"A country currently divided!" Tsunade shouted, standing up as her face went red with fury. "Shino! Sakura!"

The two named ninja shot to attention. "If Danzo had managed to succeed that time, and I fell in battle. If he managed to take our Daimyo Lords hostage and kill off any opponents on the Council. And if that council then voted him Hokage. Would you follow him? He is now the Hokage. Would you follow him?"

"NO!" Sakura shouted, appalled.

Shino fisted his hands and paused.

"Shino?" Sakura turned to him in shock.

The Aburame gave a quick jerk of his head. "No, I would not follow him. I would take my clan …somewhere else. But …if he had been named Hokage …there are those that would follow. Reluctantly, but they'd want to avoid a civil war. And …this is Konoha. We follow the Hokage, the office if not the person. It would not be easy to leave this village and all we know …that some clans would stay. And others would welcome the change." He shrugged almost apologetically.

"But not the Aburame, right?" Sakura sounded so hurt.

Shino shook his head. "I don't know. Not me. Not my father. But there are those that respect strength above all else."

"Exactly." Tsunade frowned sharply. "And to fight to overthrow a Kage, even if that's how HE gained power …is two wrongs a right?"

"Grandfather doesn't ask you to fight the Raikage, or to kill him." Shihei spoke up, almost quietly for once. "Free him. That's all he asks. Free the Lightening Daimyo. Then if Kumogakure goes to him or to the current Raikage …that is not on you."

Sakura wrapped her arms around herself as if cold, though it was still summer. "But don't you have Cloud ninja on your side of all this?"

Shihei nodded. "I don't know the particulars, I couldn't be told in case I was captured. However, our ninja can not put their Daimyo Lord in danger. They would …they would fight with fear in their hearts, fear of what might happen if he were hurt, or killed."

"As outsiders, our only concern is the successful completion of the mission." Tsunade turned to stare out her window. "I need to think this over. I can not make a decision this big right now. We risk all out shinobi war."

Shino stirred. "With permission? My wife and the others …"

"Yes, take …No. I'll go."

"Lady Tsunade?!" Sakura looked shocked. "You can't …"

"I need to clear my head. I need to get out of this office. I need …I need to crack some damned heads open. Let's go after these bandits that stole those scrolls Shihei was bringing to me. I need to read these messages before I can EVER make a decision on this particular mission request."

"Then I'm going too!" Sakura and Shizune spoke at the same time.

Tsunade shook her head as she grabbed her cloak. "Sakura? I need you here. You're to take Shihei and put him into some kind of protective custody. Don't let the council know about him. Not yet. Stall them. Tell them that Shizune and I are heading for a major medical emergency. Lie. Whatever."

"Sensei!" The pink-haired kunoichi protested.

"Shizune? Send for …oh who's in the village? Get Kakashi in here to back up Sakura. And bring Naruto with us, grab Lee and TenTen too. They just got back from a mission last week and should be raring to go."

Tsunade turned and gave Sakura a long look. "Until I get back, you act in my stead. Think you can handle being Hokage?"

Sakura went red in the face as her eyes bulged. "Oh shit!"

"What?" Shino asked as the others got ready.

Sakura shook her head. "Naruto will be so jealous! I get to be Hokage before him!"

Tsunade laughed as she headed out the door.

Shihei sighed and touched his tender nose. "Is she really the Slug Queen, or was that a trick?"

Sakura sighed and stared down at the kid. "Great. I get stuck with you."

"You should be honored to meet me at all." Shihei closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Not many of your station get to be in the presence of …OW!" He glared at the girl who'd just tweaked his nose painfully.

Sakura grinned. "Good news. It's not broken." She leaned down and gave him a long look. "Yet."

"Yet?"

The medical kunoichi nodded happily. "I'm Hokage for a few hours at least. If I order it, I can have your nose broken for real."

"Uh uh." He eyed her carefully. "You would not dare!"

Sakura cracked her knuckles as inner-Sakura smiled at the boy with dark intent.

Shihei whimpered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi, Byakugan active, followed the passageways toward the woman lying so still in a room. She followed the nin-dog, weapons at the ready. There was someone racing toward them, his own weapons drawn.

Behind her she could see Michi and Rocks hurrying after her, thanks to her family's special abilities. It was nice being able to watch your own back!

Jun drew up as he watched a nin-dog race toward him. But the dog didn't stop, didn't waver as he streaked past toward the kunoichi's prison. So be it. He needed to get up to the surface and help his …

He stopped and grinned, looking at the little girl standing before him. His eyes widened as he caught sight of her nearly colorless eyes. "Hyuuga." He breathed.

Hanabi settled into the gentle fist formation.

Jun laughed. "Oh the Raikage will be so pleased when I kill you, little bitch."

Hanabi raised one brow in response. "Only if you manage that. Bitch isn't necessarily a bad word."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsuneyo saw his men falling. Falling all around him. He grimaced and managed to slice the neck of the Grass ninja he was currently fighting. With that, he grabbed his pack and slipped through a side passage behind a rock, heading back into the tunnels.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi and Rocks rounded the corner and stopped cold. Hanabi was in full swing as she parried every blow, every tossed weapon. Rocks stepped aside as one of the deflected blades headed right toward him.

Michi grinned and formed his hand seals to call forth his water tendrils. He didn't have a whole lot of chakra left, but what he did have …

Jun choked as water slammed into his face, knocking him off balance enough that he flailed. The opening as all Hanabi needed as she spun and turned, kicking him with a chakra enhanced leg.

The enemy shinobi fell through a door, splintering it as he fell inside.

Hanabi readied herself for his counterattack. An attack that didn't come. Instead, all three genin heard a muffled 'pop' and caught the stench of burning flesh. The tortured scream came only seconds later.

All three moved to the doorway, looking inside with horror as the man burned alive, the flames burning nothing but the ninja. Papers and books were everywhere, but none of it burned. Only him.

Michi quickly sent dousing water with his jutsu, but the flames didn't die easily. Gulping, all three genin stepped back as the man stopped screaming and fell. The flames died down as he died.

Rocks shook his head. "What did you do?" He whispered.

"It wasn't me." Hanabi whined.

Michi choked on the dark humor. "You burned down a man this time."

Hanabi elbowed him, satisfied to hear the water specialist grunt in protest. "It. Wasn't. Me."

Rocks pursed his lips to keep from laughing. "Wait until we tell Ibiki. You burned down a house first, now a man. What's next?"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	20. Aftermath

_"Rinako?"_

Pain stirred as she tried to make sense of that word. It sounded a bit …familiar. But then again, maybe not.

_"Mizutori!"_

More pain, more fog and yet …something …something ….

Hana sat back and sighed, looking over at Temari. "I've done what I can, but this is beyond my expertise. If this were an animal, I'd give her a merciful ending and let her go."

Temari nodded, looking with critical eyes on the body of a Cloud kunoichi. She shook her head. "But if she were a nin-dog, then what would you do?" She asked pointedly, quietly. Her eyes looked over to the form of a depressed and anxious Kirohu. The large chocolate nin-dog was being guarded by Hana's three canines lest he crowd too close.

The veterinarian sat back and sighed. "Look, truth is I've stitched her up. But she's lost a lot of blood. And there's internal damage I can't assess here. And that hand? No, that needs an expert."

"Will she make it back to Suna?" Temari asked quietly.

Hana chuckled, but there was no humor to be found in her eyes. "Suna? Girl, you married a Leaf shinobi. Think Fire, not Wind. Better medics anyway."

The blonde kunoichi pressed her lips together and shot Hana an evil look. "I only meant Suna is closer. I don't think she'd survive the trip back to Konoha."

_Konoha? That word pulled at something. Something important. She had to … that's right …she had to get to Konoha … but …but …where was she?_

A groan had the two women stopping as they turned to stare at the prisoner they'd just sort of rescued.

The Inuzuka vet sighed. "To answer your original question, if she were a nin-dog? I'd do everything and anything to save her. Even trying to take her to Suna though I know it'll probably kill her."

Temari nodded, turning to go get the others before Hana's voice continued.

"But she is NOT a nin-dog. She is in fact a foreign ninja. A woman that I'd thought I liked well enough to put her name up to my mother, set up a meeting. I helped arrange a betrothal between she and my brother, Kiba." Hana clenched her fist in frustration. "I met her through some veterinary contacts, a multi-village conference on new medicinal ways to treat certain canine ailments."

Temari looked surprised, pointing at the felled kunoichi. "THIS was Kiba's fiancé? The one whose wedding contract fell through because of an assassination attempt on the Hyuuga family?"

Hana nodded slowly.

Temari whistled under her breath. "So THAT'S how you knew her nin-dog!"

Raising one brow, Hana turned from her patient with an odd look. "Of course we'd met before, how else did you think I recognized Kirohu when we met up with him?"

A slight flush stained her cheeks and had Temari turning to look up the passageway, her back to Hana.

"Well?" Prodded the Inuzuka.

Turning her head to give the other kunoichi a wry glance, Temari shrugged. "I just thought it was a clan thing. Like you knew every nin-dog or something."

_She felt dazed, unsure. She was floating, but not in water. There was …something, a moment ago, there was something important she wanted to remember. But it was gone now. So she floated. Floated in a sea of pain and fog, but somewhere in the distance she thought she heard …laughter?_

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was just past dawn. The sunrise over Suna had been spectacular, as usual. But as usual, most either slept in or paid little attention to something that was an everyday occurrence. The populace rarely even noted the brilliant colors and beauty in their land.

Gaara did, though he'd not always looked on sunrise as something to admire. Over the years he'd come to detest sunrise actually. And love it. Sunrise had meant that the night was over and the rest of the world joined him in being awake. As the vessel of the Sand Demon, sleep had been …lacking. Short naps here and there when he simply had to do so, but each time the demon had eaten away at his controls, his very personality. But sunrise also had meant he had to deal with living. And his life at the time had been almost unbearable.

Then had come the mission to Konohakagure. Ever since then he'd found a new path, ever since that fight with Naruto …Gaara had viewed sunrise in Suna differently. As each day became a challenge first to overcome, then to succeed. But after the mess with dying, with the Akatsuki …sunrise in Suna had taken on new meanings entirely.

Gaara breathed deeply as he watched the light touch his village. Of course there were people up before dawn, as he often was. Still …when the light hit Suna, it was as if everything came to life.

The sun. Life and death in the desert. A power not to be taken lightly, not out here. Life was lush and relatively easy in Konoha. But the red-head knew he would never consider leaving the desert, no matter how harsh, no matter how deadly. Even with all the difficulties out here, there was beauty in the desert around Suna. The beauty of living his life, on his own terms. This is what the desert meant to him.

Feeling silly, Gaara turned away from his window. He didn't dare share these thoughts with anyone. Not Baki, and definitely not his siblings. For a brief moment, he wondered if Hanabi would notice the sunrise. Would she notice Suna and see it as he did? Or would she think his musings silly and inane?

"Kazekage-sama?"

Glad for the interruption, Gaara turned toward the young kunoichi. She gave him a small smile as she bowed her head. "A message for you."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi sneezed suddenly, then excused herself. "Sorry." She muttered to Ibiki as their sensei peered into the room where an enemy shinobi had burst into flames not a few hours before.

Bending down into a crouch, but not entering the room, Ibiki studied the scene. "You didn't use a tag on him."

"She only kicked him through the door." Rocks said, not for the first time.

"That wasn't a question." Ibiki grunted, finally standing up with a sigh. "If it had been a tag of Hanabi's, then the papers, scrolls and books in there would have burned too. No, this was something else."

Hanabi shook her head, breathing through her mouth to dispel the stench of burned flesh. "But what?"

Ibiki shrugged. "You have the eyes, look."

"I did!" Hanabi felt the urge to kick him, but held off on the thought that he could kick her ass to Konoha and back. He'd been training them, and she knew she hadn't yet seen him fight full out. And still none of their team could touch him skill wise.

Michi shifted uncomfortably. "She used the Byakugan, saw some strange things …not exactly tags."

Ibiki frowned and looked around the room. "No one enters any of the rooms that don't look like the Cloud ninja have cleared."

"Not without your permission, I presume." The nasally voice grated as each of the Leaf ninja turned to look at Rakuai. The Grass shinobi met their gazes implacably. "This place doesn't belong to Leaf."

"Well it doesn't belong to Grass!" Rocks stepped forward, only to have Ibiki put his hand on the young man's shoulder, stopping him.

Rakuai didn't answer, instead he walked forward and up to Ibiki. The two men sized each other up for a long moment. The three genin shot each other looks as if unsure what they should do next. Finally, Ibiki moved aside and with a wave of his hand made as if to usher the other shinobi inside the room. "Be my guest. But I should warn you …"

Humor lit the Grass ninja's hard-eyed gaze as he turned to look inside the room. "Traps. Yes, I'm aware. I even sense one or two, but I'm sure that there are more than that."

"See." Hanabi elbowed Rokuro. "I didn't burn the man down."

"I would have been more impressed if you did." The Grass ninja stated dryly, crouching down much like Ibiki had before him, in order to look at the still smoldering corpse. He sniffed carefully. "I don't recognize the accelerant."

"Nor I." Ibiki commented.

"But I do recognize the symbol etched into the wall that the Cloud ninja were using as a dining room." The Grass ninja stood back up and eyed Ibiki carefully.

"As did I." The ANBU torture master nodded.

Hanabi looked confused and Rocks shrugged lightly. Michi nodded and sighed. "Akatsuki. Right? The Cloud shinobi found an old Akatsuki fortress and were making use of it."

Everyone looked at each other, each wondering what was the next move. Leaf didn't want to cede the find to Grass, but neither did Grass want to let go of it.

Rakuai shook his head. "I've already sent a message to the Grass Village. We're closer, and our people will be here sooner than yours." The threat was more than implied.

Ibiki didn't look troubled. "I sent a message to Suna, they're closer than Konoha." Countermove.

"And allies of yours." The Grass shinobi said almost bitterly.

"As you say." Ibiki nodded, though he hoped he had reinforcements coming from Konoha sooner than that. Shino should be on his way toward them already, bringing help.

o.O.o.O.o.O

As it happened, the Grass contingent got to the former Akatsuki fortress first. But only by a few moments as Sand arrived next.

Temari grinned when she saw Gaara leading the group from Suna.

The two groups circled each other carefully. Each standing ready to fight if anyone made even the slightest move in the wrong direction.

Gaara stared coldly at the cliff side. "This wasn't where they brought me." He didn't remember that time, but he'd been back to visit. Something in him had drawn him back to see the place where he'd died. If Granny Chiyo hadn't intervened ... oh well. No use thinking of might have beens.

Something moved in the eyes of the lead Grass ninja, a jounin of high rank, though not the leader of their village. "So you say."

"So we all say." Ibiki stepped up with quiet menace. "The reports are that the cavern was destroyed in the battle with Sasori of the Red Sand. This place is something different."

The Grass ninja grunted, but let the comment slide. Instead he turned the subject. "You have a Cloud ninja captive, we want access."

Gaara shook his head negatively. "I haven't been briefed in yet, no negotiations until then." His voice was cold, unwavering. Although the Grass jounin was older and bigger, no one watching would mistake Gaara for being the weaker of the two. Power almost radiated off of him.

The Grass ninja took one step forward, then stopped as the sound of sand started swirling in the gourd Gaara held on his back. The foreign shinobi stopped and rethought his position, though he shook his head. "We demand equal access." He said, but sounded just the slightest bit unsure.

Temari coughed lightly, stepping up beside her brother. "The prisoner was being held by the Cloud ninja. And tortured. She is near death."

"Awake?" Hissed the Grass shinobi.

Rakuai moved forward, nodding his head slightly to the other Grass shinobi. "I've seen her myself. She is not awake, and may never waken again so severe are her injuries."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shikamaru shook his head and sighed. "No, Sakura. Even as acting Hokage you can't execute a foreign noble."

"Don't make me regret bringing you in on this." The pink-haired girl moaned. "Kotetsu just threatened to go missing-nin if we don't relieve him of hostage-sitting duties."

The shadow-nin slumped in his seat, looking bored. "You only brought me in on this because you needed me to run interference with the Elder Council. Trou…."

"If you say troublesome one more time, I will knock you through the wall of the Hokage tower." Sakura gritted her teeth and called chakra to her fist. "And while I might not get away with killing Shihei, I will get away with hurting you. A temporary Hokage, is STILL Hokage."

Ino smothered a giggle as she watched her best friend and her fiancé bicker. "What's the big deal, he's just a kid, right?"

"Annoying brat from hell." Sakura muttered, still eyeing Shikamaru. "And you haven't met him yet. Kotetsu is trying to get him to eat in the next room."

Ino frowned. "Why won't the boy eat, is he too worried? It must be awful to be sent out as a political hostage. Bartered for a mission price. That sucks."

Sakura relaxed slightly, putting her fist down. Which in turn made Shikamaru relax as well. The pink-haired temporary Hokage gave a weak smile. "No. He won't eat the food because it wasn't what he wanted. And we don't have silver chopsticks for him to use."

"Silver chopsticks?" Ino boggled. "He really IS troublesome, isn't he?"

Sakura groaned and closed her eyes in despair. "He's ruined you! Now he's got you using that damned word too!"

Shikamaru smiled over at the pretty blonde. "That's my girl."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well? How's it going?" Hana poked at Hanabi as they sat in a nearby room.

Hanabi, looking with her Byakugan, shrugged. "I can't tell."

Naruto scowled from the corner. "I can't believe she put SAKURA in charge."

Temari grinned and peeled an apple with a sharp blade. The ribbon of apple peel spun in one long spiral. Rocks looked impressed. "Hana has the medical knowledge, but can't see through walls. The mushroom has the eyes to look through walls, but not the medical knowledge to know what she's looking at. Perfect."

Rokuro's ears perked up. "Mushroom?"

Hanabi scowled, and rushed to try and distract her teammate from the nickname her step-mother had given her. "Tsunade is doing something with tags while Shizune is drawing out something on the floor. Oh, she just pulled out a small scroll."

Michi sighed. "If this is just going to be a recitation of what they're physically doing, then it will tell us nothing." He got up, I'm going to go see if the Kazekage needs anything.

Rocks smirked at him and Michi swatted the back of his head as he passed, but kept his mouth shut. He passed Naruto, hearing the blonde mutter something. "What was that?"

Naruto blinked his blue eyes at the guy and shrugged. "It doesn't mean anything. It's not like she's REALLY Hokage or something."

"Hanabi, coming with?" The water-jutsu genin asked from the doorway, turning away from the brooding blond shinobi.

"No thank you."

Temari smiled and finished peeling the apple, slicing it into neat and even pieces. "One would think you're avoiding my brother." She gave a quirky little smile as she handed part of the apple to Hana.

"Shino's up there too." Hanabi snapped. "And you're down here."

The blonde kunoichi laughed outright. "Not a comparison. I'm not avoiding my husband, he's busy. And I've been assigned to guard the door to the room here. Make sure that those pesky Grass ninja don't try to poke their masked noses in during the healing session."

"Do you think they can heal her?" Hana asked quietly, her hand reaching down to pet Kirohu, who was staring intently at the closed door.

Rocks grinned widely. "This is Lady Tsunade and Shizune. Of course they can heal her!"

Temari shared a look with Hana, both wishing they had the confidence of youth and a sense that their elders were capable of anything and everything. But both women had seen the shape Mizutori Rinako had been in when they found her. And neither gave the Cloud dog-ninja a high chance at surviving.

"Even if she does come through." Hana sighed wearily. "I don't know if she'll be able to recover fully. Her hand was a mess. Crushed."

Naruto suddenly banged his fist down on the table. "It's not the same! Sakura is merely holding down the fort, while one day I will be Hokage! Full Hokage!" No one answered him, he'd been going on like this for hours.

Michi poked his head back inside. "Hanabi, you're needed."

The Hyuuga scowled. "Tell Gaara that I'm busy."

Temari's eyebrows flew up at the girl's tone. "I wouldn't if I were you. Making it a challenge? Not a good way to go. Gaara doesn't walk away from challenges."

Michi frowned. "Ibiki wants to see you."

"Oh." Chagrined, Hanabi deactivated her Byakugan and headed out with Michi. Rocks followed along in their wake.

Hana watched the empty doorway, confused. "What just happened? Why was Hanabi being rude to the Kazekage?"

Temari grinned and bit into her apple. "That? Oh that was just someone trying to avoid her fate." Gaara's interest in Hanabi both surprised and thrilled his older sister. And the girl had a serious backbone, which she would need. "Poor mushroom."

"Huh?"

But the blonde wind user didn't explain further.

"It's not fair!" Wailed Naruto, having missed the entire conversation.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi was up and eating breakfast when Katashi rushed into the room, grabbed some fruit and started to run out the door. His cat followed him, almost like a dog.

A sharp cough from the Hyuuga clan leader had the boy stopping and turning. "Sorry, good morning father! Bye!" With that, boy and cat raced out the door without looking back.

Neji pursed his lips and shook his head slightly. "If I'd treated you like that, you'd have skewered me."

Yugao patted her husband's hand as she gave him a quick smile. "Oh, let him be. He's excited about starting the Academy today. Anko even promised to take him into town afterwards to the weapons maker, show him some of the different ninja blades and how they're made."

Hiashi ignored the conversation and bit into a succulent piece of melon.

"Is that alright with you?"

The question caught everyone by surprise, and Hiashi even choked a bit on his melon. All eyes turned to Anko. She blinked at them all. "What?"

"Did you just ask permission to do something?" Neji asked, only to wince as his wife kicked him hard underneath the table.

The spiky-haired jounin frowned sharply at him. "No, I don't need fucking permission, termite." Her expression easing as Neji stiffened at the nickname. "I'm asking my husband if he has other plans."

"No. It would be a treat to Katashi and it's a good learning experience." Hiashi answered simply, his surprise no less than Neji's though he was smart enough not to spoil the moment by acting suprised. Anko usually did what she wanted, when she wanted and didn't bother to clear it with anyone else. Feeling a bit off kilter, Hiashi cleared his throat. "If you'd like, we can meet for dinner afterwards, in the village. Nobara's?" He asked, spur of the moment.

Anko's eyes lit up. "I love that place! Most of the time I don't bother because …well hell, it doesn't matter if it's expensive anymore does it?"

Neji grinned. "No. Go for it." It amused him to watch Anko every time she rememberd she was rich now.

"Do I have to dress up? Last time they gave me grief for my outfit." Anko's expression darkened. "I had to draw a little blood before they'd seat me."

Yugao turned her head so she wouldn't start laughing outright.

Hiashi blinked at the visual Anko's words elicited, then shook his head ruefully. "You're rich, connected, and married to a Clan leader. I guarantee that no one will find fault in your outfit. In fact, you might set the new style. No one will treat you ill, not within my sight."

"And you can see a long, long way." Anko purred with delight.

"Indeed." Hiashi pushed away his plate. "If you'll excuse me, if I'm going to dine out tonight, there are some things I need to rearrange."

Neji grinned and looked over at Yugao, who was giving him an odd sort of look. He turned to the servant and requested more melon slices for his wife. When he looked back at her he saw that her expression had darkened a bit. "What?" Neji asked.

"Hiashi is taking Anko out to eat."

"Hai. So?" Neji felt lost. "I doubt they'll be in any danger, not those two." He said, wondering if she was concerned about another assassination attempt.

Yugao threw down her napkin and got up from the table, excusing herself.

Neji looked around, but there was no one left in the room. "What was that about?" He wondered aloud. Not expecting an answer, he wasn't surprised when he didn't get one.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi paused as she stepped out of the main cavern, blinking at the sunlight. They'd been up all night and well into the next day, but she wasn't feeling the toll yet. She knew she would soon though.

She looked around, then sneered as she saw Ibiki speaking with the Grass ninja leader … and Gaara. "So. It was the Ibiki who wanted to see me?" She shot a glance at Michi that promised at retribution.

Michi held up his hands in protest. "Ibiki was the one who sent me to find you. I just didn't tell you that he wasn't alone."

"Sneaky bastard." Hanabi grumbled, making Rocks smile. With that, the young kunoichi plastered a fake smile on her face and marched over to the group as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Gaara, of course, noticed her first. He turned slightly to allow the trio of genin to approach. The Grass ninja fell silent as he watched them.

Gaara looked at her a long moment. "Need those eyes of yours."

"They're attached, you can't have them."

If Ibiki was taken aback by the snippy comment, he didn't show it. Gaara didn't even blink. But the Grass ninja looked surprised as he looked at the young genin. "How can this child help?"

Hanabi bowed slightly, but didn't answer.

Gaara gave her a glance that let her know to watch her step. Hanabi straightened up, he was right. This was neither the time nor the place. She'd behave herself, for now.

Ibiki waved his arm toward the cavern system. "We need it mapped as best we can, without going through and setting off every trap they've got in there."

Hanabi nodded and asked for some paper. "I'll get started."

"I don't think that this is a good way to …" The Grass ninja protested as Ibiki led him away from the group.

Gaara looked at Michi and Rocks. "Go get her that paper, some ink and if you find anything that looks like a desk."

Hanabi sighed as she watched her teammates leave. "You're not their leader, you shouldn't …they shouldn't snap to obey you like that."

Gaara gave her one long look and Hanabi realized that for the time being, they were alone. She sniffed and stuck her nose in the air. "I thought I told you to stay away."

"You did."

Hanabi tapped her foot in irritation. "But you sent for me! Specifically!"

"I sent for Temari too." Gaara shrugged. "Kankuro's busy putting traps in that house of his."

"You were supposed to stay away!" Hanabi felt her temper rising, and her face heating up.

"I did stay away." Gaara gave her a quick upturn of his mouth, almost a smile. "You came to me. There's a difference."

"You requested my presence, from my Hokage!" She said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I did stay away. From Konoha at least. You didn't specify."

"ARGH!" Hanabi shut up as she saw two Grass ninja heading their way. "You're impossible." She muttered in a hoarse whisper.

"Compared to whom?" Gaara asked equally as quiet as he watched her, pleased with what he saw. She was still refreshingly insolent and quick witted. Why he found that so attractive, he couldn't really say.

o.O.o.O.o.O

They heard Kotetsu protesting mere seconds before the door was thrown open. The harried ninja trailed the pissed off looking kid. "Is this brat a prisoner or a guest?" Kotetsu asked point blank, unsure how to treat the boy. "Do I have to be nice to him?"

"I'm a political hostage, yes …you have to be nice. If that's even possible." Shihei blustered, looking around furiously. "That includes treating me properly. I demand better quality food, and the proper utensils for civilized eating, and a better room!"

Sakura pressed a finger to a vein that was throbbing next to her temple, closing her eyes and counting to ten.

"What's wrong with your room?"

Sakura heard Ino ask the question and thought to warn her not to bother. She opened her eyes to speak, and instead fell silent.

Shihei was staring at Ino as if the moon had descended to earth. His eyes were huge, his face was flushed, and even from here she could tell his heart rate had sped up alarmingly.

"Kid?" Ino asked, waving a hand in front of his staring eyes.

"Are you a political prisoner too?" Shihei asked roughly.

Sakura blinked and shot a glance at Shikamaru, who was looking bored, slightly confused and bored. "She's my friend and …" She'd been about to explain how Ino was a kunoichi, when the kid turned and glared at her.

"You are not worthy to call either this Angel, nor myself a friend. I don't care how long I must remain hostage for my grandfather's release. But I will not dishonor my blood, nor my name. You do NOT have leave to claim my friendship."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Sakura sighed and Kotetsu gave her a big grin behind the boy's back and mouthed the word 'Angel' mockingly. "Consider it done, you and I will never be friends."

"Good." Shihei stated, missing her poisonous tone of voice as he turned to look at Ino. "I would be honored above all others if you would dine with me. The food here is not up to quality, but your company would make up for all manner of slights."

Shikamaru shook his head, as if trying to clear out some fog. He even wiggled a finger in his ear to make sure he was hearing things right.

"Eat. Please, I don't want it said that Konoha didn't feed its political hostages." Sakura said snidely, looking at a wide-eyed Ino. "Go eat. Talk. Get to know more about each other."

Ino looked over at her fiancé, but Shikamaru just shrugged. "Kid. She's not an angel, trust me. She's a kunoichi."

"Liar." Shihei sniffed. "The quality of her blood shines through the low-class clothes you force her to wear for your amusement. She fairly glows with nobility, you could never hide her natural grace and beauty from someone of the same class. She is noble, as I am. And you sir, are …are …"

"A base commoner?" Kotetsu supplied.

"A jerk?" Ino commented with dry humor.

"Troublesome." Sakura winked at him. "He's defiantly troublesome. Please, now will you go eat your food if we allow …our other political prisoner to join you?"

"If it is the best you can find, I suppose it will have to do." Shihei held out his arm for Ino. "Though it is not fitting for one as lovely as yourself."

The blonde stared at him a long moment, then slipped her arm through the kid's, allowing him to escort her from the room. She turned and her eyes shot daggers at Sakura, who stuck her tongue out at her friend as she went out the door.

Kotetsu went with them, leading the duo back to Shihei's room.

Shikamaru sighed, looking less than worried. "Looks like I have competition."

Sakura laughed. "Like you could compete for an 'Angel'." She teased. "Poor Ino, lets just hope she gets some good information out of the kid."

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was hours later that Hanabi looked up, rubbing her neck after bending over her papers for so long.

Gaara, who hadn't left her, looked over her shoulder. "So many tunnels?"

The genin looked up at him, her pale-eyes wide. "You doubt me?"

"No."

His simple and very open response soothed her temper slightly, then she grinned as she heard her stomach rumble. So that's why she was feeling so off! She was hungry. When had she last eaten?

"I sent for lunch to be brought out to you." The red-head said quietly.

"So gallant." She teased him coolly.

Gaara didn't respond to that, only looked over the papers she'd been detailing for so long. "A lot of rooms." He looked up as Ibiki joined them.

The ANBU torture master traced some of the tunnels, frowning. "There's no door there, I was just in that room."

Hanabi rolled her stiff shoulders and neck muscles. "Yes there is, we just don't know how to open it yet. I assure you, I can see the tunnel, and the room it opens out into." She said, tapping the highly detailed map she was creating.

Ibiki grunted as Gaara looked down at Hanabi, he noted the dark circles under her eyes. "You need to eat, then rest."

"I need to get this done." Hanabi protested. "I'm only part-way through."

Ibiki shook his head. "The Kazekage is right, you need to rest. We're going to be here a while. This complex is huge."

"We're not leaving?" Hanabi asked, trying to figure out how that would work.

"Tsunade and Shizune both say that the Cloud kunoichi can't be moved. She survived the healing, but it's still unclear if her body has been through too many shocks." Ibiki told her. "And this is a former Akatsuki outpost. We can't afford to leave and let Grass get their hands on any information, weapons, or whatever."

"So, what is going to happen?" The Hyuuga kunoichi asked. "If we won't leave, and Grass won't leave .." She looked at Gaara.

"Suna's not going anywhere."

Ibiki grunted. "And don't think that's not pissing off our Grass friends. They're making noises about fighting us for rights to this place."

Gaara sighed. "So we're all staying. Setting up a joint outpost. One big happy family." He said with some sarcasm, not having been raised with any sense of family … or happiness.

"You're not staying though, right?" Hanabi asked, suddenly nervous. Stuck out here? With him? Never!

"No." Gaara said without inflection, reading her face without much effort. "Neither is Tsunade, we have duties we can't delegate so easily. We have to go back to our villages."

Hanabi nodded and waiting for the feeling of relief, but she felt strangely on edge. Maybe it was hunger and fatigue. Yep. That was probably it, not that Gaara would be leaving.

"You and your team will be heading back to Suna with me. Once you're done with the map of course."

Hanabi's stomach dropped suddenly. "What?"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	21. A Hyuuga Death?

"I don't like this." Gaara said quite simply and without inflection.

Tsunade looked irritated as she scowled down into her tea cup. "What's to like? Compromise? Fuck compromise. There's nothing to like, but we have to deal with it."

Shizune sighed as she sat close to Ibiki, both remaining silent.

Shino grunted. "The Grass contingent is asking for what they think is their right. In fact, they could have pushed harder than they have. This way, by claiming Rinako sent Kirohu to ask for political asylum, we save her from answering any questions by Grass interrogators. They gave up their claim on her, in return though ...we have to allow them equal access to this place."

"Tell me again why we just don't kick them out of here?" Temari asked straight out, she nudged her husband, looking for his agreement. Shino remained silent, he'd been with Tsunade when Shihei had told his tale. He knew there was more going on than just what was on the surface.

Gaara grunted. He was wondering the same damned thing himself. It wasn't like Grass proved much of a contest to the combined forces of Leaf and Sand. "We could kick them out and keep them out."

Not for the first time, neither Tsunade nor her assistant answered. Shino sighed, but wouldn't speak on what he knew without permission.

Gaara stood, staring directly at the Leaf Hokage. "There is more going on than I have been made aware of." He said it as a statement of fact, not asking it as a question. "We need to talk, the two of us. Two Kage's? Out of their respective villages for a week? Unheard of. Granting access to an Akatsuki find of this magnitude to a non-aligned ninja village? Unbelievable. Unacceptable."

Tsunade looked up, glaring at the young leader of Suna. Gaara met her stare, gaze for gaze. Younger or not, he'd been forged in the fires of blood, sweat and death just as she had been. Finally, Tsunade grunted and shrugged. "I have laid claim to the bundle of scrolls bearing the seals of Cloud."

"Naruto returned from the mission you sent him on." Ibiki commented. "I presume it was back to Konoha, to have them decoded. He brought back the decrypted scrolls?." He'd seen the package that his Hokage had entrusted to the blonde last week.

Tsunade sighed and nodded. "I was putting off a decision until I got those scrolls back. In that time I was able to speak at length with Mizutori Rinako. Now that she's awake again."

"A decision?" Temari looked confused.

Shino and Shizune held their breaths.

Tsunade nodded. "Cloud has a new Raikage." She needed to outline this for everyone, so they'd know what was at stake.

Gaara gave a sharp nod. "It was suspected as the tone of information out of that country changed, perhaps a year or so ago."

"The old one was deposed by force. He's dead."

The red-head stilled. "Oh?"

Tsunade rolled her neck to dispel some of her tension. It didn't work. "That in itself is not without precedence, however unpalatable it may be."

Shizune sighed as Tsunade fell silent. "The new Raikage forced the new election in his favor." She spoke up, her own voice sounding strained. "By killing off any members of the Kumogakure Elder Council who opposed him."

"Bloody." Temari shrugged. "Something out of the history books perhaps. I remember once when the Daimyo Lords were unhappy with a Kage about, what was it? Over a century ago I think. They made an offer to another shinobi, to back him instead and they staged a rebellion. In fact, I think that's how the current Village Hidden in the Rocks was formed."

Tsunade shook her head. "This man, this new Raikage didn't have the backing of the Daimyo Lords. In fact, he took the Lightning Lords hostage."

The shock of those words registered at once. Temari nearly dropped her jaw as Ibiki stood suddenly, staring. "What?"

Gaara's eyes were wide, but otherwise he held no expression as he let the implications sink in. "A most ambitious fellow. What does he plan to do? Create new Daimyo Lords? Become one?"

Tsunade shook her head. "The head of the Daimyo Lords is an old man. They are trying to force him to name a minor cousin to be his successor, and they are holding the lives of his family as a guarantee. One must presume they own this cousin and his allegiance."

"The moment he signs, he suffers a 'natural' death." Ibiki whispered. "Then this new Raikage will be in charge of not only his village, but the entire Lightning country."

"Mizutori Rinako was on a mission, a mission that was not condoned by the 'new' Raikage. She brought to Konoha a grandson of the current leader of the Daimyo Lords. When it looked like she was about to fail, she tied the boy to her nin-dog to complete the mission. You know the rest of that story." Tsunade said quietly.

Temari shook her head, hardly believing what she was hearing.

Tsunade continued without interruption, since no one quite knew what to say anyway. "The boy is a hostage. Ours basically. The Daimyo Lord wants to hire Konoha for a mission. To rescue said Daimyo Lord from captivity and reunite him with forces loyal to him."

Ibiki coughed, his eyes wide. "Is that all?" He said with a huge helping of sarcasm. "That would cause ..."

"The Fourth Great Ninja War." Tsunade laughed without humor. "I'm aware."

Gaara turned to stare off at a wall, his mind racing. "Konoha is allied with Suna. But if attacked, Cloud is loosely allied with Rock. Sound will take advantage where and when they can. Mist is independent, but they have much closer ties to Cloud than they do to either of us."

"Grass? They're friendly enough with Rock." Ibiki sighed. "That's why we're playing nice with Grass. To either keep them neutral, or to draw them closer to us."

"The Village Hidden in the Grass is small enough." Tsunade leaned back wearily. "But they can cause us much damage along our borders. Especially if they ally with Sound, which they might do in order to shore up their own defenses. And Rain? Rain is a wild card, Pein is gone but they're no friends to the Leaf."

"Fuck." Temari looked disgusted.

Gaara grunted. "If you accept this mission, it would have to be accomplished in such a way that it doesn't look like Leaf or Sand are involved. But not accepting this mission ..."

Shizune nodded sagely. "If we let the new Raikage stand, he'll become a major powerhouse. Might start turning his ambition outward, more war. He's already shown he's ambitious. Rinako's description paints him as ...less than sane as well."

"Careful thinking. Careful planning." Ibiki nodded slowly. "Draw Grass and perhaps some of the other villages onto our side of things. Very quietly of course."

"The Village Hidden in the Rocks." Gaara said quietly. "Pull that support out from Cloud and the Raikage will have to move more slowly. That would be my first step."

"I've sent a missive to the Earth country." Tsunade stood, giving everyone a long look. "I've invited them here."

Gaara stiffened. "Here?"

"This is a former Akatsuki fortress." The Hokage said levelly. "They were stopped. But as we all know, no one knows of the eventual fate of the demons that were ...retrieved. Sorry." She sent Gaara a sympathetic look. "Since only Cloud and Leaf managed to keep their bijuu the other villages have been seeking the other tailed beasts ever since the defeat of the Akatsuki. As far as we can tell, none have been found."

"Leaf, Sand, Rock and Grass?" Gaara sneered. "Anyone else coming?"

"No. And I want them all to know that Cloud was operating out of here without notifying anyone. That Cloud was seeking power over everyone." Tsunade said with a sneer on her face. "But no one else is ...invited."

"Make Cloud the enemy." Temari nodded in approval.

"They ARE the enemy." Ibiki countered dryly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi opened the sealed message from the Hokage, steeling himself for bad news. Tsunade was not in the village, no matter what the tower folk said about her being 'busy'. The Haruno girl was especially visible, but Shizune was being strangely absent as of late.

Now he'd had delivered to him a sealed message from the Hokage herself.

Bad news didn't get better if you delayed reading it. He opened the seal, unrolling the small scroll. He read quickly, then re-read it more carefully. His expression darkened as he activated his Byakugan and looked around the Hyuuga estate, observing everyone and every thing even as he called for a servant.

"Hyuuga-domo?" Masa entered efficiently, bowing.

"Bring Neji to me, he's at a meeting with some branch family members. Move at top speed." Hiashi's voice was curt. "Also, have someone send word to the Hyuuga guards, we have an active threat. Possible assassins. Send someone into town to find my wife and all other Hyuuga, tell them to return to the compound. Tell Anko to retrieve Katashi from the Academy as well."

"At once."

"Send Kankuro to me immediately as well. He's training out at ..." Hiashi narrowed his Byakugan and concentrated until he located his son-by-marriage. "He's in training field 37."

"At once, Hyuuga-domo."

The servant backed away swiftly, calling for other servants to assist him as Hiashi re-read the message carefully. His mouth tightened. The part telling him of an assassin coming for a Hyuuga, no one specified as a target, was interesting of course.

But the next part of the note was ...brilliant, disturbing and ...he needed to make a decision. Should he do as the Hokage asked? He needed to think this over carefully.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba sat in the waiting area of the Hokage tower. He'd meant to be out training with Kankuro today, but a message from Sakura had derailed that plan. So he'd raced right over, only to have to sit and cool his heels in the waiting area. He was getting more and more irritated as he watched the Hokage's closed door.

There was a lot going on though. Kotetsu and Izumo were running around like crazy, carrying messages in and out of the office. Kiba frowned. They'd both made full jounin at least eight months ago. Why were they scurrying around like this?

The door to the hallway flew open and Kiba looked up in surprise to see his mother slide inside. She fairly radiated energy, but that was normal for her.

"Ah, Inuzuka-sama." Kotetsu looked harried as he ran up to her. "They're almost done in there, it'll be just a moment."

Kiba groaned as he watched his mother nod sharply. "You told me that nearly an hour ago."

Kotetsu looked sour as he shook his head. "You've only been here twenty minutes." He snapped, then bustled away muttering about ill-tempered dog ninja.

Kiba opened his mouth to respond when the Hokage's office opened. He stood up, then stalled as his eyes widened, staring.

Shiho was walking out with Izumo and Sai. The little bookworm looked dwarfed next to the taller shinobi. She was juggling papers and scrolls, looking a bit overwhelmed. She was even appeared a bit flushed. Kiba's eyes slid to Izumo, who was greeting Tsume. He then looked at Sai, who was looking ...at Shiho? The former ROOT nin wasn't offering to help her with her load though, even as a couple of papers floated down to the ground.

Kiba stepped up and scooped them up, offering them to Shiho as she tried to rearrange her load. He glanced down at one sheet. "Permission to exit Konoha's gates?"

Tsume stiffened beside him, but he didn't really notice as Shiho grabbed the sheet from him, flushing deeper. "Oh, well ...can't talk. Bye." Her huge blue eyes blinked at him and Kiba realized she was wearing her contacts today.

"Bye?" Kiba muttered as Izumo neatly pulled Shiho behind him, with Sai trailing behind them. He watched as the bookworm turned and looked ...at Sai? Kiba felt uncomfortable as her expression looked strange to him. Excited, yet ...worried? His gaze sharpened on Sai's back. What did old 'I don't feel anything' think about Shiho's eyes? And why was she blushing?

Just what the hell was going on?

"You can go in now." Kotetsu looked back and forth between them, then stopped as the door to the hallway opened up once more. "Oh, sorry. Can you wait just a moment more? Kakashi? You're late."

"I had a kitten to rescue on the way over here." The copy-nin made his bald-faced lie as he swept right by Kiba into the Hokage's office. "Sorry about that."

Tsume looked over at her son's irate expression and smiled. "Waiting to see the Hokage is nothing." She grinned wider. "Or are you upset seeing your code-breaker with Sai? I'm sure nothing will come of it, she'll be safe enough."

Kiba glowered. "I hate waiting." He mumbled, even though it was Shiho's flushed face he kept seeing in his mind's eye. He shook off the moment. What did he care if she was ...wait. Permission to leave Konoha? Was the bookworm going ...on ...an actual ...mission? "She's not a field ninja." He protested to no one in particular.

Tsume sighed as she watched her son. She wanted to tell him the girl would be safe enough with Sai. But ...anytime a code-breaker left the village, they were never safe. Never. Instead of lying, she just kept her mouth shut.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're playing it awful safe." Yugao leaned back in the sumptuous chair, sipping tea that the clerk had brought her. "This isn't like you at all."

Anko grinned, the wicked glint in her eyes in distinct opposition for the very staid outfit she was wearing. The kimono was lovely and perfect and so matronly that it put her teeth on edge.

"Last week you asked Hiashi's permission to do something. Now this dress? What the fuck?" Yugao ignored the indrawn breath of the clerk as the woman turned red in the face at the harsh language.

"It's for his birthday." Anko smirked at the other girl in the mirror, smiling as Yugao turned to look out the window.

"It's still summer, isn't his birthday in January?" The blue-haired kunoichi commented dryly.

"An early birthday?" Anko teased, running her hand over the silk fabric as she imagined Hiashi's reaction to seeing her in this get up. He would be so fucking confused! Perfect!

Yugao sighed just as the bell over the door tinkled merrily. A servant approached the two women with their messages. Their smiles faded as they read.

Anko hopped down from the mirrored pedestal and grabbed her weapons pouch. "I'm heading toward the Academy." She didn't even bother trying to change back into her clothing.

Yugao's eyes hardened. "I'm going with you. Damned assassination attempts." It still curdled her blood to think about how close she'd come to losing Neji to a poisoned sand pear before the two had even gotten married. Then there had been that attempt the had cut short their honeymoon! "Bastards."

"But the dress!" The clerk wailed as the two women rushed out the door.

The servant coughed lightly. "Put it on the Hyuuga family account." He suggested quietly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kakashi grinned behind his mask as he watched his former student. "Temporary Hokage? Does Naruto know?"

Shikamaru coughed as he looked through the papers he held, deliberately not answering that one.

Sakura glared at Kakashi. "He does, and he's not terribly happy about it. I have to tell you, this is highly secret, to most in the village Tsunade is still here, running things." Her voice fairly dripped disdain.

The copy-nin paused, looking at her. Waiting.

"I'm sending you with the cryptologist. You and Sai are to escort her safely to the Akatsuki fortress." The pink-haired kunoichi ordered him, almost sounding harsh.

Kakashi waited a beat before replying. "You're sending me?"

Sakura flushed, but she nodded resolutely. "The orders came through Tsunade via messages, but I am the one sending you ...away."

The copy-nin nodded, running everything through his mind. "I presume the usual precautions for a cryptologist outside of the village proper is in effect?"

"Hai." Sakura said, this time almost gently. "Just ...don't ...I mean I know you have to ...but ..." She liked Shiho, but orders were orders.

"Don't worry." Kakashi told her. "I'll make sure I don't kill her unless I know for a fact that she's been captured and there's no way to retrieve her."

"And Sai?" Shikamaru stepped up. "He might not be so discerning."

"I'll handle Sai." Kakashi told them, then peered over at Sakura. "You're taking far too much pleasure in ordering me around."

Sakura pursed her lips together, her eyes flaring with temper. "I came home last night, and my mother was up reading."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Icha Icha Tactics."

"Ah." He breathed.

Sakura fairly steamed with temper. "You're corrupting my mother! My mother!"

"It's called dating." Kakashi grinned and headed for the door. "Later!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi paced back and forth as Rocks watched her, his own eyes worried.

Michi sighed. "The message will get to them in time."

"Kill a Hyuuga? And it doesn't matter which one?" Hanabi scowled deeply, crossing her arms in irritation and concern. "What kind of mission parameter is that? Stupid Cloud nins."

Rocks rolled his shoulder, wishing the three of them were on duty instead of sitting around here. Doing nothing. He frowned. "Isn't there something we could be doing?"

"Hanabi finished the stupid map." Michi shrugged. "We're just waiting for the all-clear to head out to Suna I guess."

"Suna." The way Hanabi said the one word anyone listening would have thought it a blue curse word.

Rocks gave her a long look, but didn't comment. Instead he sighed.

Michi threw down the rag he'd been using to clean his boots. "Ani is fine. She's in the Hyuuga main compound with those twin nephews of Hanabi's. They're too young to go out yet. Hardly a good target."

"Yeah, you're right." Rocks gave him a look. "I know that, but ..."

"Yeah but ..." Hanabi threw herself into a seat. "Do you think that this Rinako person was telling Tsunade the truth?"

Michi thought about it, then nodded. "If she wanted a Hyuuga dead, she would have kept her mouth shut. Not warned us that the Cloud nins had sent someone in her place to finish her original mission." He sighed. "A mission she had no intention of completing herself."

Hanabi sniffed. "So she says ...now." Doubt was clear in her voice. "She could just be telling us that because we have her in our custody."

Rocks laughed at her. "You're just upset because she was the girl that Kiba was engaged to last year. If the information turns out to be good, it may save your family a whole lot of trouble." He said, repeating what he'd overheard Lee and Hana talking about earlier.

The Hyuuga genin turned to stare at him even as Michi groaned and dropped his head.

"What?"

Hanabi turned to stare at the water-jutsu user. "Were you planning on telling me?"

"No." Michi gave her a timid look.

"Uh oh." Rocks looked chagrined. "Oops."

Hanabi's eyes narrowed.

Michi stood up, using the few inches he had on her in height to try and put some emphasis behind his words. "You are NOT to hurt a personal prisoner of the Hokage's just because of jealousy. Besides, the betrothal is over. The girl is not going to Konoha and Kiba is NOT coming here."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Akatsuki fortress?" Tsume nodded. "Interesting."

Kiba nodded. So that's why Shiho was heading out. There had to be lots of stuff in a former Akatsuki stronghold for her to decipher. And if he and his mother were heading out there too, that would be ... no, it wouldn't be anything. She wasn't his type and what did he care if she was going?

"You and Kiba won't be assigned there of course."

Sakura's words drew a sharp frown from Kiba. "Why not?"

The pink-haired kunoichi gave him a wry chuckle. "I didn't think you'd like going through musty tunnels and reading tons of scrolls. Besides, these are Tsunade's orders, not mine. She wants the two of you to locate some Cloud operatives. They've been disguising themselves with henges and joining caravans. We need them tracked."

"Leaving when?" Kiba asked, all business. If he felt a bit worried about Shiho's safety on a real mission, he pushed it to the back of his mind.

"Two hours." Shikamaru piped up. "You can travel with Kakashi's group as far as the fortress, then provision up and head out."

Tsume nodded. "Let's get going."

Kiba and Akamaru followed her out of the office.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Isobe was in place. He'd been here a few days now, having entered Konoha rather easily after replacing a traveling tinker. He'd taken the old man's cart and had ditched it once entering the village. Then a day or two to scout things out, and now he was ready to move.

He smiled, mentally patting himself on the back. It had been relatively easy locating the village's Academy. And he'd spotted the one boy with Hyuuga pale eyes almost immediately. He'd hoped he'd find a Hyuuga child attending the classes, and he'd hit paydirt! The kid usually walked home after classes with one or two boys his own age. Hardly a threat to a full jounin assassin.

Isobe was watching the area, mapping things out for an escape plan following the kid's demise, when he spotted the women.

One spiky-haired civilian and one blue-haired kunoichi. They were moving quickly as they entered the Academy and when they left about ten minutes later, they were dragging a protesting Hyuuga brat along behind them.

Isobe looked around. The classes were still in session, the place was nearly clear of casual traffic. One kunoichi? Hardly a problem. The kid was too young to have done more than just started at the Academy. No question that he would be no trouble. The civilian? Isobe dismissed her entirely, she'd probably either faint or run at the first hint of trouble. And that kimono she was wearing would hamper her movements.

Perfect.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What are you looking at?"

The question made her jump. Hanabi squelched the urge to yell and scream at him.

Gaara walked up behind her. "You have the Byakugan working, looking nearly 360 degrees in every direction, yet you're startled when I approached from your side?"

Anger tinted her cheeks rosy as she deactivated the family bloodline trait. "What do you want? Gaara-coon?" She nearly cooed that last non-endearment.

"I believe I already asked that. What were you looking at so hard that anyone could have crept up behind you?" The red-head leaned back against the rock face of the cliff, watching her.

"I knew you were there."

"Liar."

Hanabi sighed and turned to look at him. "Look. I've got to work with you. A mission or two scouting the area, building up relations with Suna and Leaf and all that nonsense. Then I'm heading home. We've got chuunin exams coming up in a few months." Taking a deep breath she forced herself to smile. "Let's just stay away from each other, okay?"

Gaara looked at her a long moment, then gave her almost a soft look. "But as I recall, you specialize in getting at people despite not being around them." He nodded toward the cliff she'd been staring at. "Looking in on our Cloud kunoichi?"

Hanabi just stared at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. "Have you met her yet?"

"Hai."

She stepped forward. "What's she like?"

"Badly hurt." Gaara frowned sharply. "But you could see that even from this distance and through the walls of the cavern. What can I tell you that you can't see for yourself?"

Hanabi harumphed. "Men. I didn't ask after her condition, I asked what she was like!" She waved one hand in the air for emphasis. With her family ability she'd been able to see for herself that the woman was badly injured, and despite herself, she even felt sorry for the other girl. A little bit at least.

The red-head shrugged. "I questioned her. Judged the validity of her statement, made sure that ..."

"Fine." Hanabi interrupted and hurried by him, only to be drawn up short by a wall of sand going up inches from her face. She blinked at it for a second, then turned to him. "What now?"

"Kiba."

Hanabi stiffened, but didn't respond.

"You're worried about the assassin going after you family, but you've also discovered that this Mizutori has a connection with your crush."

"It's NOT a crush!" Hanabi's hands fisted as she threw her words at him. "You're rude! And you have no right to even bring that up."

"No?"

"NO!"

Gaara shrugged. "Sometimes the social niceties elude me. Baki keeps trying to correct that, but I don't really give a damn. Rude works pretty well for me."

"And you do rude so very well." She said snidely. "Gaara-coon!"

"Thank you."

"It's not a compliment!" Hanabi snapped. "Now, let me go back inside. The mapping is finally done and we should be getting to Suna so I can get this damned mission over and done with and head back to Konoha."

"We wait." Gaara commented. "Tsunade has asked that we wait for a reply from your father before moving out."

Sighing, Hanabi let her temper seep out as she gave him a baleful look. "I'm not in love with you. I don't want you courting me. And I will marry when and where I please. Stop bothering me."

Gaara pulled away from the cliff face, drawing his sand out of her pathway with a flick of his chakra. "I'm not in love with you either." He said bluntly. "And I'm not courting you. Of course you will marry as you please."

Hanabi gave him a sour look and turned to head down the long tunnel, back to her genin teammates. Gaara watched her go with an odd expression on his face. "And to answer your last demand? No." He whispered long after she was out of earshot.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume and Kiba were ready quickly, battle ready and worthy at any moment, it didn't take them long to prepare for missions. Kakashi was late of course, but that was just his way.

The Inuzuka clan leader watched her son carefully as Sai arrived on time with Shiho. He paid them no attention whatsoever, didn't even acknowledge them as Shiho dragged a pack nearly as big as she was. The fact that he was not reacting, was a reaction in and of itself. Tsume smiled, pleased.

"Sai?"

The former ROOT nin looked up. "Inuzuka." He greeted Tsume and Kiba equally, though it had been the kunoichi who had called his name.

"Help your charge with her pack." Tsume ordered.

Sai cocked his head to one side and then looked over at Shiho's struggle with the heavy pack. "Why?" He was looking on this as he would any other mission. Ninja took care of their own packs, that's just the way it was. "She is not injured."

"She's not a real ninja." Kiba grumbled. "You're going to have to help her."

Shiho drew in a sharp breath, looking disgusted. And hurt.

Sai looked startled as he turned to inspect Shiho, then he turned back toward Kiba. "She's wearing the ninja headband." He said baldly, pointing out the obvious. "You are a kunoichi, right?"

"Hai." Shiho stared defiantly over at the irritating male Inuzuka. "I am. Don't listen to that jerk."

Tsume cracked a smile and cuffed Kiba on the back of the head even as she spoke to Sai. "You will help her as she has a lot of supplies, scrolls, and stuff for her mission. And if she has to drag them all herself, it will slow you both down. Mission requirement is that you assist her with her load."

"Oh." Sai thought about this a long moment, then nodded. He walked over to Shiho and rudely grabbed her pack from her, though she was reluctant to let it go. Sai won the brief struggle effortlessly, making Shiho's face redden as she glared at Kiba as if this was all somehow his fault. Sai weighed the pack carefully in his hands, then grunted. Kiba watched with a smirk as Sai began unpacking books and scrolls from the cryptologist's pack, redistributing the weight.

"You go help too." Tsume ordered her son.

"We're not on the same mission." Kiba protested.

Tsume gave him a long look that had the young man hurrying over to assist Sai. "We're heading to the same place before splitting up." She told the boys as Kakashi finally stepped up beside her. "You're late." She told the copy-nin.

"There was this sudden freak snow storm out of season and it caused ..."

"Spare me." Tsume growled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Neji read and re-read the message from the Hokage. He looked up at his uncle with wide eyes. "Are you going to agree to this?"

Hiashi didn't answer right away, instead he watched Neji very carefully. Finally, he asked. "Your thoughts?"

His heir stood still, no pacing for him, as he thought the whole thing through from every angle. "I see the validity of the plan from Tsunade's point of view. But what does it gain us? What does it gain the Hyuuga?"

"Good question." Hiashi stated, his expression telling the other shinobi nothing.

"It helps a foreigner more than it helps us. In fact, if we agree to this ..." Neji paused. "The chuunin exams are coming up. She'd miss those. And what if she's needed here?"

"All good questions to consider." Hiashi nodded in approval.

Neji tapped the message with his finger. "We need time to think this through."

"We don't have time, the Hokage asks for our answer immediately." Hiashi pointed out coolly.

"Hanabi won't like it."

Hiashi grunted. "She'll do as she's told."

Neji bit back his immediate response, wondering if Hiashi knew his daughter as well as he thought he did. Hanabi might act like an obedient child in front of her father, but it was far from the truth.

"You sound like you've already made your decision." Neji said delicately, searching his uncle's expression.

Hiashi grunted. "The message reply went out already. I told her yes."

Neji nodded. "You just wanted to know if I agreed with you or not. I'm not sure that I do agree with you on this."

Nodding, the current Hyuuga clan leader gave a satisfied look toward his nephew and heir. "All of what you pointed out is good and solid. I understand your reasoning."

"But you agreed to this!" Neji held up the Hokage's message. "Killing off Hanabi? Why?"

Hiashi sat down at his desk. "I owe the Hokage. During that mess with Misyu, she saved Hanabi's life. Your's too."

"Her duty!" Neji snapped.

"As my duty is to follow her. She didn't order this, she asked. No, it doesn't gain us anything that I can see, but it does serve the village." Hiashi gazed levelly at his brother's son. "The funeral for Hanabi will be next week."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko's eyes cut to the left the moment the stranger walked out into the street. Cataloging him quickly, she moved to put herself between Katashi and the other man. Yugao dropped back a step or two, her hand hovering over her weapons pouch.

This was probably nothing. There were a ton of people in the village that she didn't know personally. Still, the warning about a possible assassination attempt on Hyuuga family members was not to be taken lightly.

Katashi walked beside them, pouting about being dragged out of school like a 'baby'. The kid wasn't happy at all.

The man smiled at them as he passed, nodding his head in polite greeting. "Nice day." He commented, then frowned. "Clouds are moving in fast though, I would have thought ..."

Anko moved quicker than a snake as she realized she'd been watching people, not the weather. Yugao snarled as she too noticed the heavy clouds rolling in far too fast for the light wind they had today. "Take cover!" She ordered the civilian, who looked startled and then ran off down the street.

Katashi activated the Byakugan, but he wasn't nearly proficient with it at this point.

The cloud cover dropped suddenly from being overhead, to surrounding them almost like fog. The first strike hit Yugao's side as she dodged quickly.

The smell of blood was sharp as Katashi cried out.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	22. Blind

Katashi gasped for breath as Anko jerked him out of the way of the flight of shuriken just moments before they cut him. There was too much going on, he couldn't focus. Where was the attack coming from? Wait? Was that a man over …

"Are you hit?" She hissed.

The seven year old swallowed hard and shook his head as he ran his shaky hands over his torso, relieved not to find any blood. Shuriken, as he knew even from his first few days at the Academy, weren't generally a lethal weapon …unless poisoned.

"ARE YOU HIT?!" Anko cried out again, not able to see his head shake.

"Can't see a fucking thing!" Yugao growled from somewhere to his left. Katashi gulped, looking around wildly. Why couldn't she see? He could see. "He cut me!"

Isobe chuckled cruelly and slid from his hiding place. He didn't need to see in order to attack, so finely tuned were his other senses. The clouds, dense and blinding, were often used by Kumogakure shinobi in order to confuse their opponent. In fact, this was the preferred way for them to train, to fight blindly. And brutally.

Katashi opened his mouth and pointed. "He's on your left!"

Yugao and Anko both spun and struck on their left hand sides, finding nothing as the assassin easily dodged, grinning. Then suddenly Katashi gasped as Anko tripped over the long skirts of her formal kimono, falling to her knees. Obviously she wasn't used to fighting in long skirts.

The young Hyuuga cried out to see the assassin dart toward Anko with an evil grin on his face. Anko was looking the wrong way, so was Yugao! They couldn't see? So why could he see the man? It was all hazy, and he was seeing not the man himself, but his …Why …oh!

The Byakugan! He hadn't deactivated it!

That's why he could see, sort of! He was seeing chakra with the Byakugan! Normal vision was blurred, but he could trace the lines of chakra despite the dense and choking cloud cover!

Sick to his stomach, Katashi reached for the brace of kunai he'd been using for target practice at the Academy. He had to protect his step-mother and Yugao! He watched in horror as the man flickered almost too quickly to see him, then reappeared next to Anko. Katashi made a strangling noise as his hand spasmed. The man drew back his arm, ready to strike downward with some sort of weapon.

Katashi pulled back his own arm and threw a barrage of kunai just as Anko had taught him, sick that he'd probably miss. He had to hit the man, he just had to do it right!

A second before he let loose, Anko grabbed the assassin's ankle and twisted as snakes flew up from the wide sleeves of her kimono, biting the man. At nearly the same moment Yugao flickered from her floundering stance, to just behind the assassin. Her weapon held him still as she sneered. She jerked his head to the left. Katashi's weapons flew by, striking nothing.

Isobe wasn't done though, he managed a substitution jutsu and a log was left hanging in Yugao's grip. But instead of moving safely away, he reappeared directly on top of Anko as he thrust downward visciously with some sort of sword.

"Did you think Leaf kunoichi can't fight blind?" Anko breathed out with a wicked grin as she thrust backwards with a tanto blade, aiming for the man's knee to disable his movements.

Isobe frowned and dodged enough that he only received a glancing blow along his calf. He leapt back, reconsidering. "You're no civilian."

"Brilliant." Anko smirked. "And we don't need to see to fight either."

Growling, the assassin realized with piercing clarity that the kunoichi had played him. They'd acted blundering in the cloud cover in order to draw him out into the open. He grunted. "No matter." He reached into his weapons pouch to draw out the poisoned senbon, drawing back to send the needles flying.

Before he could complete the move, Yugao and Anko prepared to jump out of the way. When suddenly, his foot shifted ever so slightly and made a slight brushing sound on the ground beneath him. It was all Anko needed, her breath hissed out as even though she couldn't see, she knew that the kunoichi were not his target. Not this time.

"Katashi! Away!" She yelled out, moving to intercept the senbon before they reached her step-son.

Yugao moved just as swiftly, reaching out blindly to yank Katashi down and away. Thrusting him behind a street light as she turned to protect him.

"No!" Katashi screamed. It wasn't supposed to be like this! He was supposed to become a great ninja! He wasn't supposed to be protected by others. His step-mother was out there fighting …to save him!

He reached for another brace of kunai, relieved to find the set that Anko had gifted him with that first day of his Academy training. He'd not used these for target practice. These weren't dummy kunai, these were the real thing. Sharp and lethal.

Stepping out, he took careful aim. The throw was perfect! But as his hands let the weapons fly, the target moved suddenly. He was going to miss! Katashi felt like crying.

Suddenly, Anko kicked the assassin so hard that he was knocked back a foot or two. The man had a moment to grin and start to move back toward her when the thrown kunai hit him.

He died instantly.

The assassin fell in an ungainly heap and went still. Yugao and Anko stood back a moment before the spiky-haired jounin let her snakes inspect the body. Almost reluctantly, she let the battle tension fade from her muscles. "He's dead?"

Katashi watched with his Byakugan, frozen in his position. The fine tremors started in his hands and moved up, a moment later his teeth were chattering despite the warm temperature of the day.

Anko peered through the dissipating clouds at the dead man. She raised one eyebrow. "I thought we'd capture him, have him tortured for information." She was still having trouble seeing through the thick clouds.

Yugao waved at the wisps of cloud in front of her face, pointing down at the dead man. "I don't sense anyone else near by." She said, peering around intently. "You don't think he had an accomplice that killed him when it looked like we could capture him, do you?"

"Possible." Anko was looking around too. "Although, assassins don't usually use a kunai through the left eyeball on a ninja-fast moving target. Whoever threw it is wicked accurate. Went through the eye and pierced the brain. Damn."

Katashi's teeth began to chatter more loudly. Yugao's gaze looked at him, then her glance stopped and sharpened as she peered through the last vestiges of the assassin's cloud cover. "Or wicked lucky." She whispered and pointed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi and Rocks stomped up to the clearing. Well, more accurately, Hanabi stomped and Rokuro simply walked beside her looking amused as all get out. They stopped at the edge and watched a moment, their mouths dropping open.

Rocks whistled in appreciation. "Michi will be pissed he missed this."

Hanabi couldn't talk. Naruto, Lee and Gaara were fighting. Make that a LOT of Naruto's clones were fighting. And each and every clone had a huge grin on their face as they kicked and pummeled, or were kicked and pummeled.

"Is that Rock Lee?" Rokuro whispered, watching the blur with awe. "He's fast!"

Hanabi winced as at least twenty copies of Naruto ganged up and jumped the one Gaara standing in the clearing. At the same time, Lee bowled through at least twenty other clones of Naruto, making them poof out of existence.

There were more 'poofing' noises that signaled a copy winking out and suddenly Hanabi could see through the crowd of Naruto shadow-clones as they tried to land a punch or kick on Gaara.

She couldn't help the quirk of a smile as sand whipped around him at lightning fast speeds, intercepting each and every …

"He's airborne." Rocks cried out, looking up with glee.

Hanabi's eyes moved and watched Lee descending upon Gaara with the light of battle in his eyes and a huge grin on his face.

Gaara didn't even react as a huge sand umbrella-like shield formed above him. He didn't bother to look up as Lee landed on top of the sand and slid off toward the edge. Gaara gave a twisted smile of his own, and the sand disappeared suddenly, dropping Lee right on top of the real Naruto.

Or so Gaara thought, when suddenly the real REAL Naruto managed to land a fist from his left side. He struck the Kazekage on the side of his head. At the last moment, the red-head jerked back slightly so that the fist merely grazed him. But it was enough.

Naruto started jumping up and down and whooping in victory as Lee clapped him on the back, congratulating him. Gaara scowled and nodded, rubbing his jaw lightly. The blow wouldn't even bruise him, expect for possibly his ego.

"Are you quite done yet?" Hanabi called out, tapping her foot as she looked down at them. Rocks slid his eyes to the side, trying to give her a quelling look, but it wasn't working. "Is the macho display over?"

"We were training!" Naruto called back, chuckling out loud.

"No you weren't." Hanabi shook her head at them. "I know Lee isn't fighting full out, he's still wearing his training gear. Naruto, you didn't use any jutsu other than your shadow-clones. And as for …him …not a piece of sand armor in sight."

"Aw Hanabi-chan!" Naruto whined, grinning as he put his hands behind his head, rocking slightly on his feet.

Lee chuckled and looked up at her, then lost his grin. "Hanabi?"

The alarm in the green-clad shinobi's voice was clear and both the Hyuuga kunoichi and her teammate whirled to see what had Lee worried. Gaara's eyes narrowed as he too looked, readying his sand to attack.

"What are you wearing?" Lee moaned, being well familiar with Neji and his young cousin over the years. "You shouldn't wear such revealing things, it gives the wrong impression!" He rushed over to her.

Naruto and Gaara looked at each other and shrugged. They saw nothing wrong in the kunoichi's outfit. It was practical and serviceable. No different than any other kunoichi really.

"Lee-san!" Hanabi whined, embarrassed at getting called out like a child in front of everyone. Gaara especially. "I'm fourteen!"

"No you're not!" Lee drew back in shock. "When did that happen?"

Naruto laughed and walked up to hit Lee on the back of his shoulders as Rocks tried to look anywhere except at his fuming teammate.

Hanabi sighed. "You were invited to the family party Lee-san." She said softly. "But you and Gai were called away on a mission. You did send me a gift though." Now that she realized that Lee wasn't aware she was growing up, the stuffed animal he'd given her made a LOT more sense.

Gaara moved so silently to join them, one moment he wasn't there, then he was.

Hanabi gave him a long look. Lee was a life-time friend ever since he and Neji had been made teammates. But for her fourteenth birthday he still saw her as a child, despite being a genin. Gaara? Gaara had given her shaped-exploding tags. It made her feel guilty a bit that she liked the specialty demolition tags better than she did the stuffed monkey.

"Well, uhm …Lee-san? The Hokage sent us to ask you to come down to the sick room." Hanabi muttered, ashamed of her thoughts. Lee was a good guy, so what if he saw her as a child?

"Oh right! Right away! I will get there in less than two minutes!" Lee boasted and took off at a run toward the cavern system. "Under a minute!" He amended as he raced away.

Chuckling, Naruto shook his head at his departing friend. He then shot a glance over at Gaara. "Wanna go again?"

The red-head looked at him, then gave a quick nod as the two headed back out into the clearing. Hanabi scowled after them. "It's not real training. What do those two idiots think they're doing?" She looked over at Rocks, then frowned as she had to look down.

Rokuro had sat down and was avidly watching the two titans prepare to battle. He sensed Hanabi looking at him and he glanced up. "Michi is going to be PISSED he's on guard duty and missed this!"

Hanabi sighed in resignation and weighed her options. She could just go back to the caverns. But …she took a quick breath as suddenly there were literally hundreds of clones of Naruto covering the clearing.

She sat down next to Rocks to watch.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai moved with graceful efficiency through the brush, taking point. Kakashi was on one side, with Tsume and her nin-dog on the other. Kiba and Akamaru took up the back, guarding the rear. In the middle, Shiho kept pace, though not as graceful nor as efficiently as the others.

From the rear, Kiba could tell that the little bookworm was tiring. She was sweating and kept shifting her pack slightly, trying to find the easiest way to carry it. Scowling, Kiba moved up and pulled the pack from her back.

Shiho spun, her blue eyes snapping with fatigue and irritation. "What the hell?"

"I've got it." Kiba grunted, swinging her travel pack onto his own shoulders along with his own. His eyes widened a bit. "Did you bring the whole fucking library with you?" He asked, feeling the weight of the pack.

Shiho sneered as the others stopped and watched. "I would have if I'd known you'd be carrying my pack for me. I would have put every book known to exist in there."

Sai shook his head. "They wouldn't fit." He pointed out in his usual calm manner, missing the sarcasm altogether.

"Nice place to stop for a break." Kakashi called out cheerfully, his one visible eye crinkling as he smiled.

"No it's not." Tsume groused, slapping at the bugs around her.

Kiba gave his mother a droll look. "It's a good thing Shino isn't with us, he'd be lecturing you all day about killing bugs."

Tsume pointed to one side. "There's a stream about a mile that way. We should be able to make it even at our slow pace before …"

Shiho spun around on her. "Slow?" She hadn't thought they'd been moving that slowly.

Sai nodded, oblivious. "Yes, we have been moving slowly." He agreed with the Inuzuka clan leader.

"Now that you don't have a pack, we can pick up the pace." Kiba shot the barb verbally and walked past Shiho carrying both packs as if they were nothing.

The cryptologist sputtered and hurried after him, determined to keep up. Sai set out beside Shiho, matching her pace perfectly and taking his mission quite seriously.

Kakashi and Tsume gave each other long looks. Kakashi cleared his throat. "What's that all about?"

Tsume's nin-dog, Kuromaru, spoke up. "I've never understood human courting rituals." The canine panted and scratched behind his ear, dismissing the whole topic.

The copy-nin looked startled, then grinned after the departing threesome. "Courting?"

The kunoichi shrugged. "They say not. But they're like porcupines around each other. It's almost amusing to watch. The girl even stood up to me." Tsume chuckled.

Kakashi nodded. "She wouldn't be where she is if she didn't have a back bone of steel."

Tsume started forward, following the others as the copy-nin fell into step beside her. "Kiba doesn't get it. Thinks she's not a 'real' ninja."

The copy-nin laughed outright, drawing looks from the others as they all stopped and waited for the two to join them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Can you feel that?" Tsunade asked in a completely neutral tone of voice. Clinical.

Rinako, her head turned, bit her lip as she struggled to focus on her right hand. Did she feel anything? "Thumb?"

Tsunade nodded to Shizune as the two medics watched. The Hokage moved her touch from the girl's thumb and touched her ring finger. It took a long moment, but Rinako nodded and called out the correct finger. Then again with the smallest finger.

Next time, Tsunade pulled her hands away, not touching anything. "Which one am I touching now?"

Rinako concentrated, but …her whole hand ached badly … "I …I …I can't feel anything."

"Good."

Whipping her head around, the Cloud kunoichi scowled. "Good?" She caught sight of the badly swollen, bruised, and stitched hand and swallowed hard to control her sudden nausea. She could inflict damage without a qualm, but it was another thing entirely to see yourself so badly injured.

"You've got sensation, that's the good news." Tsunade said briskly as she rewrapped her patient's hand

"If you say it like that, you're admitting that there's bad news." Rinako said with a false air of calm.

Tsunade stared at her patient a long time, taking in the badly swollen face that she'd had to piece together from the shattered eye orbits to the broken nose. It was impossible to tell what the kunoichi really looked like right now.

"The tendons were torn. Ripped apart." Shizune sighed from her seat, giving the girl a sympathetic look. "We're not sure what kind of return you'll get with mobility in that hand."

Rinako deliberately bit her tongue and nodded, staring down at her damaged hand all wrapped up in fresh bandages. "Like I said before, you can't be a ninja without ninjutsu. And you need hand seals for that. Looks like I'm retiring."

Kirohu whimpered and put his large head in Rinako's lap, not liking the tone of her voice.

"And as I told you, that isn't quite true." Tsunade snapped and began to clear away her medical supplies.

A brisk knock at the door had them all looking up. Lee poked his head inside. "You needed me Hokage-domo?"

"Perfect timing. Come in, come in." Tsunade got up and indicated that Lee should take her chair next to their patient. "I was just explaining that if you worked hard enough, you don't necessarily need to have ninjutsu to be a superb ninja." She laughed as she moved out of the way.

Rinako scowled. "This isn't funny!"

"Lee. I leave you in charge of her training." Tsunade said, giving an almost cruel smirk. "Rinako? Have fun."

Lee snapped to attention, giving a jaunty salute with one hand. "I will make you proud, Lady Tsunade!"

"I know you will." Tsunade said, chuckling to herself as she left the room.

Shizune coughed to gain attention. She gave Lee a droll look. "Go easy, Lee. She's not nearly well enough for serious training yet."

Rinako looked stunned and appalled and …a tiny bit hopeful. "Training? Do you have ninjutsu that doesn't require forming hand seals?" She held up her nearly useless hand.

Lee grinned from ear to ear. "I have no ninjutsu whatsoever!"

"Oh!" Rinako nodded and wondered if he was a genjutsu specialist or something. But she didn't have any talent for genjutsu. Just what was this guy going to teach her?

Lee looked the kunoichi over carefully, cataloguing her injuries and what he knew of conditioning.

"What's first?" She asked quietly.

Lee grinned and stood, holding out one hand for her. "We walk!" He announced. "When I was injured, the first thing I was determined to do was to get out of bed and walk! The power of youth runs through your veins, injured or not. The blossom will bloom again once crushed, if the roots stay alive!"

Rinako eyed him strangely a moment. "Youth? Roots? What will blossom?"

Lee pulled her to her feet. Kirohu backed up, whining as Rinako swayed and tried to catch her balance. She blinked her eyes, trying to right the world that was spinning crazily around her. "This might not be a good idea."

"Nonsense!" Lee grinned and put his arms through hers. "Until we can find a crutch if one is needed, you will lean on me! Now. Let's go for a walk!"

Rinako didn't have time to respond before he was urging her forward. Each step hurt, and her balance still sucked, but somehow …somehow she was out the door of her room and walking down a tunnel passageway before she quite knew what was happening.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata wrapped a wool blanket around her little brother, despite it still being summer. Katashi was staring at her funnily and his teeth were still chattering.

"He's as white as a ghost." Kankuro mused, leaning down to peer into Katashi's face. "Kid?" He snapped his fingers.

Katashi looked at him with his eyes, but didn't speak.

Hiashi scowled and shook his head. "I wish we'd been able to capture the man. Question him."

Neji nodded from where he was sitting next to his wife, his arm around Yugao. "The Hokage's letter only warned of one assassin coming, right?"

Anko shook her head. "We can't depend on that. Just because they found out about one, doesn't mean that there aren't more."

A timid knock on the door of the study had everyone whirling around. Ani drew back and blushed beet red. "I…I'm sorry, but the boys …"

"Oh! They must be hungry!" Hinata winced and leaned down to kiss Katashi's ear. "I'll be back, I promise."

Hinata headed upstairs to take care of her twin boys. Kankuro gave Hiashi a look, "I'm sticking close to her for a while." He brushed his hand over Katashi's shoulder and then followed his wife upstairs.

Yugao snorted lightly. "Like someone will attack Hinata in the nursery."

Neji tightened his arm slightly, pulling her closer. "Someone put a snake in her bed once."

"A Hyuuga traitor." Yugao frowned. "But I see your point."

Neji stood and pulled the blue-haired woman to her feet. "Let's go get that wound taken care of." He scowled at the blood staining his wife's top.

"It's only a scratch." The kunoichi protested, but followed her husband anyway.

Alone. Hiashi looked at his only son and sighed. "Ninja kill people. There is nothing wrong in what you did today."

Katashi shook his head, then a strange look crossed his face and he nodded. "Yes there was."

Anko shook her head. "Yuusen, you did good today."

At the nick-name, the boy jumped up and turned on her. His eyes were bright even though his skin was still too pale. "I am not 'brave'! Don't call me that! I was shaking! Shaking!"

Hiashi nodded. "First real ninja fight? First kill? At seven? I didn't even do that until I was nine. Bravery isn't the fact that you don't shake, it's that you don't let it stop you from acting."

Katashi mumbled something and Anko leaned forward. "Yuusen?"

The boy scowled darkly at her, but at least his color was starting to come back. "I could have killed you." He looked down at the floor as he hung his head, shamed. "I only hit the man by accident. It should have missed. What if I'd hit you or Yugao?" He wailed.

Hiashi nodded. "You made a lot of mistakes today. Not taking cover and allowing the kunoichi to do their job. Trying to take on a jounin assassin before you've finished even one month at the Academy. Throwing weapons into a battle where you weren't sure that either of the women would get hit. Killing the man I would dearly have loved to question."

Katashi bit his lip to keep it from trembling.

"Mistakes like those will be corrected with training." Hiashi said quietly. "But having the heart and the gut to step up and try and fight? That can't be taught. You did well."

The praise did what the criticism couldn't. A tear rolled down Katashi's face.

Knowing the boy's pride, both Hiashi and Anko ignored it as they looked at him.

"You need a bath." Anko decreed. "And I need out of these fucking skirts. Let's both head upstairs."

Hiashi put his hand out and stopped Anko. He gestured toward the door, telling Katashi to go on out. "We'll talk later, but you did well." He told his son, then he looked over at his wife. "Care to explain this ridiculous kimono?"

Anko gave him a cheeky grin. "No." She said, slipped from his grip and grabbed Katashi's hand as the two headed up the stairs. The seven year old even managed a quick laugh at the look on his father's face.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Perhaps we should give them some space?" Kakashi whispered.

Tsume shook her head. "Not necessary. As soon as we get to the Akatsuki fortress, Kiba and I will head out on our own mission. And you know as well as I do that we need to stick close to Shiho while we're out in the open."

The copy-nin reluctantly nodded.

"I need some privacy." Shiho announced, standing. Then frowned sharply as Sai stood as well. "Privacy means alone."

Sai shook his head. "No."

Kiba looked perturbed. "Dude, you can't watch while a woman needs to use …."

Tsume stood. "I'll go with her."

Sai looked unsure, until Kakashi pulled him back down to sit with the other shinobi. "Let the women be. Tsume will take care, I assure you."

"She is my responsibility." Sai said, still looking uneasy to let his charge out of his sight. "What if I need to kill her?"

Kiba choked on his rations, sputtering as he coughed and glared at Sai. "What?"

Kakashi sighed. "Usual procedure when a code-breaker leaves the village."

"Why?" Kiba whined, with Akamaru echoing him from his other side.

The copy-nin gave him a long look. "What is the most important thing in battle?"

Kiba stilled. "We are not in school anymore." He snapped.

Kakashi grinned. "Then tell me what you learned. What is the most important thing in battle?"

"Strength." Kiba growled.

"You're worse than Naruto." The copy-nin shook his head. "You're the leader. Hokage. You have an enemy approaching. Where do you put your people?"

Kiba groaned, but gamely thought it through. "You try to match up your strongest against their strongest, protect the weaker areas and the civilians …"

"How do you know which is their strongest?"

Sai grunted. "Information is the most important thing in battle."

"Fine. Whatever." Kiba groused, irritated that Sai had the right answer. He didn't like the guy, never had.

Kakashi rummaged through his travel pack and pulled out one of his ever-present novels. He settled back and watched the young Inuzuka. "All information coming out of the field goes back to the village. Coded."

Suddenly Kiba went coldly still. "Cryptologists. They see all the information." Things started to click in his head.

"Pieces usually, there's no one person outside of the Hokage who sees all the messages. Still, you get the point. There is no way that any ninja village can allow their code-breakers to fall into outside hands. They not only know too much, but all the codes would have to be re-worked. A broken code is worse than useless, it's a liability. Gives the enemy a devestating weapon."

"That's why she's not allowed to leave the village?" Kiba guessed. "Damn."

"Cryptologists are far too important. And if this weren't an Akatsuki fortress, with the locations of the tailed beasts in question, your little Shiho still would be safely in Konoha." Kakashi raised his book, getting ready to read. "As a rule, code-breakers never leave their villages."

"She's not mine." Kiba corrected automatically, his mind racing. "So she's got to be protected at all times while out of the village. And if she's captured …"

"I kill her." Sai said without inflection.

"Only if she can't be retrieved." Kakashi said absently. "Don't kill her too soon, Sai. We still need her."

Kiba shivered, suddenly feeling cold. "She's defenseless. Not even a real ninja."

Sai gave him a long look. "You said that before, but she is wearing the Leaf insignia."

Kakashi lowered his book reluctantly. "She's tougher than she looks, she's a code-breaker after all."

"Glorified librarian." Kiba muttered. "I get that she's important, but why do code-breakers even have to be ninja? It's not like they usually go anywhere."

The copy-nin looked stunned, then shook his head. "In the last decade, only seven students have even qualified to become code-breakers and go through rigorous training. Only two of those have passed. The girl has a spine of steel, trust me."

Kiba looked confused. "Rigorous training?"

"In case she's ever captured and whomever is guarding her fails to kill her." Kakashi told him slowly. "All code-breakers are thoroughly trained in resisting torture, chemical, mental and physical. And they are all well versed in suicide jutsu."

Sai looked up at that. "I've been through that as well."

Kiba shook his head, his stomach crawling at the question he just had to ask next. "How do you train in resisting torture?"

Sai gave him a blank look. "By being tortured of course."

"It's not pretty. And it's not fun from what I gather." Kakashi nodded and turned back to his book just as Tsume and Shiho returned.

Kiba couldn't help but stare at the little bookworm, trying to square what he'd just learned with what he already knew. Sure the girl was quiet most of the time, but she was not shy, not in the least. Had her training gotten rid of any shyness? Or had she never had any?

Shiho shifted uncomfortably, aware that she was being stared at. "What?" She finally snapped at Kiba.

"N…nothing." The Inuzuka turned away, having a lot to think about.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade read over the message and gave a quick nod. "Ibiki? See if you can find Hanabi for me."

"Her father gave permission?"

"Oh yes." Tsunade looked up. "And I have a feeling our little genin is not going to be so happy about her upcoming 'death'."

"It won't be real." Ibiki sighed, standing. "But you're right. She won't be happy at all."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	23. Death and Taxes

"Why are the Kazekage and the Hokage arguing?" Rocks watched curiously from across the large length of the main tunnel. Cords stretched across doorways and passageways that hadn't yet been cleared of Akatsuki traps. All three genin walked toward the room used for dining, keeping their eyes on the short red-headed Kazekage as he glowered at the taller Tsunade.

Michi sneered and pushed his way into the room, heading over to the stew bowl and dishing some out for himself as he ignored the question.

Hanabi walked up beside him and gave Michi a bright smile, picking up another empty bowl as she held it out toward him.

Rocks quirked an eyebrow as Michi's lips moved into a snarl and he turned his back on his teammate rather than serve her some of the stew. "Looks like we're not forgiven yet." He commented dryly, moving to join Hanabi as they served up their own stew bowls.

Michi eyed his erstwhile teammates coolly as they moved to the long table to join him. When Rocks sat down next to him, the water-ninja moved several inches to his left despite there being plenty of room on the bench.

Hanabi sighed. "You were on guard duty. We didn't set that up. Come on, get over it."

Rocks nodded as he blew on the steaming hot stewed dish before taking a bite. He grunted and shrugged. "Shizune must have had cooking duty today. Yesterday's was inedible."

Michi gave a half-hearted smile as Hanabi suddenly frowned at the other boy. "I never said I knew how to cook!" The Hyuuga kunoichi snapped.

Rocks shrugged. "I thought you were just trying to get out of cooking detail. I mean, you've cooked for us in camp before and it wasn't half bad."

Michi looked up, the first spark of interest in his sea-foam green eyes. "Haven't you noticed? Hanabi only warms up left-overs, grills fish over the fire, or sets out a cold camp with sandwiches. No actual cooking involved, not really."

The kunoichi scowled at him, chagrined to have him point out the obvious.

Rokuro nodded slowly and speculatively as he eyed his furious teammate. "That makes a lot of sense, actually."

"Why? Because I'm a rich, spoiled, bratty heiress?" Hanabi glared at Rocks, her pale eyes fairly gleaming with temper.

"Well …yeah." Rokuro gave her a toothy grin as he spooned up a huge bite of stew. "Maybe we can talk Shizune into taking over cooking all the time."

"No you can't." Shizune said from the doorway, having overheard the last part of the genin's conversation. "And the Hokage wants to see you three as soon as you're done eating."

Rocks nodded and dug back into his stew bowl. Hanabi started in on her own bowl, ready for that first bite.

"We're ready." Michi stood and grabbed the stew bowls out of his teammates hands, giving them cold looks as he nearly tossed all of the bowls in the sink.

"Hey!" Rocks protested.

Hanabi's stomach grumbled.

Shizune watched, a bit amused as she nodded. "Go on then, don't keep her waiting." With that, she left them alone.

"I hadn't even started yet!" Hanabi growled. "And I'm hungry!" Rocks nodded as well.

Michi smiled meanly at the other two. "Then you should have come in for lunch instead of watching Naruto, Gaara and Rock Lee fight." He bared his teeth at the two of them. "Without me." With that, he headed out down the hallway, his hands in his pockets.

Rocks sighed. "Nope, he hasn't forgiven us yet."

Hanabi nodded as she grabbed a piece of bread off the table and chewed on it as they too headed off to see what Lady Tsunade wanted with them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Can't we stop?" Shiho eyed the sky for a moment, she could fairly taste the oncoming rain on her tongue. "It's going to start raining."

Sai shrugged. A little rain never hurt anyone.

Kakashi shook his head. "We need to push on. I don't like being so exposed like this." He looked around the grassy fields. "Let's get to the tree line before we set up camp."

Tsume nodded as Shiho bit back her groan.

They were going to get wet. She just knew it!

Kiba followed along behind the cryptologist, mulling on his own thoughts. He watched Shiho's back as she pushed through the tall grasses. She had a certain …lack of grace. Not clumsy, but just …not like Sai or Tsume. Especially not like Kakashi who moved almost like mist sometimes.

At one time he would have laughed and made a joke about Shiho not being a field ninja. What had he called her? A glorified librarian? Kiba felt ill at ease as he continued to follow along after the group, guarding their rear.

Akamaru whined from beside him, completely attuned to his master's emotions. And right now the nin-dog could tell Kiba was confused, his emotions unclear.

He watched as Shiho looked off into the distance, letting the wind from the coming rain ruffle through her hair. Her hair. Honey-reddish and unruly no matter how hard she tried to tame it with goop. The goop that smelled lightly like jasmine. The goop that didn't work perfectly as stray pieces of her hair stuck out here or there. Kiba grinned behind her back. It was actually cute in a homely sort of way.

"We need to hurry." Shiho said almost breathlessly as she speeded up her pace.

Kiba frowned. Of course she could speed up! He was carrying half her pack along with his own! "Just a moment ago you wanted to stop." He said gruffly.

Everyone else picked up their pace to match Shiho's as they headed toward the tree line.

"It's not a big storm. I don't smell any lightning coming our way." Kiba complained just to be complaining, not out of any real discomfort. "Don't be a baby."

Shiho's spine stiffened and there was a light hitch in her step as if his words hat hurt her, but then she moved onward, ignoring him.

Kiba scowled at her behind her back. He didn't like being ignored. Kiba opened his mouth to say something more cutting, then stopped as he ran his eyes over the back of her.

Nothing had changed. She still wasn't anything special. She still wasn't as graceful in her movements as most ninja as she waded through the tall grasses. And her hair was still sticking out in places. But ...it was all different now. Everything had changed now that he knew some of what she'd gone through to 'train' to be a code-breaker. Despite everyting, it did change the way he saw her.

How brave had she had to have been to knowingly walk into being tortured? So-called-training in resisting torture? Kiba's stomach rolled a bit at the thought of someone approaching the little bookworm with the intent of hurting her. And she'd volunteered for it! And probably not just once either.

His eyes traced the line of her back, following her spine down to the point where the grass hid her backside. She looked so slender and fragile, how had she stood up to something like that? It boggled his mind.

The first fat drops of rain started to fall and Kiba heard the small groan from the kunoichi ahead of him. Why would a little bit of wet rain bother her when she'd willing faced torture training?

Lost in his thoughts, Kiba nearly plowed into Shiho when the kunoichi abruptly stopped and swung her pack down. She looked almost frantic as she struggled with the ties on her pack.

"What's wrong?" Kiba asked her almost gently, turning to look around them to make sure he hadn't missed something.

Kakashi sighed and looked to the heavens just as the sky opened up and rain started to fall in earnest.

A soft chuckle from Kakashi and a groan from Shiho had Kiba whipping back around. He took one look at the cryptologist and shook his head in disbelief. Kiba watched the flush start at her neck and flood Shiho's entire face. But that wasn't what held his attention. "Your hair!" He pointed at her in a bit of shock.

Sai cocked his head to one side as he too watched with interest. "It's growing, even as I look at it. How do you do that?"

Shiho frowned sharply and grabbed a cloth from her travel pack and put it over her head, tying a knot beneath her chin. The mass that was her hair was frizzing in the wet weather and had nearly tripled in volume. And curls were forming as he watched. Wild, untamed and frizzy curls. Very frizzy.

"Too late for that." Tsume chuckled ruthlessly as she tapped the cloth that Shiho had put on her head. "Damage is done."

Kiba reached out and pulled one tightly coiled and decidedly frizzy lock. He let go and watched with amazement as Shiho's sprung back into a coil. He whistled. "No wonder you goop it down, your hair …it's …."

Shiho groaned and re-closed her pack, swinging it around onto her back, narrowly missing striking Kiba with it. "Let's go." She whispered hoarsely, obviously embarrassed. Kiba jumped back to avoid being hit, not sure she hadn't done that on purpose.

Sai fell into step automatically as Kakashi gave one undecipherable look back at Kiba before he too headed onward. Tsume and her nin-dog companion followed suit.

They were about ten yards away when Kiba heard Akamaru's bark and looked down. The dog was watching the departing members of their group. Kiba shook his head in amazement and hurried to catch up.

Hurrying up behind Shiho, Kiba grinned with delight as he watched the frizzy mess of her hair bouncing along with her movements. The cloth she'd used to tie down her hair? It simply wasn't working.

Curls burst out in every direction, defying gravity. Kiba laughed.

Shiho fumed as she whipped her head around to glare at him, the turned to stare steadfastly ahead.

"Slow down, Fushidara." Kiba teased, calling her 'messy'.

Tsume rolled her eyes as Shiho gritted her teeth.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi walked outside in his gardens, looking at it with fresh eyes for the first time in years. This was the garden his first wife had built actually, tending it herself with the aid of a few Hyuuga branch family members who'd shared a love of growing things. After his wife's death he'd closed it off. Now, somehow knowing she'd been murdered by Hyuuga Hajime, it seemed right to visit once more. It was if he were finally ready to let it all go.

Koshi had loved all things growing, he remembered fondly. Hiashi looked, his expression neutral, as he saw that he'd locked this area away and had thought it would die off on its own. But it hadn't died. The whole area was awash in wild vegetation, even Koshi's beloved roses had overgrown their beds and had a strangle hold on some of the other areas.

"No! Kurokuma! Stop that!"

Hiashi turned to glance at his gardener who was currently watching a small creature ….

"Is that a …dog?" Hiashi asked coolly as he eyed the gray and black creature that was more fur and eyes than anything else. Matted fur at that.

The gardener shrugged. "Your son's I believe. The boy has named him Kurokuma."

Hiashi's eyebrows rose at the silly name. "He looks nothing like a 'black bear'." He commented dryly. "And he needs to be shaved, that coat is atrocious."

They both watched without expression as the dog that barely topped out at around Hiashi's knees circled them then ran off to chase a squirrel, barking madly. Katashi ran around the corner of the garden wall, skidding to a stop when he saw the two adults. Then he grinned as he saw his dog and went running after it.

The Hyuuga clan leader blinked in disdain as the dog chased the squirrel around and around a huge rotten old tree stump. Katashi calling vainly to the dog to stop.

The gardener chuckled as the squirrel ducked into a hole in the tree stump. Then winced as the dog didn't even bother to slow down and plowed right into the hole himself. Or at least his head did, the rest of him was too big.

Mad barking noises came from the dog, now with his head stuck in the tree stump. His back end wriggled furiously.

The Hyuuga gardener grunted. "I thought bears were supposed to be smart. I think the dog is misnamed."

"No." Hiashi murmured, watching as Katashi extracted the dog from the tree stump and then fell on his butt as the dog began licking him around the face as the boy laughed. "He's a smart enough dog."

The gardener didn't look convinced.

"Kurakuma was smart enough to know my son was a soft touch. I'll have to work on that." Hiashi grunted and turned toward the overgrown roses. "Now, I want all of these cleaned up. Trimmed back."

"Hai, Hyuuga-domo." The gardener listened as the clan leader outlined what he wanted to revitalize the gardens.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi sat, stunned. "Dead? You want me to die?"

Michi shifted uncomfortably next to her. Rocks looked serious as he listened as well.

The Hyuuga kunoichi frowned deeply. "And then to live in Suna?" She said bitterly and shot a dark glare at the red-headed Kazekage. "I see your hand behind this nonsense."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the accusation. "No. Gaara has been arguing against the move, actually. Feels it's not in your best interest."

Sitting back, Hanabi eyed Gaara carefully. But his expression was closed and she could glean nothing from him. "Oh really?" She said snidely, floundering to find a mental foothold.

"Focus on me." Tsunade said quietly. "This is on me."

"Why?" Hanabi huffed, looking put out. "Why should I agree to do this?"

Tsunade sat down and stared at the genin until the girl swallowed and blinked, her gaze sliding off to the side. "It's not a request. It's a mission. An order." She stated firmly.

"You said my father agreed to this!" Hanabi snapped, turning her angry eyes back to the blonde Hokage. "That sounds like a request to me!"

Tsunade's palm slapped down on the make-shift desk, a table really. Regardless, the sound made everyone jump a bit. Except for Gaara who merely watched, stonily silent. "Listen closely. I asked your father's permission as head of your clan. And as your father. It wasn't necessary, I did that out of respect for Lord Hiashi."

"And it's easier to do it with his permission rather than explain your 'resurrection' to him later." Gaara grumbled, looking put-out.

"Hai." Tsunade agreed with a swift jerk of her head. "That's true as well."

The Kazekage of Suna leveled an unreadable look at the young genin. "And it will be much easier if you agree to this as well."

"I thought you were against it!" Hanabi snapped.

"I am." Gaara said clearly. "But that doesn't mean the reasoning behind this isn't sound."

"Easier for whom?!" Hanabi yelled, her face flushing with temper. "Who does this benefit?"

Tsunade sighed. "Mizutori Rinako."

Stammering, and at a loss at that unexpected response, Hanabi settled back down in her seat. A long moment later, she cleared her throat. "I assume that there is a reason that Konoha is going out if its way to accommodate a foreign ninja. One who admitted being on a mission to assassinate a member of my family!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako fought it off as long as she could, her face contorting strangely enough that Kirohu dropped his tail between his legs and whimpered in distress. Finally though, she couldn't stop it. "Achoooo!"

Lee looked startled a moment, then winced in sympathy as Rinako groaned and slumped against the wall as her body trembled with the pain of the sneeze. "I thought they healed your broken nose?"

"Still hurts." Rinako fought off the nausea and tried to stand back up straight, it was embarrassing that this Leaf shinobi had to help her walk. She looked down at her left hand, her only good hand right now, and sighed as she saw the muscles shaking with fatigue.

Lee looked down the hall, judging the distance carefully. "Perhaps you are a bud."

Smiling hurt, but her lips quivered a bit as she gave him a considering look. "Bud? You talk gardening like a code or something. But I'm catching on I think. Let's see. A bud is a flower that hasn't blossomed yet?"

"INDEED!" Lee shouted with triumph, making Rinako wince as the sound reverberated throughout the cavern passageway. "You are so brilliant! You are like a blossom on the verge of blooming, a bud! You need care and extra tending in order to grow into the best ninja you can be!"

Rinako sighed and gave Lee a droll look from her swollen and bruised eyes. "I think I've done enough blooming for one day."

Lee looked disappointed. "You don't want to finish the tunnel? Go all the way outside?"

"Tomorrow." Rinako said, rubbing at her sore and newly healed ribs. "I need to rest."

"Of course!" Lee smiled widely and her, showing off perfect teeth. He rushed off, leaving Rinako breathing hard and leaning against the wall.

"I meant that I needed to rest. So where did he run off to do you suppose?" She whimpered and looked down at Kirohu. "Guess it's me and you …wait, no here he comes back." Rinako watched with a puzzled expression as Lee came hurrying back, carrying two chairs over his head. "What?"

"REST!" Lee said emphatically as he set the chairs down. "I do not need to rest, but will not shame you by showing that off and I will rest with you." So saying, he sat down in the second chair with a grin, his whole body fairly thrumming with energy. "After you rest, I mean after WE rest we'll head outside."

"Tomorrow." Rinako reiterated quietly as she eased her shaky frame into the chair gratefully. Kirohu licked the palm of her hand as he sat down next to her, his dark eyes watching her carefully.

"After we rest I'll bet it will take us no time at all to complete the tunnel and be outside!" Lee sighed happily.

"You don't listen well." Rinako murmured under her breath. "So!" She said as brightly as she could muster. "Tell me about yourself. I already know you're an avid gardener. What else?"

Lee looked at Rinako a moment, confused. "Gardener? No, I know nothing about gardens. Whatever gave you that impression?" He asked, the very picture of sincerity.

The kunoichi sighed and blinked heavily at the green-clad shinobi. "I don't get you." She whispered hoarsely. "I just don't get you."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi headed into his study, needing to finish up some paperwork. He pulled back his chair and stopped cold. It wasn't empty.

Green-gold eyes stared up at him.

Hiashi sighed and glared at his son's cat, Asubu. "That's my chair." He said sternly.

The cat yawned, but didn't look impressed.

Just then Hiashi heard a chirping noise and turned to look out his door to see his son, Katashi, walk by with that ugly dog trotting along behind him. In his son's hands was a box and ….yes, the box was chirping.

Hiashi sighed and picked up the cat, putting it down on the floor. "My office is off limits." He told the animal, feeling silly as he did so.

Asubu turned his back on Hiashi and slid gracefully from the room. At the door, the cat turned to give the shinobi an ineffable look. Then left in silence.

Hiashi sat down and pulled out his paperwork, a smile playing about his lips. The animals were a nuisance, but at least his son was starting to settle in here well. The boy had been raised in the mountains by a hermit. He was used to wildlife. Comfortable with it. Still, while a dog and cat …and presumably some sort of bird …didn't necessarily qualify as wildlife, they at least made the boy happy. Hiashi's smile faded as he heard a wild barking noise and a shrill hiss.

He watched in wonder as the mangy looking dog ran across the hall way, and then skidded on the tiles with his paws flailing for purchase. Unable to stop himself, the dog slide across the hallway and hit the wall with a solid sounding 'thud'. Hiashi winced.

Maybe he should look into finding his son a smarter dog.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Mizutori Rinako was ordered to assassinate a Hyuuga, a main family member. But she did not intend to carry out that mission once she was approached by other persons, and no I will not name them. These walls are not friendly, no matter how private we appear to be." Tsunade explained matter-of-factly.

Hanabi glowered, but did not interrupt.

"She instead carried out this secret mission to bring someone to Konoha. To me. And when that mission was in jeopardy she …"

"We know this part. We were there." Rocks interrupted, earning dark glares from his Hokage that had him backing up a step.

"Indeed. But what you don't know is that if it comes to light that this Rinako betrayed her Raikage then the lives of her family are forfeit." Tsunade said bluntly. "Her mother and two younger brothers will die."

Hanabi nodded and gave a callous shrug. "She made that decision. It's a brave one, I'll admit. But a sacrifice she was willing to make."

"Indeed." Tsunade said carefully. "And she did not have to warn us that the Cloud shinobi here sent someone to complete that assassination attempt once they'd captured her."

The Hyuuga genin shifted her weight a bit uncomfortably. "I refuse to feel guilty about her situation. I had nothing to do with it."

Gaara did no more than take a deep breath, but he pulled every bit of focus to himself. He watched Hanabi carefully, not paying any mind to anyone else. "And if this kunoichi's warning saves a member of your family?"

Hanabi clenched her fists, refusing to back down. "I'd be grateful, of course. But dying? No. Besides, what if her warning is meaningless …or didn't come in time. What if the assassin has already struck?" She prayed it wasn't so.

Tsunade drummed her fingers on the table lightly and eyed the stubborn young woman before her. "Does that make her warning any less brave? Her sacrifice any less tragic?"

Swallowing hard, Hanabi dropped her gaze as she shook her head. "I can't die." She moaned. "We …there are chuunin exams coming up. There are things that I ….my whole life! This is my life you're talking about! You can't tell me how long this will last, how long I'll have to play dead! This isn't some simple mission you're asking me to take. And while I'm grateful to this woman, I ..."

Tsunade sighed and stood, interrupting the young Hyuuga mid-tirade. "This isn't about gratitude. I need Mizutori Rinako. I need her in our debt. I have you 'die' and at her hands? We send this false information to the Raikage and then fake her death on another assassination attempt. This will keep her mother and brothers from dying due to her turning traitor. She'll be a hero in their Raikage's eyes."

"WHY?" Hanabi yelled.

"So that I can make use of Mizutori and all the information she has." Tsunade said coldly. "She …is being helpful, I want to keep her that way."

Michi put his hand on Hanabi's shoulder. "And you would then hold the lives of this woman's family in your hands. If she doesn't play nice with us, we let slip the information to Kumogakure that she betrayed them …and they'd kill her family. Isn't that right?"

A swift nod from the Hokage had the Hyuuga kunoichi catching her breath. "You're holding her family hostage." Hanabi whispered, her eyes widening with understanding. "But why me? Why choose me?"

Gaara gave her an odd look. "Who would you choose, who in your family would you kill off? Your sister?"

"No!" Hanabi stood, incensed and glaring daggers at the red-head. "Leave my sister out of this! Besides, she has two new babies to care for and is studying to be a surgeon."

"It has to be main family for this to work." Tsunade said quietly. "Someone with the Byakugan. They seem to be the preferred target of this new upstart of a Raikage."

Hanabi thought about that for a long moment. Her father? No, he was needed. Neji? No, he was a new father and was about to take over the clan leadership and was learning everything from Hiashi. Not Hinata. Katashi? No, the kid had just started at the Academy, no way could she ask him to give that up.

Tsunade watched the pain and resignation in the young genin's eyes. She nodded. "We'll set this up soon, before I leave for Konoha."

Hanabi nodded then gasped a moment, her eyes flying up to meet the Hokage. "Who will know about this? Who will know I'm not dead?"

"Your father, me, Shizune and your current team. They have to know as they have a part to play when we 'kill' you off."

Hanabi couldn't seem to catch her breath for a moment as Michi's hand tightened on her shoulder. Kiba? Kiba would think she was dead! So would … "Hinata? Katashi?"

"No. Everyone has to think you're dead. Perhaps we can let your sister know later, but not yet." Tsunade's voice was implacable. "The boy is too young and I don't know how well he can keep a secret."

Rocks coughed lightly. "What about my mother?"

"No. You will tell no one that Hanabi is alive." Tsunade looked cross, thinking she was explaining the obvious.

Michi nodded his own head as Rocks continued. "No. I mean, will she know that I'm not really dead?"

Tsunade stopped and turned to give the young man her full attention. "Hanabi is dying, not you."

"Well now." Michi smiled without humor. "Rocks and I just don't see it that way. Will you let my parents know that I'm alive as well?"

"Suna could be fun." Rocks continued, yawning as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Hot. Sandy."

"It is a desert." Michi pointed out blandly. "Still, I'm sure it has its good points."

"No." Hanabi stood, sounding defiant. "I won't let you guys do this. It's bad enough that I have to miss the chuunin exams, I won't let you two do it though."

Rocks laughed. "Like you have a choice in the matter, spoiled brat. Oh, it's all about you. Always all about you." He gave her a wink.

Michi shrugged. "Chuunin exams take a team. And teamwork. Hasn't Ibiki-sensai already drummed that into our hard heads? We don't have time to break in someone new."

"Yeah." Rocks nodded sagely, rubbing his chin in thought. "And what if they're worse than you?" He grunted as Hanabi's elbow found his ribs.

Tsunade looked back and forth between the three for a long moment. "No."

"We're a team." Michi said, his eyes steady and his chin thrust out stubbornly.

Gaara sighed. "No one will believe you're from Suna." He said quietly.

Rocks looked over at his fellow shinobi and teammate. "Your skin is on the pale side."

"No. That's not what I meant." Gaara shook his head. "His specialty is water based jutsu. Desert. Think about it."

"Damn." Michi's sea-foam green eyes widened, then narrowed. "We'll come up with something."

Rocks nodded resolutely.

Hanabi looked like she might cry at any moment as she smiled at her two teammates.

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her face wearily. "Why is nothing easy?"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	24. Staging the Scene

"I'm sorry." Kiba said through gritted teeth. "And that is the LAST apology you will get from me, so savor it."

Shiho didn't even bother to turn and look at him this time. Sai did, however. The former ROOT ninja gave a blank stare at the Inuzuka. "You said that an hour ago, yet that was yet another apology. I do not understand."

Kakashi shook his head, looking with amusement over at Inuzuka Tsume. "Seems that Sai is calling into question the honor of your clan."

Kiba gave the back of Kakashi's head an evil look as Shiho turned to stare at Tsume, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

"Are you?" Tsume flashed her fangs in Sai's direction.

The emotionless ninja blinked once at her, then seemed to think it over. "No? Maybe?" He looked over at Kakashi. "Am I?" He asked, genuinely unsure. He'd learned over the years that some of the social graces were beyond him, no matter how much studying he did. "Okay."

The copy-nin nodded solemnly. "Kiba said his last apology an hour ago, telling Shiho that that one would be his last apology. Though whether he meant that just for laughing at her hair, or if he really meant his last apology EVER …I'm not sure. He didn't specify. Either way, he just broke his word. Thus putting the Inuzuka honor in question."

"Oh." Sai nodded. "Does this mean we have to fight, a duel or something?"

Tsume choked and then burst out laughing, slapping her thigh as she wiped tears from her eyes. Everyone stopped as the Inuzuka clan leader shook with laughter, her nin-dog companion even panting as if he were laughing along with her.

Sai watched impassively. Then he turned to Kakashi. "Well? Do I attack or not? And which would I duel with? She's the clan leader, but he's the one who broke his word."

"Neither one, not this time." The copy-nin gave a wry grin of his own beneath his mask. "Sorry."

Tsume wiped the final tears from her face. "Good heaven's boy, take a hold of yourself. If the Inuzuka clan fought every single time we said something to piss someone off, we'd run out of neighbors and colleagues inside of a week."

Kiba grinned and smiled sheepishly as Shiho turned to stare at him. He winked at her and smiled. She looked startled and started to smile back before she remembered she was mad at him. Kiba's grin grew as Shiho's smile froze then snapped into a frown.

Sai looked confused and Tsume shook her head at him, grinning widely the whole time. "My clan is an impulsive, emotional lot and we don't use filters on our mouths a lot of the time."

Sai frowned.

Kakashi coughed. "Don't mind him, he's very literal in his thinking. Tsume meant that they don't always censor what they want to say before saying it."

Sai frowned sharper. "I understood what she meant by 'filters'. I just don't understand how a trait like that can make for a good ninja." He explained. "Yet the Inuzuka clan is respected in the village, or so I've heard."

The copy-nin chuckled. "If we only had one kind of ninja available in the Leaf village, we'd be dead meat. Every clan, every ninja has their own strengths and weaknesses. If everyone had the same weakness, it would be found out and exploited."

"So we're stronger with a diverse group of ninja and abilities." Sai nodded, then shook his head and opened his mouth.

Before he could speak, though, Kakashi interrupted. "We've discussed this before. ROOT shinobi aren't perfect and without flaws just because they have divested themselves of emotion."

Sai closed his mouth thoughtfully as the group continued on their journey toward the former Akatsuki fortess.

Shiho ignored Kiba and stared straight ahead. No filters? Her expression was blank, but inside her stomach was roiling. So. The dog-nin hadn't been saying things and doing things to deliberately taunt her, to hurt her, or anything like that.

He really felt that way. He saw her as a non-ninja weakling who was ugly and couldn't get a date to save her life. And he thought her hair was hilarious. Oh no, must not forget about that!

Somehow, that made it all worse. She walked along, feeling absolutely miserable. Especially with Kiba whistling merrily behind her.

As for Kiba, he felt great. Now Shiho would have to forgive him! He hadn't meant anything mean, he just thought it was funny that her hair was really curly like that. At least now she knew he hadn't deliberately tried to hurt her feelings earlier. And now that she knew that, he was forgiven. He whistled jauntily as they continued travelling.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hyuuga Hanabi thought this day sucked. And the glower on her face told everyone to keep miles away from her right now. If they didn't, they might be injured, maimed or killed outright.

Unfortunately a certain red-head ignored the warning signs and dropped back to fall into step beside her. He glanced at her 'do not approach' face and then out at the scenery around them. "It won't take long to get to Suna at this pace."

"Oh good." She bit the words off savagely, her tone leaving no doubt that her words were meant as sarcastic.

Gaara nodded.

Hanabi, miffed, shot him an evil glare. "I wasn't being sincere." She pointed out coldly.

"I know."

They fell into silence for over two miles before Hanabi looked at him again. "Why didn't you want to agree to my 'death'? You must have thought everything was falling into place for you. So perfect! This whole thing just suits your courtship plans just right!"

Gaara shook his head slightly, his expression never changing. He didn't even look at her as he answered. "Non-courtship."

Hanabi sneered. "You know what I meant!"

"Hai. I do know what you meant." The Kazekage of Suna gave her a long look from the corners of his eyes, then looked forward again. "Moving you to my village isn't something sure to make you think well of me. It's a set back. Not helpful at all."

"A set back?" Hanabi scoffed, still upset. "Is that what you call it? My sister is going to freak! And we have NO clue how long this 'thing' that Lady Tsunade is planning is going to take! I could be stuck in Suna for months! Maybe even a whole year! You know what's going on, don't you? You know why all of this charade is necessary."

Gaara gave a small sigh. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you everything that is going on, as it has inconvenienced your life. But the reasons behind needing to keep this Cloud kunoichi under our thumb, it's important." Like stopping the Fourth Great Ninja War important, but he couldn't tell her that. The less people that knew, the better.

"And I'm sorry that I'm going to make your life a living hell." Hanabi snapped at him, then pressed forward and left him to catch up with Rocks and Michi.

Gaara chuckled lightly behind her, unobserved. "Like hell you are." He commented. "You're not sorry about that one little bit."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Naruto stopped and chewed his bottom lip indecisively.

Lee looked over at him, sweat glistening on his face. "What is it?"

"Kakashi is to our left, and heading this way. He's not alone." The blonde looked speculatively through the trees, but could see nothing.

Rinako groaned and pleaded with the boys. "I need to stop for a moment." Her voice was weak and she coughed to clear her throat.

Lee shook his head vigorously, jostling her from where he was carrying her on his back. "We can not stop until you are safely in Konoha." He stated with bold determination. "That was the Hokage's orders!" He would have saluted with a thumb's up pose, if he hadn't had to hold onto Rinako to keep her from slipping off his back.

Naruto scratched his chin. "Granny Tsunade did say to keep her a secret from everyone. I suppose that includes Kakashi-sensei."

Lee nodded. "I say we circle around them, that way." He pointed with his chin. "Avoid detection. The Hokage did say to keep Miss Rinako completely secret."

Naruto agreed as he looked at Lee carrying the injured woman. "Did the Hokage really tell you to carry her the entire way back? Or are you still upset that Neji wouldn't let you carry him from Suna to Konoha that one time?"

Lee shook his head in denial. "No! No, the Hokage's instructions were to get Miss Rinako to Konoha as quickly as possible. I judge it to be quicker carrying her than letting her walk. She can barely walk outside from her room in the caverns as it is."

Naruto nodded and then stopped as Rinako batted weakly at Lee's ear. He watched her as she opened her still black-and-blue swollen eyes. "I have to stop." She said weakly. "Just for a moment."

Kirohu whined from beside Naruto.

"We can stop in three hours!" Lee promised, trying to give a wide grin only to find Rinako's hand as she attempted to twist his nose.

"I have to stop!" She said, stronger this time.

Naruto shifted his weight nervously. "Uh Lee? I think she has to pee or something." He blushed as he said it.

Rinako sighed as Lee let her slide from his back. Her legs felt like overcooked noodles, weak and mushy. She would have toppled over if the green-clad shinobi hadn't caught her. The kunoichi felt like crying with how weak and useless she felt, not to mention that her healing hand throbbed and her ribs ached like a son of a bitch.

"Uh Lee? You'd better help her to a bush or something." Naruto gave a cheesy grin.

Lee looked alarmed at the very thought. "Why don't you do it? I've been carrying her since we left the caves."

Naruto grinned evilly. "Oh, I'll do it." He cackled. "Since you're too TIRED to do it."

Lee straightened up in outrage. "I am not too tired! And I shall prove it!" He swung Rinako up into his arms, pulling a squeak from her and a bark from her nin-dog.

The argument went round and round as Rinako rested her head against Lee's shoulder, smiling to herself even though her bladder felt like it might burst at any second. As loud and exuberant as these two were, they soothed her somehow.

Their easy camaraderie reminded her what it had been like with her own team. Back before the new Raikage had taken control. At that thought, Rinako's smile faded and she found the strength to stand on her own two feet. She pushed away from Lee and he reluctantly let her go.

Both her teammates had died in the take-over. She'd been spared only because she and Kirohu had been away on a mission at the time. When she'd come back, it had been all over. "I can walk." She avowed, unsure if she was lying or not.

"Of course you can!" Lee smiled at her, proud as she wobbled three steps and managed to maintain her balance. "I admire your determination and strength, Miss Rinako! Your bud will bloom into the loveliest of blossoms, of that I have no doubt."

"I'm glad one of us is sure." She muttered as she stumbled back behind some bushes. "And there you go with gardening talk again. Am I ever going to understand you?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho saw the mountains rising ominously in the distance, already the land was starting to climb and elevate sharply. She just wished they were there already. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she could get rid of the thorn in her side.

Kiba gave her an odd look as Shiho turned her back on him, digging through her pack for a moment. He watched as she pulled out a comb and a bottle of something mysterious.

"Hungry?" He asked her as he pulled out some rations.

Shiho turned to look at Kiba as he offered her some cold meats and cheeses. Then she turned away without a word.

Tsume looked away and pretended not to watch. Kakashi buried his nose in his book, while Sai watched openly. Kiba flushed a bit at the direct snub. Akamaru whined and raised a paw in Shiho's direction.

The cryptologist's eyes widened as she smiled involuntarily at the large nin-dog. She reached out for his paw and grinned as he panted at her happily. "How sweet!"

Kiba relaxed and nodded smugly. "Food?" He offered again.

"Thank you." Shiho took the proffered meat and turned to Akamaru. "Hungry?" She smiled and tore off some strips, feeding him by hand. It seemed Akamaru was happy with this arrangement as he quickly and eagerly wolfed down the offerings.

"Hey!" Kiba protested.

Kuromaru sighed and sat down, scratching his ear with his hind leg. He looked over at Tsume who was looking back at him. They both knew full well that Akamaru wouldn't take food from the hand of anyone he didn't like. Tsume smiled to herself as her canine companion waited for his own dinner.

"That was for you." Kiba tried again, sounding cross.

Shiho smiled and petted the shaggy white nin-dog nearly as big as she was. "Did you hear something?" She asked Akamaru.

Kiba scowled. "What? Are you mad at me again?"

Shiho turned startled eyes on him. Big blue eyes framed by lush dark lashes. Kiba started to smile at her until her words reached him. "What do you mean, again? I never stopped being mad at you."

Sucking in a breath, Kiba bit down on his tongue to keep from saying the wrong thing. Yet again. "I apologized." He finally offered.

"Many times." Shiho acknowledged with a nod of her head. Her head covered in frizzy knots of curls. "I haven't accepted."

"Yet?" He gave her a winsome smile.

She frowned sharply at him. "Your dog does better 'puppy dog' eyes than you do."

Kuromaru buried his nose under his paws to keep from laughing. Akamaru just watched and nudged Shiho's hand which still held some of the meat she'd been feeding him. She gave him the rest without looking.

Kiba shook his head sadly. "You're going to be hungry tonight. Those were your rations, unless you want to eat his?" He asked almost snidely, offering her Akamaru's dog food.

Now even Kakashi was peeking at the duo over the top of his Icha Icha book. He looked like he found the whole thing highly entertaining, though somewhat alarming as well.

"I can stand to lose a few pounds." Shiho replied archly, refusing to back down.

Kiba's eyes snapped together. "No you can't! You need to eat and put some weight on your bones. You have no shape as it is …" He stopped as the bottle she'd pulled out of her travel pack beaned him in the nose.

Kakashi's one visible eye was round and shocked as he watched the hole that Kiba was digging for himself. He looked over at Tsume but saw that the Inuzuka clan leader was putting out Kuromaru's food and was pretending not to watch.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded." Kiba growled as he stooped to pick up the bottle. Curiously he looked at what she'd thrown at him. "Conditioner?"

Kakashi spoke up helpfully. "She's going to put that in her hair before combing it out. Makes it easier."

"Why?"

"Because if I try to comb it like it is, I'll only end up breaking off half of it and ripping out the other half by the roots." Shiho snapped.

"No. I mean …" Kiba pointed at Kakashi. "Why does he know that?"

Shiho turned to look at Kakashi as the copy-nin shrugged. "It's in my book." He held up his copy of Icha Icha Tactics.

The cryptologist gave Kakashi an odd look. "But you've already read that one." She remembered it from the code they'd had to break, the one from the legendary sanin, Jiraiya.

"Many times." Kakashi grinned from beneath his mask. "Unfortunately there will be no new titles now that Jiraiya is no longer with us."

Sai scratched his head, as he remembered something. "But I thought Naruto said he wrote one of those once. When traveling with the Toad Sage. Yes, I think that's what he said."

Kakashi dropped his book, staring at Sai. "You wouldn't lie about something important like that, would you?" His voice suddenly sounded hoarse.

Sai looked puzzled by the question.

"No!" Kakashi moaned. "Why didn't Naruto tell me?!"

"He said it was boring." Sai said quietly, watching.

The copy-nin was no longer listening, however. Instead he was digging through his pack mumbling about making a list of reasons why Naruto needed to become the new author of the Icha Icha line of books.

Tsume grinned as she shook her head, knowing that the young blonde shinobi would not know a moment of peace before he got to work working on a new book. Refusing Kakashi? Dangerous. Refusing fan-obsessed Kakashi? Not a chance.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi fumed as she poked at her perfectly good camp stew.

Rocks sat down next to her and took her bowl, sticking his own chopsticks in the food without a word.

"Hey!" The kunoichi protested.

"You weren't eating it, and it's good." Rokuro said rudely with his mouth full. "You didn't make it, so you know it's decent."

"Hey!" The kunoichi glared at him now, pulling back her fist.

"Stop." Michi sighed and moved to sit between the two, handing Hanabi a fresh bowl of stew. Rocks scooted over to make room by the fire.

"It's not too late to turn back." Gaara told the three genin quietly from his seat on the other side of the flames.

Hanabi stood up, as if daring him to back up his statement. "Let's go."

"Not you." Michi dragged her back down with one arm on her elbow. "He meant us."

The red-head watched the three carefully. "You don't have to miss your chuunin exams. I can offer you that much at least."

Rocks put down his bowl, staring at Gaara a long and hopeful minute. Michi stared as well, though Hanabi looked away huffily.

"Suna is invited to take part in the Earth Country chuunin exams next month." Gaara told them briskly. "But you'll want to wait until next year to take your test."

"Why?" Hanabi asked, barely daring to hope.

Rocks sighed and dusted off his knees. "Even I know that we need more than a month to learn new techniques and ways to keep our identities secret. We can't be Team Four anymore. We're dead. Remember?"

Hanabi sighed and settled down. "As if I could forget." She said bitterly.

"In four months, your father will inform your family you all still live." Gaara said to them all, but his jade-pale eyes were on Hanabi alone. "I can make sure Kiba finds out as well."

Not trusting him, Hanabi gave him an arch look of distrust. "Why would you do that?"

"So you won't feel trapped." Came the vague reply. The last thing Gaara really wanted was to make Hanabi so miserable that she could never be happy in Suna. If she looked on his village as a prison, their non-courtship could never turn into the real thing. It was one of the reasons he'd been against this whole idea of her 'death'.

"We're going to have to look completely different." Rocks was saying.

"No, no …just small changes. People will see what they expect to see. And no one will be looking for dead Leaf ninja in Suna gear." Michi countered. "It's our jutsu styles that will need work. We can't just 'die' and think no one will notice if three genin out of the desert just happen to have the same moves as the genin that were killed."

"I want a tattoo."

Everyone fell silent and turned to stare at Hanabi. She glared at them all with equal distaste. She then turned to arch an eyebrow directly at Gaara, expecting him to contest her will.

"Your father will flip." Rocks whistled in appreciation.

"He allowed me to be 'killed'. Making him flip will be fun." Hanabi said, ignoring the feelings of stepping off a cliff face and into the unknown. "He has no further say in his dead daughter's choices."

"I saw your last choice." Michi muttered, giving her a long look to remind her of the fiasco of her new outfit. "Dangerous."

Hanabi lifted her chin defiantly. Her two teammates groaned as they recognized trouble when they saw it.

Gaara just watched without expression, hiding the depth of his interest. Just what was this last choice young Michi had mentioned?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi looked out of his study window at the night. Anko had long since retired for the evening, she had an early morning training session with Katashi scheduled. The boy was proving eager for extra training now that he'd been involved in a real fight. A death match where he'd come out the winner, even though that had been purely luck.

He sighed and wondered what was going on with his daughter, Hanabi. Had it happened yet? He knew without question that she would do her duty as a kunoichi of the Leaf Village and a main branch Hyuuga family member.

Yet, the thought of his bright firecracker being dead, even if only by pretend …the thought didn't sit well.

Hiashi turned at a slight sound and caught Asubu sneaking up on the sleeping dog by the fire. The cat eyed him, as if daring him to stop him from his mission. Hiashi watched as the cat pounced on the tail of the dreaming Kurokuma.

The mutt screeched and started chasing the cat around the room, barking like mad. But Asubu was too smart and too quick and jumped gracefully atop one of the bookcases, hissing down at the yapping mutt.

Hiashi sighed and turned to look out the window once more. When word came of Hanabi's death. Should he tell anyone the truth of the matter? Neji already knew, but that was it. And the Hokage wanted things locked up tightly.

He had some difficult decisions to make. And soon.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The hunting party stared down upon the charred figures. Three of them. Emotions were under control, but raw and open.

The Grass shinobi poked through the remains as Ibiki and Shino scoured the area. The Aburame looked terrifyingly grim. Ibiki just looked sick.

Rakuai looked toward the Leaf Hokage. "You're sure of the identities?" The Grass leader asked her, point blank.

"Hai." Shizune answered first, swallowing hard. She felt sick for having burned and charred the bodies of the former Cloud shinobi to the point that they were unrecognizable. If that illness was mistaken for grief? All the better. "We're sure. The genin were on a routine guard assignment. When they didn't show up after their rotation was up, I came looking."

Ibiki eyed an area drenched with water. "Michi fought back. Here. And over here." He said with a deep, hoarse voice. "They all would have fought back."

"The prisoner was injured. Badly. We all saw her." Temari growled, her eyes mere slits as she fought the urge to tear someone or something apart. "How could she fight back, even against genin, as injured as she was?"

"She had help." Ibiki pointed out the marks in the ground. "She must have rendezvoused with someone and the …"

"The genin saw something and tried to stop them?" Shino postulated. He listened intently to his kikai insects, a puzzled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked bluntly, hoping her efforts weren't in vain. She and Shizune had gone to great pains with Michi, Hanabi, and Rokuro to stage this scene.

Shino frowned. "The accelerant used is one that repels the kikai. They can't get a reading on the bodies."

Temari blinked hard to keep the tears that were forming from falling. Not Hanabi! No! She was fond of the sneaky genin. And Gaara? He'd left before any of this had happened. How was he going to take the news? A tear escaped her efforts and rolled unchecked down her cheek.

Rakuai of the Grass village sighed and eyed the charred remains. He wasn't sure what was going on. But this …something …something was off. But what?

Shizune eyed her husband and shook on the inside. He made it all look so real. She almost felt like crying and she knew it all to be a sham. She watched as Ibiki put on a show. For those they knew were watching, and those that might be watching.

"The trail is cold. And hidden expertly." Ibiki announced finally. "I'm still going after them."

Two Grass ninja spoke up. "We concur." They looked troubled. "Guard duty needs to be rethought."

"We …we have to send word to the families." Temari spoke up quietly, looking up at the Hokage. "But I'm going with Ibiki."

Shizune stepped up. "No. You and Shino guard the fortress. We don't want to be pulled out of there so that they can retrieve something of value. I'm going with Ibiki."

"And I." Tsunade nodded, feeling like a fraud. But what had to be done to prevent an outbreak of another Great Ninja War, no matter how disgusting, needed to be done. "That is on me. Right now we hunt. I'll write to the families after."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata bent over the crib, rubbing the tummy of her son Nowaki as she hummed gently. Kankuro watched from the door with a small smile on his face. He still couldn't believe how incredibly lucky he'd gotten. "I love you, Hoshi."

Hinata looked up at her husband, then blushed beet red.

"What?" He teased her, walking in and wrapping his arms around her from behind. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.

"This …" Hinata blushed deeply. "This all started because my nose bled."

Kankuro laughed and Hinata felt the rumble throughout her whole body. He didn't bother to correct her, putting the start of everything back on their fathers when the two men had married them off by proxy. She'd been one, and he'd been the older man at three years old.

Kankuro's smile faded as he looked into her pale-lilac eyes. His lips moved towards hers. Hinata felt her lips tremble and part as she closed her eyes, leaning forward.

Nowaki suddenly started crying piteously, kicking his chubby little legs in protest of the loss of attention. His cries woke his twin brother, who didn't appreciate it at all. Kankuro bit back an oath as Hinata turned and picked up baby Nowaki, pushing the infant into his arms. She hurried to pick up the fussy Ryusei, cooing at him. She hummed some more while bouncing him slightly to try and soothe the boy.

Their infant aunt Jishin woke up next, and her lungs were powerful as the little girl started wailing. The aptly named 'little earthquake' nearly rattled the windows. Katsuro woke next, whimpering and flailing his arms rather than crying out. Dark hair crowned his head as he blinked at them all with pale Hyuuga eyes.

Nannies came running, picking up Jishin first, then Neji's son.

Kankuro laughed, and let Nowaki hold onto his pinky finger with his chubby infant grasp. "I'd better hurry and finish our house. That way these two only wake each other up and not the whole damned house!"

Hinata smiled at him, love sparkling out of her pale-eyed gaze as Yugao pushed into the nursery. The blue haired kunoichi finished tying her robe before reaching out for baby Katsuro, who settled down immediately when in his mother's arms.

Kankuro sighed and looked down at the still fussy twins. "See? Learn from your cousin! Quiet is the way to go!" Nowaki only cried louder in response.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	25. Notifications

Sakura grinned happily as she looked up, spying Tsunade and Shizune as they entered the office. "You're back!" A second later and her grin faded. Both returning kunoichi looked haggard. Worn out. Not just the dust from the road, but …. "What's wrong?" She couldn't help the small tremors that ran up and down her spine even though her voice remained steady, even.

Tsunade ignored her former student and went directly to her hidden cache of sake bottles. Sakura stared in shock as the Hokage poured herself a stiff drink, downed it, and then poured another. She slid her eyes to Shizune, who was watching wearily. But the usual protest didn't come. For once the Hokage's assistant just held out her own hand and made a gesture to be included.

Sakura drew in a hissing breath as Tsunade quietly poured Shizune a cup of sake as well. Sakura turned her head and looked outside. "It's ten in the morning." She protested inanely.

Shizune just shook her head, not even drinking her sake, merely smelling it for a long moment before taking a small sip.

"Not for us." Tsunade answered, her usually vibrant voice dimmed. "We've been traveling without rest."

Sakura's hand gave a small tremor, and she pressed it down hard on top of the Hokage's desk. "What is it?"

"Did Lee and Naruto return all right?" Shizune asked in a quiet voice as she looked out the window over the view of Konoha. The sun was shining brightly, and the village bustled on down below as if there were no worries in the world.

Giving a rough jerk of her head, Sakura nodded, swallowing the bitter feeling of foreshadowing. Why wouldn't they admit something was terribly wrong? Instead of asking, Sakura simply answered the question. "They turned a prisoner over to ANBU along with a coded scroll. But this prisoner isn't being held in any cell. So, is this person a real prisoner?"

Tsunade finally blinked and turned to look at her former student. Shizune's eyebrows rose. "Oh?" The blonde Hokage queried. "And I suppose ANBU just told you that?" Her voice was highly sarcastic.

Sakura gave them both a hard stare. "You left me in charge." She reminded them. "Of everything."

"That was a specially coded message. ANBU only." Tsunade snapped.

"And I didn't read it." Sakura stood, snapping back, her worry giving way to temper. "But I know duty rosters and daily rations for the prisons. I can also count cells. No one was added to the prison. Therefore …"

"The prisoner isn't being held in a cell." Shizune gave a wry chuckle that sounded gruff and hoarse. "Well done."

Tsunade growled, then gave an approving nod. "You have a sharp mind under that pink fluff." She teased, rolling her shoulders. "You're relieved of your duty, I'm back now. Go rest. You're going to need it, Sakura."

"Oh?" Sakura said, relinquishing the desk and the responsibilities of the Hokage's office happily. She returned to her regular side of the office and started to leave, but stopped …unable to open the door just yet.

Shizune sighed. "I'll make the notifications."

"No." Tsunade sighed deeply. "I will. That's my job." She said with resignation in her voice, and sorrow.

Sakura's eyes widened in shock and her hand trembled on the door handle. Without looking at the duo behind her, still staring at the door, she asked the obvious question. "Who?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba coughed lightly to get her attention. But it didn't work. He frowned as Shiho mumbled something under her breath and flipped to another page in her book, her finger tracing down the old tome lightly.

In the corner, Kakashi looked up briefly from his book and eyed the young Inuzuka, then went back to reading.

Kiba coughed a bit louder. Same result, though this time, Shiho did push one side of her hair back behind her ear. Kiba grinned to see that her fingers were stained with ink and had left a small smudge on the long line of her neck.

The creamy skin of her neck, marred by the smudge of ink made his fingers curl slightly in the need to touch. He pushed the odd thought away, putting it down to the need to be near someone when grieving.

Grieving. Kiba's grin faded quickly. Hanabi and her whole genin team. Gone. Vanished from the earth. Kiba growled to himself at the memory of their arrival here at the former Akatsuki fortress, and the horrid news that awaited them. Shino had his mother had actually had to hold him back from racing off after the Hokage and the others as they hunted down the culprits.

"Do you need something?"

Torn from his thoughts, Kiba realized that Shiho had finally noticed his presence. He looked at her and his mind went blank. Why had he come to see her?

Shiho gave him a quizzical look. "I thought you and your mother were leaving today."

"Oh. Right." Kiba gave her a half-grin. "Came to say goodbye."

"Oh." Shiho nodded, though she couldn't for the life of her think why he'd sought her out for that.

"And to tell you that I'm sorry I laughed at your hair. Again. Not that I laughed again, but that I'm apologizing again." He gave her a hint of fang in his crooked smile.

Shiho eyed him dismissively. "I'm a cryptologist. I got what you meant."

"This time. For a code-breaker, you really do miss a lot." He said, starting to back up.

Kakashi, from his vantage point in the corner groaned for the dog-ninja. Would Kiba never say the right thing?

"Excuse me?" Shiho drew up to her full height, which still didn't pass Kiba's chin. "Are you calling me stupid?"

Kiba backed up, holding up his hands in surrender. "No! I mean …of fuck ..I just meant that as a code-breaker you read me wrong constantly. You read things into my words and stuff that I never meant. Seriously."

Shiho stopped and gave him a long, considering look. He appeared genuine and … ah damn. Had she been reading more into his words than was really there? In her usual straightforward manner, she asked him point blank. "So. I'm wrong about what you think of me? Let's see. Do you think I'm ugly? Stupid? Or unable to get a date?" She challenged him.

Kakashi actually put down his book to watch.

Kiba gave a wary glance at the copy-nin, but the man just gave him a little wave as if to go ahead and answer the girl.

"Well?" She demanded. "Was I wrong in these assumptions? Or do you find me beautiful, smart and irresistible?" Her tone made the words into self-mockery, as if she were well aware of her short comings.

"You're brilliant." Kiba gave her a placating grin.

"How would you know?" Shiho gave him an arch look.

Kiba lost himself in her eyes a moment, then shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had no business staring into her eyes in the first place. "You're brilliant. You are, and we both know it or you wouldn't be where you are. So shut up."

Surprisingly, she did shut her mouth and stare at him.

"And you're not my type, but that doesn't mean you're not pretty." Kiba told her bluntly. "You have gorgeous eyes …and that neck …"

With that, Shiho's hand went to her neck as her mouth dropped open in a bit of shock and wonder.

"And the reason you don't date more is you don't get out of your library. Or your sharp tongue. Or both. I don't know." Kiba laughed and ran his hand through his own mussy hair. "It's not because you can't tame your curls, trust me."

"Oh." Was all Shiho could manage in a small, strangled voice.

Kiba pressed onward, hoping he wasn't making things worse. "I have no hidden agenda here. I came to apologize because I know I hurt your feelings, and I didn't mean too. And …well, with …I mean … a ninja's life can end far too soon …and we never know when it might be the last time …You don't leave misunderstandings and wrong impressions …because …"

Shiho's tension faded immediately as her gaze softened. "I didn't realize. You knew those three genin, didn't you? I'm sorry."

Kakashi put his nose back in his book, giving the two the semblance of a little privacy.

The Inuzuka sighed and nodded. "Hanabi was like a little sister to me. She is …shit …was, my teammate's younger sister and …well, she was so damned sweet."

Kakashi nearly choked at hearing that description of little Hyuuga Hanabi. Not after some of the tales he'd heard from Yugao, and later Ibiki. Still, every time he'd met the girl she'd been perfectly sweet and innocent acting, polite. He supposed the same was true for Kiba. But for sure that 'sweet' wasn't the only thing that could be said of Hanabi.

Shiho didn't think about it at all as she reached out toward Kiba. "I'm sorry about that. It's …it's different in my library I suppose. The names on the messages come and go so quickly, and I know people mostly by their code names and such. Not as personal."

He looked down to see her hand, and his own was rising to meet hers when he stopped. What was he doing? He'd merely come by as a courtesy to say goodbye, to apologize, and to leave. He wasn't looking to date her or anything.

Kiba looked up to register the disgruntled frown on Shiho's face. Oh you dumb shit! Kiba berated himself silently. Shiho wasn't coming on to him! She was just being comforting! Nice. Friendly. That's all.

Shiho's hand dropped awkwardly and she looked away, not seeing Kiba's hand start to rise toward hers. "You'd better hurry, I'm sure you must be ready to head out."

Akamaru sighed and leaned heavily against Kiba for a moment.

"Thanks." Kiba mumbled. "I'll …yeah, I'd better …go, I mean." Damn it! He'd fucked up, again! Growling he stepped into Shiho's personal space, making her beautiful blue eyes go wide with alarm.

"Kib …" The rest was lost as he hugged her within an inch of her life, her breath whooshing out in a gasp. "…a?"

Embarrassed, and not even really knowing why, the dog ninja jumped back and gave a jaunty wave as he hurried down the passage way. "I don't look down on you, promise. Later!"

Akamaru looked confused, barked softly at Shiho and then ran after his master.

Shiho stood there for two whole minutes, dumbstruck. Unsure.

"Blink." Kakashi finally said from his corner. "You need to blink now."

Shiho nodded absently as she finally blinked, breaking the spell. She moved back toward her new work area and picked up her book again, though she wasn't really seeing anything in front of her.

From his stool in the corner, Kakashi chuckled lightly. These two were almost as much fun as his book. Almost, but not quite. Kakashi looked back down to find his place again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki was standing outside her office, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Waiting.

Tsunade eyed him coolly. "You don't have to do this." She told him. "I need to do it."

"So do I." Morino Ibiki told her bluntly. Both eyed each other carefully, neither backing down. This was going to be hard. Very, very hard. It was always difficult to give bad news, worse when you were lying. Causing needless pain to innocent people.

Still, Tsunade steeled herself, she had an entire village to look out for. It wasn't an excuse, but a fact. A cold, hard and unforgiving fact. And 'killing' off Hanabi was simply the best way to keep her newest asset under wraps and cooperative. She hoped it bought her time. Time to gather forces, learn information, and form a plan of attack in order to pull off a very delicate mission without igniting the next Great War.

"You don't have to stand alone." Ibiki told her, his eyes hard in his resolve. "Your shoulders aren't the only ones available."

Tsunade drew a deep breath and nodded reluctantly, gesturing for him to open the door. "They won't thank you for your part in this."

Ibiki nodded, but wasn't deterred as he and the Hokage of the Leaf Village headed out to deliver some bitter and extremely unwelcome news.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's been weeks!" Hanabi fumed.

"Days." Michi corrected as he fed the small fire that he meant to re-heat their stew with.

Rocks snorted. "Patience …."

"Sucks." Hanabi snapped at him with a hard glare.

"True." Rokuro gave her a jaunty grin. "But we have no choice."

Gaara watched the three from his seat next to the low wall, his back against the stone works of the small border fortress, his gourd right next to him. "Soon."

Michi nodded sagely. "The Kazekage is right." He shot Gaara a glance out of the corner of his sea-foam green eyes. Admiring him from a distance. Hanabi slapped his knee and he looked up at her, she rolled her own Hyuuga pale gaze in exasperation at his foolishness.

Michi just gave her a grin and a wink. It's not like he was going to flirt or anything, but he could still look!

Missing the exchange between his teammates, Rocks sat back and shrugged. "The message that the Kazekage sent should have his man out here already. My guess is he'll be here very soon."

"Hai." Gaara nodded. "But that isn't what has the firecracker all set to go off."

Hanabi stilled, her gaze chilly enough to freeze someone in their tracks. Someone, but not Gaara. He gave her a long stare, then nodded at her. "They will be notifying your families of your 'deaths' right about now, or very soon. That is what is on your mind." He said it like a statement rather than a question.

Rocks and Michi both stilled, their minds going to their own families and how they might take the news. Rokuro cleared his throat. "Heads of our families know, right?"

"Hiashi does. I believe your mother and Michi's father know as well. But that is all." The red-head looked solemn. "For this to work, it must appear to be real."

Rocks dropped his gaze. "My sister will kill me when she finds out I'm not dead."

Hanabi managed to crack a grin at that. "Defeats the purpose of not really dying."

"You know what I meant." Rokuro shot her a reproachful look.

"My sister too." Hanabi told him quietly, reaching out to brush his shoulders lightly with her fingers.

Michi sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if my father will tell my mother? The truth I mean."

Gaara nodded. "Two months from your funeral, some of the other family members are to be informed you're not really dead."

Hanabi snorted derisively. "We know the way it's SUPPOSED to go. But that doesn't mean that Michi's father won't be able to see his wife hurting so much and won't tell her sooner."

The red-head blinked owlishly at them. "Why would they do that? It puts the whole plan in jeopardy. They will have been informed of this."

"Are you kidding?" Rock's eyes were wide with disbelief. "Our families will be going nuts, it will take someone with real balls to keep that kind of news to himself. Or herself. My mother will keep it quiet, though it'll tear her apart to do it. She's stronger than she looks."

"She is strong, raising you all like she has after your father died." Michi nodded at his teammate. "My Dad? He'll cave. Not right away. I give him a week, tops."

Hanabi sighed and dropped down to a big rock she'd been using as a seat. "My father? No one will know. He'll keep it to himself and never tell a soul. He's harder than rock. Everyone in my family will think I'm dead."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The acids in Hiashi's stomach felt like they were tearing a hole through the lining. Bile sat continuously on the back of his throat. Every time someone came to his door, every time a message was delivered. Every time someone ….

"May I enter?"

Hiashi grunted and nodded at his nephew. "At least you ask."

At his uncle's cross tone, Neji peered around the room and then bit back his smile as he saw Asubu sunning himself in the window. Right on top of Lord Hiashi's books. "Doesn't respect authority, does he?"

Hiashi shook his head and then looked over at Neji. "Did you need something?"

Neji shook his head and rocked back on his heels in a very uncharacteristic show of nerves. Long moments passed before he cleared his throat. Deliberately vague, he asked, "When?"

Irritated precisely because he had no answer to that question, Hiashi just glared at Neji until the younger man looked down a moment. But his eyes snapped immediately back up. "You shouldn't have told me. Why did you let me read the Hokage's letter?"

Sighing, Hiashi sat back in his chair. "You're my heir. If anything happened to me, you would need to know."

"Bullshit. The Hokage would still know." Neji shot back at the man. "You just didn't want to be the only one." He stopped, realizing suddenly that his hastily spoken words were true. You're not nearly as tough as you act, Neji thought to himself. Who would ever have guess that cold, hard Hiashi would need him like this?

Hiashi gave him a long, angry look that at one time would have sent Neji into a resentful snit. Now, he was finally coming to some sort of understanding with his uncle. "Leader of a Clan. Main branch. I never thought it would be so …."

The elder Hyuuga nodded as he accepted the non-spoken apology. "I'm not handing you a plum with this job. You become responsible not just for yourself, but your entire extended family. Down to the last cousin thirty-seven times removed."

Neji nodded slowly and with deep solemnity. Then he gave a crooked half-smile. "Speaking of which. There's a cousin of yours outside, waiting to see you."

"Oh?" Hiashi shot a look toward his clock and groaned. "I forgot about that."

Neji called for a servant to show the man inside. He then gave a wry chuckle. "I don't remember how many times this cousin is removed, but I think he's closer than thirty-seven."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki looked down at his outthrust hands, blinking in the bright sunshine.

Tsunade gave him a long, considering look. "The great torture master has shaky hands?"

"No." Ibiki held out his rock-steady hands for her to see. "But after that? In there? I think they should be trembling a bit." He took a deep breath of fresh air. "I thought she already knew?"

"She did. Rokuro's aunt and younger brothers didn't." Tsunade looked back at the small house that Rock's family shared with two other families. "It's still hard to hear bad news." She said, meaning that even though Rokuro's mother knew the truth, it didn't make hearing of his 'death' much easier.

Ibiki winced as he clearly heard the aunt's keening wail even from outside. He eyed the cramped living quarters and shook his head. "They're going to be hurting without his ninja paycheck." Ibiki muttered.

"No. They won't." Tsunade promised as she took off briskly down the street, toward Michi's family residence.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino watched as Temari nearly shredded the rope she was trying to mend. "I hope you don't mean to lower me down any crevices with that thing." He said dryly.

One frigid look from her and he stepped forward, taking the seat next to her. He didn't say another word.

Temari's fingers flew over the rope as she picked and prodded at it, doing nothing in particular. Finally she gave up and tossed the whole thing away from her. "Useless."

"Me or the rope?" Shino asked his wife quietly.

Teal eyes turn on him, a vicious almost feral look on her face. "I hate this." She groused, low and husky.

"Again. Me or the rope?" Shino said almost placidly, trying to draw her out of her depressive mood.

Temari nudged him sharply with her elbow and sighed, then leaned into him. Shino slipped one arm around her shoulder and pulled her in tight next to his body.

"Gaara finally found someone he didn't hate, someone he didn't ignore completely." She whispered into his shoulder as she held onto her husband as if life itself depended on it.

Shino opened his mouth …but Temari interrupted him. "If you ask if I meant you or that fucking rope one more time, I'll gut you." She raised her head and drew in a deep breath.

The Aburame knew when her threats weren't empty, and nodded. "Fine. You meant … Hanabi then?"

Temari heard the small tell-tale catch in her husband's voice and sat back, pulling slightly away from him to look into the depths of his sunglasses. She reached up to remove them, but he stopped her. "We're not at home." He reminded her gently.

The blonde curled her lip in derision, but nodded, leaving his glasses in place. They were indeed not at home, out here in a former Akatsuki fortress. "I hate this place."

Shino arched a single eyebrow. "This is not the cavern where they killed your brother. And he did recover."

"Not without loss." Temari snapped at him, remembering Granny Chiyo's sacrifice to bring Gaara back, to heal him from death itself. "But this is still THEIR place. The Akatsuki's stupid symbols are all over this fucking cavern. I hate it. And now it took Hanabi too."

Shino shook his head gently. "It wasn't this place, or even the Akatsuki. It was a pair of Cloud ninja. And Tsunade, Shizune and Ibiki tracked them down and destroyed them. Utterly destroyed them." He said, not without some sorrowful pleasure in the news. "They were given no mercy, nor did they deserve any. Killing off genin like that? They didn't have to do that, they could have just slipped away."

Temari nodded and blinked back some suspicious moisture in her teal eyes. "I wish that they'd let me go along with them, hunting down those jerks."

"We were needed here, in case it was a ploy to pull protection from the fortress itself. What if they have something important still stored here?" Shino sighed, also having felt the stress of being left behind when all he'd wanted was to tear someone apart. Two someones. "This will hurt Hinata."

Temari sighed and looked away, blinking harder. "And Gaara."

Shino nodded and pulled his wife back into his arms, holding her tightly as he rested his chin on top of her head. Temari hid her face in his shoulder, letting what few tears she would allow herself to shed to fall, hidden from view.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade's eyes were suspiciously moist as she kept her face turned from Ibiki. She actually snapped her teeth at him when he offered her a handkerchief.

"Are your hands still rock steady?" She asked, her nerves shot.

Ibiki balled his fists up and shrugged as he took a long, deep breath and blew it out slowly. "That was …"

"Hell."

"Yep."

Tsunade shook her head roughly and sighed. "He didn't look so strong." She said of Michi's father. Her glance toward the torture master showed that her words meant more than she was saying out loud. The man had been weeping openly along with his wife. Tsunade wasn't so sure he would be able to hold out for two months without telling her the truth.

"It's not every day you lose your only child." Ibiki said slowly, for anyone who might be listening. "It is very hard news we bring, I just hope they can hold on through the funeral services."

Tsunade nodded and rolled her aching and very tense shoulders. She too hoped the man could withhold the information from his wife at least through the funeral. If some stupid slip-up occurred and Cloud got wind of the deception, all of this would become meaningless.

"One more stop." Ibiki said, looking off in the direction to the Hyuuga compound. He was not looking forward to this. Not one little bit.

All the grief and strife taking on a genin team had caused him, all the pain and humiliation Hanabi had foisted off on him …he wished she, Michi and Rocks were still here sniping at each other and driving him crazy.

Pretend death? Sure, okay. But it felt real enough with everyone grieving around them. And it was a very bitter thing indeed to bring bad news.

Fake or not, it still felt awfully real.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki eyed the three genin and frowned sharply. He shook his head in mute disapproval. Hanabi stuck out her chin stubbornly and met him glare for glare. So did Michi. Rocks crossed his arms and glared right along with the rest of them.

Gaara bit back his amusement, letting nothing show on his face as he waited. Baki finally turned to him, raising his one visible eyebrow in question.

"They're ours." Gaara repeated himself.

Baki shook his head and growled in frustration. "Leaf ninja? Hiding in Suna? And they're supposed to be dead? Why? The big question is WHY?"

All three glares turned Gaara's way as all three genin held their breaths. They wanted to know the 'why' of it too.

"Later." The red-head said coolly, making all three genin frown in disappointment.

Baki read between the lines and nodded, putting that question away for 'later'. "Alright. Then HOW? How do we spring three unknown genin on Suna as if they were our own? No one will believe it."

"Naruto gave me an idea, something he said a few years ago." Gaara waved one hand in dismissal. "We had that council member die two months ago. Remember?"

"Okano Juzo?" Baki looked startled at the mention of the man. "What does he have to do with anything? I don't think he ever met Naruto."

"Naruto was complaining about Sai, the shinobi that replaced Uchiha Sasuke on their team a few years back. Said how the guy came out of nowhere. So I asked Tsunade about it." Gaara gave a tight-lipped smile. "She didn't want to share, but was trying hard to convince me to take these three, so she did in the end."

"Oh?" Baki whistled, as the three Leaf genin listened closely as well.

Gaara nodded. "Secret training, secret black-ops group, hidden even from the Hokage and the Council. Seems to me, Okano Juzo is just that kind of nut to go taking in orphans and raising them to be weapons. His personal weapons."

Baki cocked his head slightly in thought. "He was quite …." He struggled for the right word.

"Demented?" Michi guessed.

Rocks shook his head. "Crazy."

"Ambitious." Hanabi guessed blindly.

Baki gave the young kunoichi a look and a nod. "Ambitious is correct."

"So are crazy and demented." Gaara said dryly. "At least near the end."

Michi whistled under his breath, impressed with the idea. He nodded in approval. "Pass us off as this guy's own personal guard? Trained in secret? Cool."

"More like his prototypes for how ninja should be trained." Gaara looked at them each in turn, his pale-jade eyes quite serious. "You'll have to act accordingly."

Baki blew out a harsh breath. "Now that he's dead, this plot comes to light. Good. And it would come to no one's surprise if you, as Kazekage, turned over Okano's ninja over to me for evaluation and possible re-training. That's why you called me out here."

"Hai." Gaara gave Baki a long look. "You're the only one I would trust with this, with Kankuro and Temari out of the question."

The one-eyed shinobi nodded in dignified pleasure at being appreciated. He and Gaara had a long history together, not all of it pleasant. Being the vessel of the Sand Demon had made sure of that. But Gaara had turned out to be stronger than even Baki had given him credit for. And it was gratifying to see.

Baki turned his eyes on the three genin again, looking them over critically. "They'll need to be disguised. Small things to make it harder to recognize them if anyone they know runs across them."

They all nodded, having already thought of this.

"And one more thing." Baki said, his voice stern with authority. "Lose the headbands."

Hanabi, Michi and Rocks all stilled. Theoretically they knew that they would have to do this, but it didn't make the moment any easier.

"Now." Baki gave them a hard-eyed look. Michi reached up and touched his Leaf headband, a look of regret and loss in his sea-foam green eyes.

Rocks pulled his off, clenching it in his fist. This was what he'd always wanted to be. This piece of metal and fabric with a symbol etched in it meant the world to him.

Hanabi gulped and untied hers as well.

"We'll get you Suna headbands as soon as we get to the village." Gaara said quietly, seeing the pain of the moment.

"No. They'll have to earn them." Baki announced. "If I'm to treat them like they belonged to Okano, that's exactly what I would have done."

Michi's left eye twitched. "We've already passed the Academy. We are …were … nearly ready for the chuunin exams." He said with some defiance.

"Not anymore." Baki gave him a cold look and held out his hand for the headbands.

Hanabi's eyes hardened as she fairly tossed her headband to the man. She looked at Michi, who nodded. Rocks gave a quick flick of his eyes.

Gaara thought briefly about warning Baki about these particular genin. Especially Hanabi. But decided against it.

He wondered how his former sensei was going to fare with the firecracker.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There will be two upcoming time skips. A short one, then a longer one.


	26. Loss

Hiashi stood at the window, looking outside as his cousin stared holes in his back. Neji was right though, the man was closer than thirty-seven times removed, it was more like twelve or something. The Hyuuga clan wasn't huge, but it wasn't exactly small either.

Hyuuga Enoki frowned sharper as he watched the head of his clan ignore him. "If this is a bad time, perhaps another?" He said with defiance lacing his tone, though the words themselves were polite enough.

Hiashi shook his head. Bad time? When he was awaiting word of his daughter's 'demise'? Yes, it damned well was a bad time. Still, he couldn't act like he already knew. "No. Please stay."

Enoki stilled. Please? From frigid, stick-up-his-ass Hiashi?

"You are here for yourself alone, or were you the only one brave enough to corner the lion in his well appointed study?" Hiashi's tone dripped with disdain.

The man stiffened and let his face move back into an emotionless mask. "You were expecting me?"

"You? No. Someone though." Hiashi finally turned to stare at his many times removed cousin from the branch side of the family. "I have announced Neji as my heir, branch family or not. And no, I will not change that now that I have a son, or because of my newest daughter. Neji remains my choice and will take over the leadership of the clan when I retire next year."

The other Hyuuga shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Good. But not the reason for this visit."

Now actually surprised, Hiashi gave his cousin a long look. The man was younger than he, but older than Neji. A retired chuunin of good standing and a now permanent limp. Gray streaks shone through his tied back hair and Hiashi fought the need to turn and look in his mirror to see if he had sprouted any gray himself. "Oh?"

Enoki swallowed nervously and cleared his throat. "You have begun 'mirroring' the Hyuuga curse seal of the branch family members."

"Hai." Hiashi nodded, knowing this to be true. The details of how to activate the Hyuuga curse seal had been compromised, sold to the highest bidders. With the help of a reluctant prisoner, the Hyuuga family had managed to 'mirror' the effects of the curse seal to reflect back at the user. Essentially causing three times as much pain to the person activating the seal, while the Hyuuga remained untouched.

Enoki opened his mouth to continue, but Hiashi interrupted him. "And no, despite rumors to the contrary I am not researching new curse seals."

The other Hyuuga nodded, but didn't move away.

Hiashi's eyebrows snapped together. "Still not the answer to the question you want to ask?" He asked with genuine surprise.

Enoki stepped forward, his eyes meeting that of his clan leader squarely. Then his gaze dropped to just around Hiashi's chin, a mark of being lesser. For some reason, this irked Hiashi though it had been the Hyuuga way for untold generations.

Now irritated, Hiashi snapped at the man. "What then?"

"I have a new nephew. My younger brother's boy. My brother died before knowing he would be having a son." Enoki stated, his voice clear and concise, yet almost pleading for understanding.

Hiashi backed up and nodded for the man to continue.

"There is no question that the child is branch family." Enoki said, and looked up, finally meeting Hiashi's eyes again. "The curse seal. Will you continue it? Will you allow the Byakugan outside the main family?"

Hiashi stilled, his hand in midair as he reached for a parchment scroll on his desk. His mind went blank. Here it was at last. The question he'd known would come the moment he made Neji his heir.

Fate's mighty river had changed course with that decision. Then again when he'd had the curse seal of his clan mirrored. No. That wasn't the starting point. The starting point of all this change was when he'd refused to curse seal Hanabi as a child.

He'd rationalized that decision, stating that he was 'unsure' of Hinata's fitness to be the main heir. But then after naming Hanabi his heir, he'd not sealed Hinata. Hiashi knew he'd rationalized that by stating that his eldest daughter already had use of the Byakugan, and had been trained in the Gentle Fist style. Deep inside, he knew that to be a lie.

Then Neji had revealed that even with the curse seal intact, he'd managed to activate his family's bloodline limit. And had secretly learned the Gentle Fist style on his own. And the boy had surpassed everyone in the main family with his abilities except for Hiashi himself.

He'd broken the river of fate. Or had he merely changed the course of destiny? Or was he completely addled and this was fate's plan all along?

Enoki cleared his throat, his voice stronger this time. "Will you allow the Byakugan to those Hyuuga outside of the main family?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsuneyo was immediately ushered into the Raikage's main receiving room. He'd managed to escape the attack on the former Akatsuki fortress. He need to make his report and …his brain stalled.

Staring at him from the side of the room was …. Eishi? How had the man survived? He'd sent the shinobi off to track down and kill his twin brother, the traitor. But once that was accomplished, he too was supposed to have died. Where were the men he'd sent with Eishi?

Tsuneyo straightened up and glared at the other man, who met his gaze head on.

"Your report?" One of the mealy-mouthed new council members asked haughtily.

Tsuneyo fought to keep the sneer from his face. The man was a mere toady for the new Raikage, appointed only after his predecessor had been executed on trumped up charges of treason. Tsuneyo knew that for a fact, as he'd been the one to plant the 'evidence' himself.

Quickly Tsuneyo bowed before his Raikage, a new thing implemented in the past year. Their leader was taking on the airs of a noble lord. But it wasn't important, what was …was his news. "Konoha has control of the fortress."

The words hit as if an exploding tag had set blaze to the entire room. Talk started buzzing at once, shouts and a few calls to arms.

It all stopped immediately when the Raikage raised one hand imperiously. "Tell me."

Tsuneyo did so, quickly and concisely. But as he spoke, whispers started circulating around the room. Some uncomfortable shifting of weight. Nerves started to prick Tsuneyo as he recited his tale, but he kept on until finished.

Once his words faded, silence fell over the room. A hushed feeling of anticipation, and dread. The Raikage stared at him a long, long time. Finally, the man smiled. Tension ramped up in the room. It wasn't necessarily a good thing when their current Raikage smiled like that.

"You are telling me that Eizen went traitor?" The Raikage waved a hand toward his side. "And you sent Eishi to kill him, and then die as well?"

Tsuneyo nodded, looking coldly over at Eishi. But the man didn't appear worried at all, instead, he was standing still and without expression, watching. Relaxed.

"I would call him out on such words."

Tsuneyo spun to his left, watching with wide eyes as …Eishi entered the room behind him, calmly eating an apple. He turned to stare at the other man. Not Eishi …but Eizen? The twins here? Both of them? "They have betrayed us!" He exclaimed, pointing.

The Raikage raised his hand again and again the room fell silent. "Someone has, yes."

"I have ever been loyal to you!" Tsuneyo snapped. "You know that, you know I've been with you even before all of this." He waved his hand at the Kage robes.

The Raikage snapped his fingers and all three men were dragged in front of him. His eyes were colder than ice as he stared at each man in the eyes in turn. Walking up and down in front of them as his hand fondled his bladed weapon.

"Tsuneyo calls the twins traitors." The Raikage crooned in a sing-song voice that skated the edge of sanity. "Do we believe him?"

Uncomfortable mutters throughout the room.

"The twins bring back a tale of being ambushed after having been sent out on a false mission …by Tsuneyo." He bent down and pulled free his weapon, tapping Eizen's cheek with it. The silent shinobi didn't even flinch.

"Which is our traitor? Or traitors?" The Raikage threw out his arms, addressing his room full of toadying councilors.

"Kill them all." One man even muttered.

"Oh no." The Raikage said gently, turning back to push Tsuneyo's hair back behind his ear. "I have few enough now, and rumor has it that there are those …opposed …to my benevolent rule. I need strength with me. But only those loyal will live."

Tsuneyo pulled away from the man holding him, and knelt down before the Raikage's feet. "You know me. I serve you."

"You serve only yourself and your own ambition." The Raikage sneered and thrust his blade into Tsuneyo's arm, right into the nerve bundle, making the arm useless.

"Sir?!"

"I have received a coded missive. A letter from a simple kunoichi. Now she showed me TRUE loyalty." The Raikage pulled loose his blade and signaled for the guards to hold Tsuneyo.

"She was captured. By you. Tortured. By you." The Raikage turned and stared at Tsuneyo. "Why do you capture one of our own? Torture one of our own?" He asked, conveniently forgetting the poor Cloud souls down in his own prisons being tortured.

"She's dead!" Tsuneyo spit out the words in desperation. "And she was hiding something!"

"Of course she wouldn't talk!" The Raikage shouted. "She was loyal to me! And she sensed that YOU were NOT! She didn't mention these suspicions in her note, but I can read between the lines. She must have doubted you, or she would have spoken with you of her mission."

"No!"

"She completed her mission, despite your efforts." The Raikage announced to clapping and cheering. "She has killed a Hyuuga for me. Something none of you have ever done for me. From the description of the kill, it was the old Lord's younger daughter. Hanabi, if our spies can be believed."

"She couldn't have! She was too badly injured!" Tsuneyo protested, feeling the weakness of his wound and knowing sickly that it had been a poisoned blade. "It's a lie!"

The Raikage tutted his tongue. "I have independent verification. The bodies were seen." He didn't say where he'd gotten his information though, cannily hiding his sources.

"No. No, it can't be …" Tsuneyo slipped to his knees, unsteady.

"You. You interfered in her mission, and as such she was too badly injured by your torture to make a full escape. She and another of our men were killed by the Hokage of the Leaf village as they sought to return home."

A stir went through the crowd. Miyake Hideki, one of the few surviving council elders from the previous …administration, swallowed hard. Had Rinako killed a Hyuuga? But what of her real mission? Had she taken Shihei to safety? Or not?

"If not for you, I would still have this very useful and loyal tool." The Raikage's voice crooned once more as he stared dangerously at his man. "You sent Eishi and Eizen out to be ambushed. YOU LOST ME MY FORTRESS! And you did NOT deliver to me the unclaimed Bijuu!"

"But …I have served you …they …they are the …traitors." Tsuneyo's voice grew weaker and weaker.

The Raikage nodded to the men holding Tsuneyo and the two reached out and without fanfare, broke his neck and ended his life. The leader of the Cloud village stared dispassionately down at his fallen man. "Thus I will treat all who oppose me."

"Hai!" Came the shouts of support from around him, making the Raikage beam with pleasure. Even silent Eizen, who never spoke, pumped his fist in the air in a sign of support.

The Raikage held up his hand, holding a message. "Mizutori Rinako is a hero, a loyal kunoichi who despite great pain carried out her mission. THIS is what true loyalty is. THIS is what everyone should aspire to be!"

The shouts filled the room again. The Raikage waved them all to silence as he read the end of his message aloud. "We are trapped and most likely cannot defeat the Hokage and her people as injured as I am. Jun will try to break free, but our field placement is a disadvantage. If this message reaches Kumokagure. Just know, that I, Mizutori Rinako have completed my mission as assigned. Hisshou!"

From his place, Miyake Hideki shouted along with everyone else, but in his heart he really rejoiced. Hisshou. The code word. It meant 'Certain Victory' and the Raikage obviously felt the words were for him.

But they weren't.

That word. That code. It meant that Shihei was in the hands of Konoha's Hokage. The real mission was complete.

The twins, Eizen and Eishi looked at each other, their heart rates slowing now that Tsuneyo was dead. It had taken a lot not to cut and run when they'd seen him arrive, not after thinking him dead along with the others in the Leaf attack on the fortress.

Eishi had sensed and defeated his ambush, joining his twin after all. They'd come back to the village and after this display, Eishi had no further doubts. The Raikage was crazy. And Kumogakure's future depended on his defeat.

Miyake Hideki watched the twins carefully. He couldn't approach them, not yet. Eizen he knew was on their side. But Eishi was in question. And right now, they were still under suspicion by the Raikage.

Not now. Not even soon. Later. Later he would approach them. In the meantime, he wondered if any of Mizutori's message was true. Was she dead? Had she actually killed a Hyuuga?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yugao was happy as she returned home, though surprised to see the Hokage along with Ibiki standing in the hallway. A cheerful greeting died in her throat as Ibiki turned to look at her. Her heart sank as she tried to read his face.

His face was blank. Totally and completely blank. Professional. Yugao's eyes fled to the Hokage, but Tsunade was carefully looking away.

Had they found another traitor? Someone working with Misyu? What?

Tsunade finally turned to look at her, and there was the slightest of flinches around her eyes. Yugao sucked in a harsh breath.

"No." Yugao whispered as memories flooded her. Memories of Gekko's death. Her blood froze. Who? Who were they here about? Or was she reading far too much into this visit? She was getting paranoid. This was official business, perhaps more assassins coming after them all again.

She was jumping to conclusions. Ruthlessly she pushed back the memories of the time when she'd been informed of Hayate Gekko's death.

Ibiki's eyes flashed with sympathy for a single second, then the moment was gone.

Yugao felt her knees grow weak and she ruthlessly pulled herself up straighter. Why was Ibiki with the Hokage? Ibiki, he was never on hand for death notifications. Not unless the person was under his command. Yugao's heart missed a beat, then two …he had been HER replacement as the sensei for Team 4. Hanabi. Michi. Rokuro. "No." She mouthed, the word not even making it past her lips.

"Lord Hiashi will see you now."

"No, damn you!" Yugao spat out the words, not at Tsunade, but at Ibiki. "Why are you fucking here?" Her eyes were ablaze with anger, and fear.

Ibiki shook his head at her. Not now.

Yugao flinched back as if she'd been struck. Masa, the long-time Hyuuga servant, was looking confused and worried as he stared at her.

"Where is she?" Yugao demanded, her voice lowered and very dangerous.

Tsunade turned towards the study door and sighed, then pushed forward. Ibiki stayed where he was, staring at Yugao, without the words to answer her.

The door shut behind the Hokage as she faced the leader of the Hyuuga clan.

Masa looked unsure as a few other servants gathered in the hallway, unsure what to do.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Yugao demanded again, stepping forward and into Ibiki's personal space. "She was in YOUR care! I left her in YOUR care! Why are you here and where the fuck is she?!"

Ibiki closed his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly at her.

Yugao's screech of rage rattled the entire house.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako nearly wept with fatigue as she collapsed into the nearby chair. Sweat dripped from every pore she had, and her muscles felt like over-cooked noodles.

Lee stood in the middle of the room and dropped to the floor, he started doing push-ups. Rinako stared at him in wonder, did the guy never tire?

After a brisk five hundred push-ups, Lee moved into a handstand and started doing more push-ups in that position.

Rinako rolled her eyes and sighed.

The sound drew Lee's immediate attention. "Are you rested now? Ready for the next exercise?"

"R…rested?" Rinako boggled at him, her eyes wide with shock. "No!"

"Alright then!" Lee grinned at her, never pausing in his handstand push-ups. "I shall do five hundred of these and then we'll take another walk.

Walk? What he called 'a simple walk' was a test in endurance. They'd been walking over and around rocks and hills, very uneven and treacherous ground. Rinako wasn't sure she'd survive another 'walk' with Lee. With him, the pace was horrendously fast and they always chose the most difficult paths. At least no one was around to see her struggle so, no one but Lee. He said they were on private property.

"No. I can't." Rinako said with enough force to pull a frown from Lee. "I'm grateful for all you're doing, but …these walks, it's going to take a lot more than just regaining my endurance." She held up her still swollen and wrapped hand. "I don't even know why you're doing this. There's no way I can be an active kunoichi again."

Lee sped up his exercise and then dropped down with a graceful move. He walked over to her and captured her injured right hand in his own hands.

Rinako hissed, expecting pain, but then realized that Lee was being incredibly gentle. Uneasily, she watched him.

Lee knelt to look her in the eye. "Trust me. Trust yourself. After a fire burns in nature, there is nothing left. But life always returns. New shoots of blossoming flowers and plants always find a way, even through devastation."

Rinako blinked and stared into Lee's dark, but eager gaze. He had no doubts. None. Hard work was all he knew, and he did not know of a situation where hard work and effort didn't turn the tide.

The kunoichi blinked back some moisture in her eyes as she gave Lee a quick nod of her head. "I still don't understand you, but …yes. Okay."

Lee's quick grin was blindingly bright. He laughed and gave a 'whoop' of victory. His laughter and excitement were contagious, and despite her mind-numbing fatigue, Rinako managed a small smile. This guy was nuts. Absolutely nuts.

And possibly her only chance.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The yelling woke Hinata from her nap, and her first thought was to run to the nursery. But a quick glance with her Byakugan stopped her. The babies were fine. Her father was meeting in private with the Hokage. And …why was Yugao shouting at Ibiki?

She ran from her room before the question even fully formed in her mind. In fact, she was down the stairs so fast she nearly plowed right into Yugao. Hianta eyed the other kunoichi's red and furious face.

"Tell me!" Yugao demanded, her fingers clenched into fists in order to keep from reaching for her weapons. "Tell me!"

"What is going on?" Hinata asked, worried as she reached out for Yugao's shoulder, but the other woman shrugged her off.

"You were supposed to mentor them, teach them …" Yugao spat the words out, hatred burning in her gaze.

Hinata caught her breath harshly. Was this about … "Hanabi?"

The door to the study opened, framing Hiashi as he stood and stared at everyone.

Hinata stepped forward, pleadingly. "Father?" This couldn't be real!

"Hanabi. She fell." Hiashi struggled with the words, even knowing them to be a lie. Just saying them tore something vital deep inside him that he'd never even knew existed. "She fell in a fight, doing her job. It was an honorable …death."

The servants around them started crying.

"No." Hinata whispered, her knees buckling. Ibiki caught her and she looked up at his face. The face of her baby sister's sensei. The hurtful words poured from her mouth before she could stop them. "Why are you still alive? You were supposed to protect her."

And Hinata's whispered words did what Yugao's anger couldn't. Ibiki's hands started shaking as he drew in a painful breath, unable to answer her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi sneered at the bone mask.

"I don't care if it's ugly." Baki informed her coldly. "Your features have to be hidden in order to move you into Suna. All of you. It's not about looking pretty."

Michi winced and turned to look at Hanabi expectantly. Rocks grinned and waited.

"I don't give a damn about pretty." The young kunoichi informed him without even a hint of deference in her tone. "But it has eye sockets." She poked her fingers through the openings and wagged her fingers at their new sensei. "My eye color is …distinctive, to say the least. This mask will do nothing to hide my identity."

Gaara blinked and watched with interest. Oh, this could prove amusing.

Baki scowled. "I know that!" He snapped. "Gaara will head back to Suna before us, so that no one will connect you three with where he's been lately. He'll send back colored contacts. Or sunglasses, like that Aburame that Temari married."

Michi scratched his head absently, with a small smirk playing around his lips. He tossed a handkerchief to Hanabi. "Wrap that around your face. Use the Byakugan to see through it, this way the cloth will hide the veins as well when you use your abilities."

Rocks grinned. "Put the bone mask on over the cloth. It'll look freaky."

Hanabi nodded as Baki watched, his temper pricked. "Freaky is a whole lot better than pretty." She said with a jaunty grin.

Gaara nodded behind his former sensei's back. Oh yes. This would be amusing after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Neji stopped at the main gates to the Hyuuga compound. Black cloth draped over the family crest. The message had come. He stared at the covered crest and sighed deeply.

The Hyuuga guards stared straight ahead, not daring to draw his notice to them. Neither wanted to be the one who told him.

"What's that mean?"

Neji's eyes closed as he realized who was coming up behind him. He turned to look at Katashi as the boy walked up, Anko beside him. The kunoichi's eyes met his and he shook his head, telling her he didn't know who had died. It was a lie. The first of many he'd be forced to live with today.

Katashi reached out for the cloth covering the Hyuuga crest. Anko's hand on his small shoulder stopped him. "Who?" She asked of the guards.

"Hanabi." One of the guards finally managed to choke out the name.

Anko drew in a hissing breath, rage starting to boil within her gut.

Uneasy, Katashi watched with wide eyes. "Is she back? Is she hurt?" He was getting a very bad feeling about this.

Anko pushed Katashi to Neji and took off at a run toward the main house.

The Hyuuga clan heir sighed and knelt down next to Katashi. "It means Hanabi died. I'm sorry. She won't be coming back." Neji only prayed the boy wouldn't cry. He was out of his depth here.

Katashi backed up, his face angry. "You're lying!"

Neji shook his head, taken aback by the boy's reaction.

"Stop lying to me! I'm not a baby!" Katashi yelled at the older shinobi, his face turning ominously red. People were stopping to stare. Watching.

Neji kept calm, letting the moment play out. He didn't like it, but this show of grief would go a long way in making anyone watching believe that Hanabi was really dead. On the other hand, he hated being part of a public spectacle.

"Katashi. We need to go in." Neji stood, holding out his hand.

The boy slapped at his hand, spit on Neji's boots and ran through the gates toward the house.

Neji could hear the rumbles of voices behind him. He just hoped that this worked, and that all of this wasn't for nothing.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The entire house was dark. Dead. Anko growled and turned into her husband's study, slamming the door.

Hiashi winced.

Anko stared at him. The cold and rigid leader of the Hyuuga clan. He looked …wrong. Rumpled. She eyed the sake bottle in front of him. "How much have you had?"

"None of it." Hiashi grunted, holding up the still full cup. "I can't bring myself to drink it."

Anko shook her head at him, growling. "Is it true? Hanabi's gone? Dead? Is it true?"

Hiashi opened his mouth to say it. To lie to his wife. To say yes.

"No."

The word slipped from him.

Anko stepped back, looking at him. Seeing the pain etched around his eyes. She waited silently.

"It's a lie." Hiashi whispered.

The spiky haired woman shuddered and took his sake cup, draining it quickly. "I'm not supposed to know?" She guessed.

"No."

"And you can't tell me more." Anko growled. That's the way it was with ninja. Secrets upon secrets. Layers.

"No."

"How long?" She asked. "Where is she?"

Hiashi shrugged wearily. "I don't know. The Hokage has not informed me."

"Can't we send someone to her?"

"Her genin team 'died' with her." Hiashi said roughly. "I hadn't expected that."

Anko nodded. "Ibiki? Is he 'dead' too?" With them, she meant.

Hiashi grunted and poured another cup of sake, this time taking a small sip as he smiled without humor. "He survived. Only to have his nose broken by an angry Hyuuga."

"Neji? Yugao?" She smiled. "You?"

Hiashi shook his head slowly. "Hinata."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	27. Mired Down

A week later ….

Kankuro gave a shake of his head and sneered as he sat down on a nearby bench. Pulling off his boot, he dumped what felt like an entire rock garden out onto the ground.

Genma hooted with laughter as Raido handled speaking to the gate guards. "Is THAT what you've been complaining about for the past mile?" He deftly slid the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other as he picked up a speck of grit. "I thought they grew them stronger in Konoha."

The puppeteer poked at a sore point on his big toe. "I was tough when I left Suna, but …ever since I put on this wimpy Leaf symbol …well …I get the urge to eat bonbons all day and be waited on hand and foot." He said with a deadpan expression.

"Why you …" Genma's twitched his fingers dangerously close to his weapons pouch, belying the humor sparkling in his eyes.

"In fact, all I really want right now is a hot bath, a hot meal, and …"

"…a hot wife?" Genma sneered, then chuckled as Kankuro stood and brandished his boot like a weapon. "Hey, hey! You mean I can't look?"

"Not if I put your eyes out." Kankuro smirked back at the man as he put his boot down to slide his foot back inside.

Raido approached the two quietly, his face without expression.

"Oi, man!" Genma called to his friend. "What's got you looking all gloomy? We had a successful mission, we're about to get paid, and you and I will hit the bar for some good times with the ladies while old married-man over here will …." His voice ground to a halt as he noticed Raido's small wince at the mention of Kankuro.

The puppeteer, sensing something was wrong, looked up cautiously. He catalogued Raido's expression and gave a quick nod of his head. "Bad news doesn't get better if you wait to tell it."

"Damn, I hate to be the one who tells you though." Raido started, having come to rather like the puppeteer in the time he'd been in Konoha, rough edges and all. "Your new sister, not the one who came from Suna …"

Kankuro stood, feeling his stomach drop quickly and roll over queasily. "She found another snake in her bed?" He hoped that it had only been another inept attempt to kill a Hyuuga, and not something more.

"She and her two teammates died while on a mission." Raido gave a quick jerk of his head. "The guards say they're having her funeral today. I'm sorry, man."

Genma winced, sucking in a harsh breath as he saw the stricken look on the puppeteer's face.

"I've …I've got to go." Kankuro stammered, grabbing his pack. "The report?"

"I've got it." Raido promised. "You know where the memorial cemetery is?"

Kankuro looked up and nodded, his head reeling. He knew that the three of them had been cracking on each other while on this mission, but nothing in the spirit of …well, this. Much as he might wish it, it was true. Poor Hinata, he hated to think of what she was going through right now.

Genma nodded. "Come on, I'll show you."

"I know where it is." The puppeteer nodded at the other man, grateful.

"I'll show you anyway." Genma told him in a tone that brooked no argument as he and Kankuro headed off together.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sweat poured down her face as Hanabi pushed back her damp hair in frustration.

"Concentrate." Baki intoned as he gave her a stern look.

Physically, Hanabi bit her tongue to the point of pain in order to keep from snapping back at her new sensei. She gave a quick nod and focused her entire being, her whole mind on this one simple task.

Activating the Byakugan.

Hanabi focused her energy levels precisely, formed the hand seals, and compressed her lips to keep her mouth firmly shut. Instead of focusing the release through a spoken word, a feat she'd been capable of since she was a toddler …she focused the release through the movements of her hands instead. But the habits of a lifetime are hard to re-train.

A moment too soon, and she'd fail. A moment too fast, and she'd still fail. This is why she needed to speak the word, as a release mechanism that provided the perfect timing. It was like trying to learn to write with her feet!

Sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging as she felt the veins besides her eyes dilating as they should. It was going to work! It was …. Hanabi's shoulders slumped as she felt the moment pass and she still couldn't see through the wall in front of her.

Breathing hard, she jerked her hair up off her neck and fanned herself.

"Heat is part of the desert. So is the cold at night." Baki informed her as he watched her closely. "You have to learn to ignore the outside forces around you. You've grown so used to the one way to activate your kekkei genkai that you've let your fundamental training lapse."

Hanabi's blood turned to ice, then fire as rage filled her veins. She turned to snarl at the man, and caught him scratching lightly at his arm. Sick satisfaction soothed her as she let her temper flow away. "Rash? I believe I have a good recipe for a balm, sensei."

"Not necessary." Baki said, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Now, try again. This time try to relax, you want this to feel normal, smooth."

No duh! Hanabi kept the sneer off her face, but only barely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata could not see through the haze of emotion plaguing her. Memories of her baby sister's laughter, her smile, her quick wit, and even her temper. Everything hurt. All of it. It seemed as if every joint in her body had suddenly aged a decade or two. It was hard to move.

And everywhere she turned, she could see Hanabi. It had gotten so bad that she had moved into the new house already, and had not even bothered to ask her father's opinion. But though he'd been surprised by her move, he had not argued, for which she was grateful.

But not so grateful that when her father had informed her that he had agreed to let the hospital staff prepare Hanabi's body for cremation, rather than family, she'd been furious. For the first and only time in her life, she'd talked back to her father. For all the good it had done. While she'd been arguing futilely, the work had progressed without her. When she'd finally arrived at the hospital, against her father's direct order, Hanabi's body had already been sent to be cremated.

Hinata stared coldly at the urn her father had picked out. It was an ugly thing, gilded and monsterous. She hated it.

Beside her, Katashi sniffled, vainly trying to act manly and keep the tears from falling. Hinata's eyes didn't move from the ceremony taking place even as her hand went to rest gently on her younger brother's shoulder.

Katashi turned to look up at her, his pale eyes awash with misery. Hinata squeezed his shoulder lightly, to let him know he wasn't alone. But her gut burned for what he must be going through. What they were all going through.

Behind her, Hinata felt movement, then a big solid form directly behind her. Startled, her head turned and she felt dizzy with relief as Kankuro moved up next to her. She started to lean into him, but he shook his head at her with a rueful look. "I haven't been home to clean up." He whispered.

Hinata didn't care, in fact the dirt and sweat from travel beat the smells of the funeral arrangements. The incense and the flowers, it was all giving her a massive headache. Blindly, she reached for him.

Kankuro pulled her in tight against his side, holding her as he felt her start to tremble. He looked over at the ceremony as it continued, his heart ripping apart as he watched the prayers over the urn containing Hanabi's ashes.

The firecracker? Gone? It didn't seem possible.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"That man is impossible!" Rokuro groaned, flopping down on the futon with a grunt as he kicked off his boots. "And it's fucking hot in here!"

"We can't have the windows open to catch the breeze, all so that we won't be observed." Hanabi mocked Baki's stern voice. "And we can't go outside for the same reason. Seems like we're the talk of Suna and no one has even met us yet!"

Michi rubbed his face and sighed. "No offense, but it's barely been a week and I'm sick of you two and this house. I want to see the sun."

"Same here." Grumped Rokuro.

Hanabi sighed and nodded, crossing her arms as she perched on the table and kicked her feet. "He says we can't go out until we come up with better disguises, change our looks. Change our jutsu." She paused, nibbling her lip. "You guys having any luck?" She asked, hoping that she wasn't the one holding everyone back.

"I still don't see why we have to train separately." Rocks moaned. "I mean, I know why he SAYS we have to do it that way."

Hanabi nodded, rolling her aching shoulders. "To better gauge our individual abilities and personalities before tackling us as a team."

Michi placed his hands down flat on the table, not looking at the other two. "I haven't been able to come up with a way to draw enough water in this climate to be effective." He sighed. "I'm holding you guys back."

Hanabi snorted, then laughed. "I thought I was." She admitted ruefully. "Try activating the jutsu you've performed dozens of times a day since being a toddler a different way. I have to learn to use the Byakugan without words."

Rocks moaned, and stretched. "This makes me the golden child."

Michi and Hanabi both shot glares at the other boy.

Rokuro laughed without mirth. "I'm lying. Air? Wind? He keeps making me try wind ninjutsu. It's of the same category, but completely different! Sure I can use the force of air to 'blow' like wind, but to make it into a full blown wind attack?" Rocks frowned and shook his head. "I think he hates me."

"No, that would be me." Michi sighed. "He has no clue what to do with my abilities. Even tried to give me a gourd like the Kazekage."

Hanabi smiled at the visual picture of that.

Michi actually laughed as he shook his head. "Water is more mobile than sand in a gourd like that, kept throwing my balance way off. Every move and it sloshed around in there. The noise of it alone is prohibitive for missions."

Rocks whistled in sympathy.

"You can't control the water in the gourd? Make it sit still?" Michi imitated Baki's voice. "That's what Gaara does with his sand."

"Shit." Hanabi winced for him. She'd hate to be faced with that comparison too. And just where was Gaara anyway? They hadn't seen him all week. Not that she was looking for him or anything ...abruptly she tore her mind away from the irritating red-head and back to the discussion at hand.

Michi rolled his eyes, looking miserable. "Like I have enough chakra for that? Gaara is the freaking Kazekage! I haven't even made it past genin yet. Not to mention that the stupid gourd is NOT water tight, the stuff keeps evaporating. Not enough to ruin a short mission, but if we're anywhere where I can't get a fresh supply of water? I'm toast."

"I hate him." Rocks moaned.

"Me too." Michi sighed.

Hanabi grinned jauntily looking grimly satisfied with herself. "I put blister beetles in his shirt sleeve. They were agitated by the relocation and squirted their venomy stuff or whatnot and left. So all he knows, is that his skin is blistering and itches."

Rocks crowed happily, giving her a victory hand sign. Michi gave her a long look. "What are blister beetles?"

Hanabi poked her tongue out at the water-jutsu user. "They're indigenous to the desert. Kankuro told me about them.

"What's the big deal?" Rocks asked, looking worried. "If these things are normal around this area, it's not like Baki will catch on that it came from her."

Michi shook his head grimly. "Beetles? How did she get beetles if she didn't go outside? What if she were seen?"

Hanabi slammed her hand down on the table, giving Michi an arch look. "Who do you think you're talking about? Like I need to go outside to find bugs? When I can see through the walls? Please. See them, replace them with some trash, and then use them against …him."

"I take it back." Michi's smile grew slowly, but then he chuckled. "You're a genius."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Dinner was awkward, silent, and sad. Katashi point blank refused to leave his room and a tray had been sent up to him instead.

It had returned two hours later, uneaten and untouched.

Kankuro had held his tongue, and his thousands of questions until after the last guest had left. Instead he'd been glued to Hinata's side, as she'd clung to his arm the whole of the evening. Only reluctantly letting him go to take a shower and wash up following the funerary ceremonies.

Though she had blushed when she'd told him that all of his things were now moved and in the new house, that she'd moved them in already. Hiashi had stared coldly at his daughter as she'd explained that to her husband. Kankuro liked the idea though and told her so, making his wife blush a bit.

Finally though, Hinata had had to excuse herself to feed the twins once more and this time she wanted to rock with them until they slept. It seemed the two boys were fussy with the unfamiliar nanny. Ani had been given some time off, as her brother had also died with Hanabi, being on the same team. The funerals for both boys would be tomorrow, as the neither family wanted to wait until the day after since it was not an auspicious day in their calendar, an unlucky day. So two funerals tomorrow.

Kankuro watched until Hinata was well gone, then cornered Neji. "What the hell is going on?" He didn't like the strain he was sensing from Hinata, but he felt powerless to help her in this. He just didn't have the right words to offer her.

The Hyuuga turned haughty and tried to stare down the puppeteer. "What do you mean?"

"Well fuck." Kankuro ran one hand through his combed hair, messing it up now that the more formal guests had left them. "I mean, I have no clue what happened! I get word from the gate guard that Hanabi's funeral was today. From what I've been able to piece together, her whole team fell while on guard duty, is that right?"

Neji nodded with a swift jerk of his head. "Cloud Village." He told the lie smoothly, having had to do it for a week. His stomach no longer hurt every time he said the words now. "The Hokage, Ibiki, and Shizune hunted the two responsible and destroyed them."

Kankuro frowned, trying to wrap his mind around everything. Still, it made an awful sort of sense. "What does the Cloud Village have against your whole clan?"

Neji sighed and was able to answer truthfully for once. "That? I just don't know. I'd kill to know the answer to that one."

"Me too." Yugao moved up next to her husband.

Kankuro frowned as he saw the dark-bruise circles under her eyes, obviously Yugao hadn't been sleeping well. "I saw Ibiki at the ceremony." He commented dryly, having overheard a word or two in the crowd mentioning that the 'slight girl' had broken the man's nose.

Yugao stiffened coldly. "I know it's not right. No one can protect a genin team completely, not all the time. But I can't help thinking it wouldn't have happened if I'd been there."

Neji rubbed his wife's back in a slow circle with the palm of his hand, soothing her temper. "The Hokage explained that she'd held Ibiki back for some instructions, and that there had been no indication of danger. The prisoner was supposed to be too hurt to pull of an escape like that."

Kankuro frowned. "Is that what happened? I'm only hearing bits and pieces."

Yugao sighed and shook her head. "I owe Ibiki an apology, but I'll be damned if I feel like it. Team 4 was on routine guard duty. They'd been doing it all week in staggered rotation, standard precautions."

"Ambush?" Kankuro guessed.

Neji shook his head. "The prisoner escaped and met up with an accomplice. Hanabi and her teammates were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I don't think so." The puppeteer looked unbelieving.

Neji stiffened. Did Kankuro suspect their story?

"Seems to me that any Cloud ninja would have gone out of their way to target a Hyuuga, especially a genin. Prime target. Unsuspecting. They may have just been trying to escape, or they could have taken that route knowing she'd be there." Kankuro theorized.

Neji let out a shaky breath. The other man hadn't guessed after all. "Not Ibiki's fault really." He sighed unhappily.

"You broke the man's nose." Kankuro mentioned dryly to Yugao. "Sooner or later you'll have to deal with him again, might as well face him now and apologize."

Yugao grinned as Neji choked and looked away.

"What?" Kankuro asked, confused.

"It wasn't my wife that broke Ibiki's nose." Neji gave the other man a wicked look. "That honor goes to yours."

"Hinata? My Hinata?" Came the incredulous response. Then the proud smile faded as they all remembered why they were here, gathered like this.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Problem?" Gaara asked, looking askance at his former sensei as the man twitched his arm. Baki wasn't normally a fidgety man.

The wind user gave a small shrug. "I think I ran afoul of a blister beetle." He admitted. "Nothing important."

Gaara nodded, filing the comment away as he turned back to the written reports. Finally, he finished reading and set them down. "So tell me, what do you think?"

Baki pointed at the reports. "You have my thoughts."

"No, I have your formal report. Now I want you to tell me what isn't in this report." Gaara looked at the other man, waiting.

"It will be …a challenge." Baki admitted. "They've not been trained as we have. I know we've changed our methodology to be more along their Academy training. But I wasn't brought up that way. Perhaps a younger sensei would be more the thing."

The red-head cocked his head slightly to one side, contemplating the words. "Are you saying you're not capable?"

"No!" Baki protested. "And I will still supervise, but …well …"

"Tell me. Bluntly."

The one-eyed shinobi sighed and acquiesced. "Michi is the leader, but he lets the other two push him too much. They don't follow command well. Although they follow him better than they do me. They don't care for me at all. It chafes, you can see it in their eyes. Perhaps it's because they've had two different sensei since becoming genin, who can say? Not that it matters, who ever does end up teaching them, they will need to learn how to obey."

"And? What else?"

"And Michi's water jutsu." Baki blew out a hissing breath. "What do I know about water jutsu? I'm almost more at a loss than he is on this subject. There are all sorts of difficulites on this subject."

Gaara nodded and waved for the man to continue.

"Rokuro." Baki sighed. "Something of a bully in him, though he's obviously been working on it. Feels inferior to his teammates and it makes him work harder, so it's not all bad. Some genjutsu abilities, very slight. And his air jutsu? I don't know what to make of it, it's certainly not wind based techniques. Still, I have some ideas for him to work on."

"Good." Gaara grunted.

"Then there's the kunoichi. Hanabi? She shows hints of fire and spark, but then acts all sweet and polite, almost meek at times."

"Oh?" Gaara asked, suddenly intrigued. "Really?"

Baki nodded and scratched absently at his arm. "Not like Temari was."

The Kazekage looked at his man, but didn't let the sympathy leak onto his expression. It still stung that Hanabi had turned him blue, and then later on, multi-colored. It was nice to see he wasn't the only one who'd been caught out in her twisted little machinations.

He watched as Baki rolled back his sleeve and sighed at the blisters popping up. "How did blister beetles get into my shirt?" He wondered aloud. His wife kept a clean house, he'd never noticed a bug problem before.

Gaara shook his head, as if he had no clue either. He did briefly wonder if it was bad that he was enjoying his former sensei's predicament, but then pushed the thought aside.

"Keep working with them. I don't want to assign another sensei, I don't want anyone else in on the truth of where they came from." The red-head said slowly. "Tell Hanabi to stop acting and be herself. Work with Michi, he's a smart kid. I think you'll both find a solution to the water difficulties. And not all air is wind."

Baki frowned. "Is that supposed to mean something? Not all air is wind?"

Gaara shrugged. "I don't know, I work with sand not air. But I can't work with all dirt just because I can command the sands. Sometimes the ground is too hard, or there is way too much moisture or too many bigger rocks. I had to find ways to work around that."

Baki nodded. "I'd forgotten." He sighed and shrugged. "We'll work on it, though it won't be easy."

"Good." Gaara paused and wondered to himself how Hanabi had found out about blister beetles. The thought that she might have had nothing to do with this, never crossed his mind.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata felt wrung out and pitiful. She heard the door of her bedroom open and listened as her husband quietly got undressed for bed. The mattress dipped as he slipped in behind her, and the warmth of his body surrounded her as he reached an arm around her stomach and pulled her in close to him. His warm breath heated her neck and she bit back a sigh as she suddenly realized how much she'd missed him.

"I …I'm glad you're home." Hinata whispered, her voice raw and hoarse.

Kankuro winced, hearing the evidence of her raw emotional state in her poor voice. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, just below her ear. "It's not exactly the homecoming I was looking forward too." A long sigh, then he hugged her even tighter. "I'm so sorry, Hinata." He told her yet again, at a loss for what else to say.

She gulped, the lump in her throat hurting as she nodded, unable to answer without starting to cry again.

They laid together like that for nearly half an hour before Hinata spoke again. "I'm worried about Katashi. He's taking it awfully hard."

Kankuro nodded, running his hand up and down her arm gently. "He didn't come down for dinner."

Hinata turned onto her back, blinking up at her husband in the dim light. "He's angry all the time, and don't tell him …but we know he's been sleeping in Hanabi's room at night instead of his own."

"Poor guy." Kankuro blinked down at her and sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't here."

"I'm more sorry that you weren't with her." Hinata said, then groaned as she reached out for him. "Or me. Or Neji, or …someone! I don't mean that the way it sounded! I've just been so angry lately."

Kankuro caught her hand in his own. "Hoshi? Don't. Don't tear yourself up like that. You know this way of life. We're ninja. We can't go back and change the past, we deal with what is. You know that."

Hinata nodded quickly, catching her breath as she fought to slow her breathing. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Her husband assured her, then gave a crooked half-smile in the dark. "At least you didn't break my nose."

Hinata 'eeped' and hid her eyes with her free hand. "Everyone seems to think that's so funny! Everyone asks me about that!"

Kankuro pulled her hand away, looking into her moist pale-lilac eyes. "Hoshi? Don't worry about it. And I can guarantee that Ibiki doesn't find it funny at all."

"Really?"

The puppeteer nodded slowly at her and gathered her in close, holding her in the dark. "Now, who picked out that horribly ugly urn?"

Hinata gave a rough chuckle, then just let the tears flow. She wrapped herself in her husband's warm arms and cried. Letting it all go.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi stared at the water glass on the table, miserable with frustration.

Hanabi reached out and tilted the glass to one side, the water flowed normally, following the motion of the glass. Michi scowled and concentrated hard, stilling the water. Hanabi tilted the glass in the opposite direction, but the water stayed put, not moving as it defied gravity.

Rocks held his breath as he watched.

Slowly Michi formed the hand seals for one of the most basic water moves. But to complete the jutsu for the water tendril, his concentration on keeping the water from sloshing ...faded.

Right before the tendril formed, the water in the glass flowed to the other side.

"FUCK!" Michi growled, pulling at his hair.

"It wasn't that bad." Hanabi said in a soft voice, worried about her friend.

Rocks shook his head. "If the glass was actually a large gourd, he'd have had to compensate his balance at all times. Almost randomly with each movement he made."

"So don't use a gourd. You said yourself it isn't water tight." Hanabi got up and pulled out an animal skin water container used for traveling. It was long and skinny and the strap went over the shoulder. "What if you used something like this, but bigger?"

Michi looked up in interest even as Rocks nodded. "Hey! She's got an idea there. The water will still move, but it's not in a hard container like with a gourd."

"I don't know if that'll hold enough to be useful." Michi reached out for the skin, frowning. "My jutsu uses an awful lot of water. Can't make a single water dragon out of that, much less twin dragons!"

Rocks snorted. "You're not making twin dragons yet anyway!"

Hanabi shook her head. "We have to rethink everything! Back at home, you've only been working on sheer power and the size of your water jutsu. Now, think about precision. Small amounts of water, okay …fine. How can you use smaller amounts of water as a weapon?"

"Not to overwhelm someone, that's for damned sure." Michi groused, weighing the animal skin and the liquid it contained carefully.

"Freeze!" Rocks said, listening as someone approached their door. Then he and Hanabi both relaxed as they recognized Baki's chakra signature.

But Michi wasn't paying any mind, he was staring at Rokuro as if he'd never met the boy before in his life. "What did you say?"

Rocks scratched his head even as Baki entered the room. "I said that Hanabi had a good idea. Don't make such a big fuss out of it, guy."

"No! Just now!" Michi pumped his fist and smiled.

Baki watched the three as they ignored him completely.

"That you haven't been able to use the Twin Water Dragon jutsu yet." Rocks shook his head. "Sorry, didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Sissy."

Michi waved a hand in agitation. "No! After that too!"

"I didn't say anything else." Rocks shrugged, confused.

Hanabi caught on first. "You said …freeze. FREEZE! Frozen water doesn't move."

Michi nodded and pointed at Rokuro. "I can't freeze water with my jutsu, but YOU can! Air jutsu!"

"Oh." Rocks face lit up. "That's right, I can!"

Baki shook his head. "And how are you going to unfreeze it just as Michi needs to use the water to fight with? What if you get separated? What kind of container could put up with being frozen, then thawed, then re-frozen and all over and over again without breaking?"

Rocks face fell comically as Michi dropped back down to his chair, discouraged.

"Still, it's a very good idea." Baki nodded in appreciation. "Very good indeed."

"But …it won't work …you just pointed that out …." Hanabi stammered a bit as she stared at their new sensei.

"It won't work as is, but …" Baki smiled darkly. "You've just given me a way something else might work."

Michi looked up hopefully. "What?"

Baki shook his head. "Later. Tomorrow we'll work on the basics again, you can't move on until then."

Hanabi's eyes snapped with frustration.

"I don't know what they taught you in Konoha, but you'll have to relearn everything." Baki told them briskly.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed.

Michi and Rocks thought about warning their new sensei. But didn't. They didn't like the man either.

"Team 4 is gone. Vanished. Dead." Baki stated coldly. "You have to move on, for now at least."

Hanabi sat up suddenly. "We need a new team name." She said thoughtfully as Rocks and Michi looked over at her.

"What you're going to be called is besides the point." Baki sighed in frustration. "First you need to focus on your jutsu, adapting them, changing them."

"What number will we be here?" Rocks asked.

Baki shrugged. "We don't use numbers in Suna, but named designations. Wind. Storm. Red. Hawk. That sort of thing. But it doesn't matter, the focus here should be on more important issues."

"I like Team Destruction." Hanabi nodded, thinking of her demolition tags.

Rocks shook his head. "We need to think on it first. No snappy decisions."

Michi nodded. "I agree."

Baki whistled loudly, turning all attention back to him. "Right now you're Team 'I don't have a jutsu' so listen up! Tomorrow we start on precision chakra control, along with the exercises you're already fucking up. So rest up and stop screwing around." The Suna shinobi stared at them all coldly even as he scratched absently at his arm.

Hanabi used her sweetest, softest voice. "Are you sure you don't want a healing balm for your arm, sensei?" She asked, most respectfully.

It took all Michi and Rocks had to keep a straight face.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be a small time-skip of about two months ... the large time skip will be coming up soon though.


	28. Two Months Later

**Two months later …**

The moment Tsunade heard that they were back in the village, she threw everyone else out of her offices. Including three Elder Councilors who seemed quite upset by her snub.

Tsunade paid them no heed, as she waited for the duo to report to her.

It seemed like forever, but it wasn't really that long before there was a knock on her door and both Inuzuka Tsume and her son entered. Kuromaru and Akamaru followed as well, of course, settling themselves down with weary sighs in the middle of the room.

The Hokage eyed the disgruntled expression on Tsume's face, and took in the dirty and sweaty travel clothes. "No luck?" She growled.

Kiba let his mother speak, as she was the leader of their 'pack' so to speak. Tsume's frown deepened. "To the contrary, actually. Found them. And they are NOT happy about it."

"The ones she didn't kill." Kiba mentioned dryly.

"Of course." Tsunade waved off the remark with a sharp frown at the younger Inuzuka. "Well? What did you find out?"

Tsume nodded and began her report, telling about how the Cloud ninja had been using henge techniques to replace people in the caravans. "Just like you said they were."

Tsunade nodded. "How did you figure out which were the imposters?"

Tsume pointed at Kiba. "His clever little plan actually. Oils used to keep weapons, shinobi weapons, cleaned and ready. Poisons. The sort of things civilians don't carry with them."

"Good. Good." Tsunade nodded, this time giving Kiba a quick smile. "Well? What did you find out about them?"

Tsume sighed, looking haggard with fatigue. Even the dogs looked tired as Kuromaru yawned, and Akamaru mirrored him. "It's more complicated than we thought."

Tsunade sat down at her desk and started making notations as she listened to the two dog-nins as they outlined what they had discovered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho was tired of eating alone in her room. After two months, she was going stir crazy! Sure she knew security was everything, but damn, she wanted to talk to someone. But she'd been told to stay away from the public areas, especially now that the representatives from the Village Hidden in the Rocks had arrived. The delicate politics in this place was making her nuts! Still ...she just wanted to talk with someone. Nothing major, just to chat.

Sai was out of the question. He didn't get her, nor she him. Besides, she always got the uneasy impression that he was watching her every moment and cataloguing ways to kill her if the need arose.

Kakashi was much more approachable. But he always had his head in a book or was writing some letter, mumbling to himself.

So when Sai knocked on her door and delivered her meal, as usual, Shiho turned her nose up in the air. "I'm eating in the dining room." She announced defiantly.

Sai shook his head and put down her tray. "No." His orders from Kakashi were to keep her safe from all foreign ninja. So he simply didn't let them near her.

Fuming, Shiho crossed her arms. "I'm tired of eating by myself all the time." She informed him coolly.

Sai cocked his head slightly and gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. She was sure the smile was fake. He thought about it for a moment, then grunted and sat down. Staring at her, he cut his eyes toward her food. "Well? Eat."

Shiho's eyes widened. "You're going to eat with me?"

"No."

Sighing, the cryptologist wondered why she could never seem to figure this guy out. He was so strange. Stranger than Kiba even. The thought of the dog ninja had her feeling strange though. At least he would have talked to her. Or at least insulted her in some way, still it would be an improvement over Sai here. "Then what are you doing?" She asked irritably.

"Sitting." Sai blinked at her, then looked down at the chair he'd chosen. "I thought you were supposed to be smart?"

Shiho shook her head in disgust. That sounded like something Kiba would say, but … but with Kiba it would either be a taunt, a joke, or something like that. With Sai? There was none of that, no connection at all. "So? Where's your food, if you're going to eat with me?" She asked, sniffing at him.

Sai shook his head. "Not hungry. But if I sit here while you eat, you won't be eating alone." He said reasonably, at least in his mind.

The cryptologist sighed in defeat and sat down at her desk, pulling the cover off her food tray. "Yes it will." She muttered. Eating with Sai simply staring at her was worse than eating alone. "I'm sorry I brought it up."

Sai looked at her as she buttered her warm dark bread and took a bite. Finally, he grunted. "I don't know the proper response to that. Was that a real apology or a fake one?"

"Fake." Shiho nodded smartly and sipped her tea.

"Oh." Sai said, then gave her his fake smile.

Nearly choking, Shiho laughed as she struggled not to spit out her food. "Fake apology rates a fake smile?"

Sai nodded, thought it through carefully even though his expression didn't change. "How did you know the smile was fake? I've been practicing."

Damned if he didn't sound a tad upset. Shiho looked at him and pointed toward his head, before reaching for her chopsticks. "Your eyes. Your eyes showed no emotion. They didn't smile at all."

"Oh." Now he sounded the tiniest bit disgruntled, maybe. It was hard to tell with this guy, even after two months of close contact.

Shiho finished her meal quickly and efficiently, wanting to get out of this uncomfortable situation. Next time she'd watch what she said around Mr. Literal Minded. "Done." She folded her napkin neatly, placing it on the tray and stood.

Turning she blinked and stepped back. Sai's eyes were nearly bulging as he stared at her intently. "What in the world? Are you sick?"

Sai dropped the look and stood, collecting her tray. "No." Was all he said before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Shiho watched him leave, running over their conversation in her head. With an exasperated sigh, she wondered if this was his way of 'practicing' smiling with his eyes?

If so, Shiho decided, the guy certainly had a long way to go.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi stood in front of his daughter's urn and though his expression was blank, inside his stomach turned over.

Here. In the Hyuuga household, was the remains of a nameless Cloud ninja. In a place of honor and respect. He had to pretend to grieve for this person. It was enough to make him physically ill.

Home for once, Anko watched as her husband stood staring at the urn. The ugliest urn she'd ever seen in her life. Sighing, she walked in and put her hand on his back. "Two months today."

He knew what she meant by that. After two months he could choose to tell his family the truth of Hanabi's 'demise' …or not.

"Come on Hen, admit you miss your baby chick." Anko poked him in the side. "Sure she was an annoying brat. With a sick and perverted sense of justice. Poor Ibiki. Remember when she put the king crab in his bed? Still, she was fun to have around."

Hiashi sighed and gave her a long look. "Hen? I suppose this means you think I'm brooding?"

"Hai." The spiky-haired kunoichi grinned cheekily at him. "I wonder who it should worry more, me or you?"

At that, Hiashi raised one eyebrow in an unspoken question.

Giving in, she winked at him. "You understood my nickname right away. Either I'm slipping or you're starting to understand the way I think."

Hiashi gave a fake frown and relaxed slightly. "Oh, definitely I should worry more. If I'm understanding your thought processes? I'm slipping into senility and I should definitely worry about that."

"Just make sure you don't go senile too fast. Otherwise I'll have to kill you off and find myself a hot trophy husband." Anko nodded and stepped back as she looked at her watch. "I have to meet some Hyuuga cousins later. They want me to petition you for something or another." She frowned and rubbed the back of her neck. "Why they think they'll find me an easier mark than you, I don't know. I'm far more dangerous than you are."

"True." Hiashi nodded, refusing to argue the point as ridiculous as it was. He was by far the more dangerous one in the room. He moved over toward his desk, reading to attend to some correspondence. "But they don't know you well enough yet."

The kunoichi growled and grumbled. "Any objections to my disabusing a couple of Hyuuga family members of the idea that just because I'm married now that I'm an easy touch?"

"Damn." Hiashi's temple vein started throbbing as he stared at his chair. Anko looked at him curiously, not able to see over the desk.

"What's wrong?" She asked, walking over to look then started laughing outright. There were two dead mice in the seat of his chair. "Someone's been hard at work."

The Hyuuga clan elder sighed and called for a servant to clean up the grisly mess. "Why does that damned cat torture me?"

Anko shook her head, still laughing at the sour look on her husband's face. "Don't you know anything? Asubu is bringing your presents. It's his way of honoring you."

A slight sound from the doorway had both look over and see Hinata. The young woman stared at her father with bruised, tired looking eyes. She'd lost weight, far more than she should have following the birth of her twin boys. Silent, she nodded at Anko and ignored her father as she walked away.

Hiashi watched her go, his face carefully blank.

Anko's amusement fled the moment she'd spied Hinata. She turned to Hiashi and gave him a long look. "Tell her. If no one else, tell her before she wastes away."

"She'll heal." He protested, not sure Hinata could carry on the act that Hanabi was dead if he told her the truth.

Anko frowned sharply at him. "Tell her, or there will be something else bloody in that chair. And it will have been cut from your body." She threatened him with a feral look in her eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi put her hand on Rokuro's shoulder as Michi clucked his tongue. Rock's fingers extended into an open palm position and he moved his hand away from his weapons pouch. "The man is trying to cheat me." He said, his voice low and menacing.

The merchant shook his head, his greasy hair shining in the bright sunlight. "That is a bargain price, ninja, I swear it on the grave of …"

"Spare us." Hanabi sighed, tired of how people here in Suna took every opportunity to recite their bloodlines. Even the most common street hawkers did it all the freaking time! "And how is it that one orange here costs more than a dozen in …"

Michi hissed, but Hanabi had shut her own mouth, irritated with her own almost-slip.

"And where do you come from, dear ninja?" The merchant eyed them fearfully, but also with much curiosity. He would be rich before nightfall if he found out any information about 'Juzo's strange weapons' as these three were being called.

"It's a desert. Juzo spoiled us." Michi mentioned the misinformation casually. "Oranges are at a premium. Now, about those figs and goat cheese?"

Rocks groaned in frustration. Goat cheese and his stomach were at war. Currently the cheese was winning, and it wasn't fun. What he wouldn't give for one of his mother's home cooked meals!

The three concluded their business with the curious merchant, feeling the stares of all those around them.

Ever since their debut last month, they'd been an overnight sensation. Freaks. And the center of countless rumors and gossip. It both amused and irritated them all. And they hadn't seen Gaara at all, much to Hanabi's relief and Michi's regret.

Hanabi stared at her two teammates and nearly laughed out loud for the dozenth time this week. Baki had ordered them to look different. Well, they'd managed that at least! Even if they were still struggling with their training, they looked the part of strange, exotic weapons of destruction and mayhem.

Rock's hair had been cut short and he was wearing it in soft spikes, and the dye he used to turn his hair purple had failed. It was blue. Baki had nearly hyperventilated when he'd seen it the first time. They'd informed him that by standing out, they were far more likely to avoid detection than if they played wallflower. With the way they looked, no one would guess they were in hiding.

Other than the hair, Rocks was also wearing a sleeveless vest over a mesh body suit. His pants were loose and pretty standard, but his sash made him look a bit like a pirate. It was deep burgandy in color and covered in studs and odd metal pieces.

Anyone looking at him would think every piece was a weapon, and they'd be right. Too bad Rocks only looked the part and was still learning how to use all those tiny weapons!

As exotic a creature as Rocks looked, Michi's transformation was nothing less than a masterpiece in Hanabi's opinion. Then again, she'd had a hand in the design.

The billowing cloak-vest left his chest bare, but could be pulled closed for protection. It was fitted through the shoulders, showing them off handsomely and framed his bare torso with the dark gray and black coloring making him look good enough to eat. Criss-crossed bands over his chest held some of the same metal spheres that Rock's sported on his sash.

Michi, unlike Rocks though, had a loose veil over the bottom portion of his face. And his eyes were outlined beautifully with dark kohl, bringing out the sea-foam green color dramatically.

But it was his hair that made Hanabi's mouth twitch. He'd refused to cut it and she'd teased him about putting it up like a geisha. A few hours later, courtesy of some purloined sake, Rocks had teased Michi into trying it. But none of them could do hair like that. In the end, Hanabi had pulled back the front section of Michi's long dark tresses into a high pony tail, then followed with a series of small braids underneath. The rest hung free as usual.

It was as far from a geisha as one could get, but it looked exotic enough to bring out Michi's sharp cheekbones and draw attention to his eyes. Along with the mouth covering veil, it made him look very different than normal.

"Some lamb would be good for dinner. I have good prices on fresh lamb!" A vendor called out to them, but they walked on by. The first time they'd stopped there the trio had nearly gagged at the conditions. They'd learned fast, for meats they went to a proper butcher and paid top yen. "Lousy tight …"

Michi turned and stared at the man. "Yes? You have something to say?"

"No …no, no …." The merchant stammered, retreated as fast as his arthritic knees would carry him. "I was speaking on another ma… matter entirely! I assure you upon the great name of my father's father and …"

Hanabi sneered and turned away, she was seeing nearly 360 degrees, thanks to the Byakugan and caught the smallish thief immediately.

One minute the boy was pocketing the costly fruit, the next Hanabi had her hand on his shoulder. She frowned as she felt the bones of his shoulder, they were way too thin.

The merchant, a rough looking man though his stall was clean enough, blinked owlishly at her. Hanabi gently but resolutely pulled the boy's hand out of his pocket with the pear still clutched tightly. "You might want to keep your eyes on your business, and not on us." She told the vendor with a voice devoid of expression.

The merchant stammered with surprise and outrage, looking nervously over his shoulder. He looked ten feet away to where the other two shinobi were still standing in the street, noting how they were all looking in the wrong direction. The man wondered to himself, how could this kunoichi have possibly seen the thief? She'd not been facing them, or had she?

"Th…thank you." The merchant told her, his eyes roaming over the strangest of the three new ninja that the Kazekage had discovered. It was rumored that they were secret weapons for Suna, being groomed by Okano Juzo himself before his death. The man had always held with strange ideas. And the kunoichi before him now was very strange indeed.

Hanabi's mouth curved into the merest hint of a smile. She knew what he was seeing when he looked at her.

The grey-black mask over the upper portion of her face hid her features all the way down to the tip of her nose. The lower portion of her face was visible, but that was it. Over the mask was the bone skull-mask of a rather large animal, a mountain lion to be exact. But where her eyes should be, there was nothing but mask.

The weave over her eyes was thin enough that she could see through it, though it wasn't much good to her, impeding her vision unless she activated her Byakugan. And that drained her charka over long periods of time. But Baki had been having her train in using the least amount of chakra as possible to keep her Byakugan active. Reluctantly she decided that the man had his uses.

And with the mask? No details of her upper face was visible to observers. She used her Byakugan when wearing it and she could see just about everything, while no one could tell she was looking.

The rest of her outfit, Michi had helped her put together. She wore a mesh half-shirt that bared her midriff and a loose half-shirt with an attached hood of light material that covered her head and somewhat covered the macabre mask of bone she wore. The sleeves were loose with small bell shapes and Hanabi knew the merchant eyeing her was wondering what hideous weapons she wore up her sleeves.

But he was too afraid to ask. And she wasn't telling.

Her pants were modeled after her cousin Neji's former teammate, TenTen. Yet, there were differences. The light grey/blue color matched her half-hoodie but rode very low on her hips, calling attention to the span of bared midriff. And the pants ended at her calves with a band and showed off her ankles in the sandal-boots she wore that were specially made for desert terrain.

"I'll take care of this ruffian." The merchant scowled, feeding his unease in her presence into temper. He made a grab for the young thief.

Hanabi deftly inserted her body between the two of them, facing the merchant whose scowl slipped as he stared into her mask, unable to read her eyes as he could see no eyes at all. He swallowed hard, obviously nervous. "Kunoichi?"

The young boy, glad to have eyes off of him, tried to slip away. But he didn't realize that Hanabi WAS still looking at him, even with her back to him. Her hand shot behind her and she grabbed him by the shirt.

"I don't think so." She warned him, not even bothering to look behind her.

Everyone watching, and indeed everyone was watching, shifted their weight nervously. How had she known the boy had moved? It wasn't like she could see him!

The merchant raised his hand and pointed at the young thief. "I'll turn him over to the guards, they'll make sure he's punished. No concern of yours, I'm sure."

"Are you? Sure, that is." She whispered, making the man's eyes widen in alarm. With deliberate slowness, Hanabi reached into her pouch and pulled out some coins. Frowning down at what she held, she barely kept the confusion off her facial expressions. How much was a pear here in Suna? She wasn't sure, it wasn't like at home, not at all.

Seeing money steeled the failing nerves of the merchant and he named a steep price.

Hanabi simply raised her head and stared at the man, letting the full effect of the hidden eyes behind a bone mask hit him. The man shuddered and dropped his price by a third. She tossed him the amount and pulled the boy along behind her. He struggled, but stopped as she pulled him forward and basically thrust him at her two teammates.

"A new toy?" Michi laughed, looking down at the scrawny kid. He turned to stare at Hanabi. "That pear wasn't cheap." He told her dryly, reminding her that they were only getting "D" ranked paychecks right now and while rice was supplied to them, all extras were theirs to purchase.

Rocks stayed silent, eyeing the boy and knowing that if he hadn't had any talent as a shinobi, he could have ended up like this scrawny kid. "Want a job, kid?"

The boy's look turned to disgust.

Michi sighed and shook his head as he pursed his lips, though no one but Hanabi could see the movement behind his veil. "Not what you're thinking, kid."

"Sozoku, not 'kid'." The boy lifted his chin in defiance, though there was no meat on the kid and he barely reached Michi's waist.

"Real work. Real pay. But you steal from us and you've had it." Rocks promised darkly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What would I have to do?" The boy still looked suspicious.

"Can you handle a broom? A bucket? Can you get rid of this damned sand that gets everywhere?" Hanabi asked coolly, hating cleaning duty.

Rocks grinned suddenly. "And if you can cook better than her, we'll let you share in the food."

Hanabi swatted Rokuro across the back of his head. This interplay had the boy relaxing a bit, and the tension in those around them watching, also dropped.

Michi frowned. It would be hard to keep a secret around the kid. "You come only in the late afternoon and leave after supper. If I see you around at other times …"

"Yah, yah …you'll kill me." The kid mumbled, but didn't look scared anymore.

Rocks snorted. "More like we'll kick your ass and dock your pay. But if we find you talking about us to anyone …"

" …then you will be killed." Hanabi finished blandly.

Sozoku grinned, not worried about the warning though he did take it seriously. The prospect of a good meal each day and real pay was enough to draw him in. He looked down at his hand and the pear he still held.

"I'll do it on one condition." Sozoku's look turned sly. "Can I keep the pear?"

Michi sighed. "No. But you can use it in the meal. Now let's finish shopping." He handed the boy the bag of produce they had already purchased.

Sozoku looked stunned to be trusted with so much food. He looked up at the three ninja. "How do you know I won't run off with it?"

Hanabi bent down and stared at him through the sightless bone mask. "Think you can elude me?" She whispered.

The kid drew back, swallowing hard as he remembered that the kunoichi had caught him twice while not even looking at him. He clutched the bag closer to his thin chest. "No."

"Good answer." Hanabi stood and headed toward the tea merchant, on the way there she spied a tattoo artist at work in a nearby stall. She paused to watch.

Michi shoved her forward from behind. "No. You can't have a tattoo."

Hanabi's mouth turned mulish, but she let the moment go. For now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You sent for me?" Shizune poked her head in the Hokage's office. Technically it was her day off. Realistically, she had no days 'off' though. Not really.

TonTon snuffled happily and ran toward Shizune, who picked her up as she walked into the office and closed the door. The pig squirmed a bit and Shizune let her go a moment later.

"The Inuzuka duo managed to find something interesting." The blonde Hokage answered, shuffling through her piles and piles of papers.

Shizune fought not to wince as Tsunade destroyed hours of hard work sorting things out in an orderly fashion. "That was all arranged by …" She started, pointing at the stacks of papers and scrolls. Then she stopped and shook her head, feeling a headache coming on. "Never mind. What did they find out?"

"The information the Cloud shinobi was looking for was the whereabouts of one man. Their Jinchuriki to be presise."

Taken aback, Shizune blew out a breath and took a seat while she looked surprised. "The former Raikage was his brother, I just assumed that with the Raikage dead that Killer Bee must have been killed too."

"My assumption as well." Tsunade stated drolly. "Our bad. The man is alive. Apparently he took a 'vacation' from the village and the new Raikage is anxious to find out where he is …probably to make sure the man doesn't attack the village when he finds out his brother is dead. How he plans to kill him, we don't know."

"Vacation?" Shizune choked. "For what? Two years?"

"After his battles with Sasuke and the Akatsuki, he left. I don't know the whole story, obviously. But our next mission is clear. Find him. Find this Killer Bee and reunite him with ninja loyal to the old Raikage."

"Yah." Shizune blew her hair out of her eyes and sighed. "No problem. Find the man, tell him his brother has been murdered and then tell him he can't seek revenge until we put some things in place. Easy."

"If life were easy, we wouldn't need to live it." Tsunade said mockingly.

"You're forgetting Killer Bee doesn't trust Konoha. Not one little bit. He saw Sasuke as one of ours, even though the Uchiha had deserted Leaf. He won't listen, not to us." Shizune said dryly.

"Not us, no." Tsunade stood, stretching her back as she smiled a bit. "But Naruto?"

Shizune straightened up carefully, her mind racing. "They did get along well, didn't they?"

"Naruto has a knack for that. Gaara and Killer Bee as well? I don't quite know how he does it."

"He charmed you as well." Shizune reminded her.

Tsunade ignored the remark and continued. "I'm sending the Inuzuka back out, to track down forces loyal to the old Raikage and his brother. But I'm sending Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi after Killer Bee." Tsunade shrugged. "If anyone has a chance in making the man listen, it'll be those three."

"Kakashi is at the Akatsuki fortress." Shizune mused, drumming her fingers lightly on the arm rest of her chair. "Shino is still out there, we were about to recall him and his wife. He could take over for Kakashi and …"

"I've already sent him a message. I'm sending Ibiki out there to take charge of our forces in the fortress. Sai and Shino will guard our codebreaker. Ibiki will protect our interests and deal with the other village representatives. He has more experience anyway, now that the Earth Country finally has arrived on the scene. Temari can assist Ibiki and keep an eye on all the foreign ninja."

"Oh." Shizune's heart fell. She liked having her husband home for a change. But she did see the logic in the move.

"I'd send you." Tsunade said gently, not missing the crestfallen look in her assistant's eyes. "But I need you. Don't worry, it won't be forever."

Shizune nodded. She was a kunoichi, she knew what she was getting into when she'd married Ibiki. Still, she'd thought that as ANBU's torture division leader, he'd be in the village more. Circumstances had changed though.

"Now. On to other matters. Have we gotten anymore out of the brat?" Tsunade scowled.

"Not really." The mention of Shihei lightened Shizune's mood a bit as she rolled her eyes in disgust. "He's driving Ino crazy though. She's trying to plan her wedding, and he keeps changing the plans …says they're not good enough for her 'noble' blood."

Tsunade cackled, loving the discomfort of her former student. "I'll bet Inoichi is getting a kick out of this!"

Shizune bit back a chuckle as she shrugged. "Not so much. Shihei informed him that he wasn't a good father by letting Ino marry someone so far beneath her station in life."

Tsunade leaned back and rolled her neck. "It's too bad that I get so much enjoyment out this. Shikamaru grumbles constantly as the boy is underfoot all the time."

"You could assign someone else to be his 'guard'. Let Ino off the hook." Shizune told her Hokage.

Tsunade's eyes snapped with amusement. "And end the fun? I think not."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	29. New Discoveries

"Were you planning on telling me?"

Gaara looked up at his former sensei and blinked in response. "That depends on what your are speaking about." He told the one-eyed shinobi carefully.

Baki grunted and turned away from the large window overlooking Suna. There was the slightest drag in his step. Gaara frowned at him.

"Yes. I'm limping." The man muttered unhappily. "Thanks to the three karemasu you stuck me with."

"Karemasu?" Gaara thought about it a moment, then quirked his lips ever so slightly. "Withered? As in under the Suna sun?"

"As in leaves that have been hung out to dry and have withered." Baki sighed and sat down, his left leg held awkwardly out in front of him as he rubbed it absently. He looked at Gaara and answered the unspoken question. "Scorpion."

Gaara sat back, still not speaking as his eyes widened somewhat. They were a desert people. Both of them knew the dangers of this area and neither took chances. For Baki to have been caught out by a scorpion … it was unheard of actually. Indeed, the man had used scorpions in his training methods once upon a time.

At that thought, the red-head's eyes went really wide.

Baki nodded. "Yes. I still use them to train stupid little genin to move faster."

The Kazekage nodded sagely.

"Which brings me back to the original question. Were you ever planning on telling me? A warning perhaps?" Baki said dryly.

"Was one needed?" Gaara asked, pretty sure he knew what the point of the question was to be.

"Your father at least warned me."

"About me, you mean?" Gaara's small bit of humor faded completely as his eyes narrowed at the mention of the former Kazekage.

Baki shook his head, tacitly ignoring the signs of displeasure. "No. He warned me about all three of you."

Slowly, Gaara let his tension fade. His muscles relaxed enough that he could breathe normally. "You were so sure of yourself, taking on these three from Konoha." He specified, moving over the wounds of the past and letting them go for the moment.

"Sneaky." Baki commented. "Angry over the situation and taking it out on me. All three of them. But Hanabi especially. I'll give her this, she acts innocent better than either Temari or Kankuro ever did."

Gaara's lips twitched slightly. "I never acted innocent." It was a statement, not a question.

"No." Baki's lips twitched into a small smile. "No, you didn't."

The red-head put down his pen and stretched slightly as he looked at his former sensei. "Two months? It's taken you two months to figure out they were playing with you?"

Baki smiled darkly and shook his head. "No. I had that worked out after the first two days. I was merely watching them to see how far they'd go and how they'd manage to pull it all off. They work harder and more like a team to get back at me than they do in training. Sad."

Gaara leaned forward, slightly surprised. "You've been LETTING them get to you?"

Baki nodded carefully. "How else could I gauge them? They're not showing me all they can do in training, not hardly. Again, especially Hanabi."

The Kazekage grunted, looking the tiniest bit miffed.

"Besides. You didn't warn me for a reason, so I kept my mouth shut. Was it fun watching me itch, get boils, step in holes, find bugs in the most awkward of places, and such?"

Gaara nodded slowly. "Truth? Yes."

"Fun time is over. For you and for them." Baki climbed to his feet and walked to the office door briskly, his limp barely noticeable. "Real training starts now." He paused and turned. "Hanabi also doesn't seem to care for you much."

"She's said so?" Gaara looked a bit surprised. "It's true, but I didn't expect her to share that information with you."

"She doesn't." Baki admitted. "But she's not completely schooled in reining in her expressions when she thinks I can't see her. Though …it's strange. She also seems a bit perturbed that you haven't checked on the three of them personally."

"Oh?" Gaara sat back, pleased.

Baki nodded, hesitating on the threshold to the outer office. "Calling personal attention to them by the Kazekage would be unwise. And she doesn't strike me as the flighty type. So why would she think you would check on them? Personally?"

Gaara shrugged. Refusing to answer the question as he went back to his paperwork. "I have no idea." He commented blandly.

Baki nodded and left the office, closing the door behind him carefully. "You know, just because you never acted innocent, doesn't mean I couldn't read when you were up to something." He spoke softly just as the door closed, knowing that Gaara had heard him.

Still staring down at his paperwork, Gaara actually let his lips curve up ever so slightly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro frowned as he looked in the nursery and didn't see his wife or the twins. They'd moved into their own home, though still on Hyuuga land, two months ago. Right after learning of Hanabi's death. The puppeteer frowned at the heavy feeling pervading the house.

It was if all the life had been sucked right out of his wife. Hinata moved so quietly and so sadly, that it was almost like living with a ghost. Only with the twin boys did she come alive.

Not wanting to wander around looking for Hinata, Kankuro formed several chakra puppet strings and connected them with one of several nexuses he'd built into the house for defense purposes. This also allowed him to read the wards he'd placed everywhere. Thus it was that he knew his wife, the nanny, and the two boys were all in the kitchen.

The house was so quiet. Too quiet. But as he approached the kitchen, he could hear the boys. Finally he smiled as he pushed open the sliding door and looked inside.

Ani was holding little Nowaki, who was grinning widely and waving his fat little hands at her trying to catch the ribbon hanging from her long blonde hair. It looked like the boy had already grabbed it at least once and nearly pulled it loose. Kankuro chuckled.

The two women looked up at him and Hinata gave him a shy smile. Kankuro's breath caught. It was probably the first smile he'd had from her in two months. Perhaps she was starting to heal a bit.

"Doesn't he look better?" Hinata held up Ryusei. The baby seemed to catch sight of him and coo.

Kankuro reached for the small boy and held him close as he looked over at Hinata. "Better? What was wrong? I've only been gone two days." Happily, Tsunade seemed to sense he wanted to stay close to home right now and wasn't sending him on any prolonged missions just yet.

Ani smiled softly as Nowaki managed to catch the cherry-red ribbon and cling to it. "Cradle cap. It's nothing, just some flaky skin on the scalp."

"I ran into Kurenai yesterday and she suggested a drop or two of natural oil, then to rub it in lightly and let it sit for fifteen minutes before combing it out. Seems to work wonders." Hinata smiled again. It wasn't a huge smile, but it would do for now, Kankuro decided as he took a seat at the table with the women.

"Nowaki doesn't seem to have a problem with it. At least not yet." Ani smiled gently as she tugged the ribbon out of the boy's grasp and then dangled it down in front of him for Nowaki to grab for again.

"Don't let him ruin that, I just fixed your hair for your date tonight." Hinata chided gently.

Ani shrugged and continued to play with Nowaki as the two cooed back and forth at each other.

Kankuro looked at the two women who had recently lost so much. A sister. A brother. They'd moved beyond employee and employer and had bonded over tragedy. He was glad. He'd felt helpless in the face of Hinata's grief, and helpless was not something that he dealt well with at all.

"Date?" Kankuro mock growled. "Are we sure he's good enough for you?"

Once upon a time, a conversation like this would have driven the puppet ninja crazy. In fact, only two months ago he would have been heading for the door. But with Hinata smiling and relaxing, he'd put up with anything to get his Hoshi back. Even girl talk.

As the two women discussed the upcoming date, Kankuro let his mind wander as he let his infant son grab his little finger.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi kicked the small rock in the middle of the street, uncaring of whom it might hit as he scowled and pouted. "I'm not a baby!"

Anko clucked her tongue as she strolled alongside him, like she didn't have a care in the world. "Then stop acting like one."

"I don't need an escort!" Katashi said mulishly, turning his pale-eyed gaze up at her. "I've killed a man!"

Anko didn't care who turned to look at them after that particular outburst. She whistled lightly.

"I did!"

Anko nodded. "It was a good thing. But an accident."

Katashi's lip trembled, then firmed. "I'm a ninja."

"Not yet, you're not." Anko rolled her neck and shoulders.

The boy's scowl deepened at the reminder that he was still in school. Beside him his dog Kurokuma trotted along, keeping pace. "I don't need you to walk me home." He peeked at his step-mother surreptitiously from the corners of his eyes as he abruptly switched tactics. "How am I supposed to learn to be a good ninja if I don't train? Walking home by myself would be good training."

Anko pretended to mull that over a moment, then she cuffed the back of his head. "Not even a decent try with that one brine shrimp. You'd get eaten by a big fish with teeth in a heartbeat."

Katashi fumed with anger and humiliation. "Did you have to come for me in front of my friends? Like a baby?"

The spiky-haired kunoichi shrugged just as a squirrel ran across the small street in front of them, making an unexpected chittering noise. Katashi jumped visibly, then blushed with embarrassment that he'd let a squirrel startle him.

Kurokuma thought this was great fun and started barking madly. The gray and black mutt took off, his tongue lolling happily as he chased the little squirrel. Anko laughed as Katashi yelled for his dog to stop. Kurokuma didn't listen worth a damn and just kept running and barking.

Anko's laughter grew as the squirrel chittered wildly and scurried up some crates up against a high wooden fence. Katashi made a vain grab for his dog as Kurokuma scrambled up the same pile of crates. The squirrel disappeared over the fence and the dog didn't even pause as he went airborne over the fence as well, all four legs spread out in his excitement for the chase.

"No!" Anko choked out as Katashi climbed the crates too. "That's not …"

It was too late. A huge splash was followed immediately by some decidedly feminine screams just as Katashi reached the top of the crates and looked over the fence. The boy's eyes went wide as he spun around to face the opposite direction, blushing madly.

Anko collapsed with laughter in the middle of the street.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi stared morosely at the long ribbon of hardened water on the table.

Rocks slapped him on the back lightly. "Look on the bright side. You can make endless amounts of hardened water ribbons. "

"It's just not enough fucking volume." Michi started to rub his eyes. "You can't make a proper water dragon out of this!"

Hanabi tutted at him. "Eye make-up!"

Michi sighed and dropped his hands, looking tired and upset. "I hate this." He whispered. "I want a water dragon!"

Rocks laughed. "You just think they're cool."

Hanabi though, looked intrigued. "Why can't you make a dragon out of ribbons of hardened water? I …shit! Michi? Can these things cut? How hard are they and can you hold them? Control them?"

Michi blinked hard as Rocks nearly dropped his tea cup.

The water ninja looked over at his hard work with new eyes. "Well damn!"

Baki spoke up from behind them. "Interesting thought. But how are you going to carry that many water ribbons? I already know you've mastered how to hold them with the least amount of chakra expenditure possible, making them almost dormant in that state. But …to make a weapon of ribbons …how much will you need?"

Michi shrugged, unsure as he tugged on one of his braids. "I don't know for sure." He admitted ruefully.

Baki looked around the room carefully. "And why is it so cool in here? Did you three steal an air conditioner?"

Rocks turned abruptly. "You have air conditioners in Suna?"

Baki shrugged. "We're a desert nation. Fans. Air conditioners. Yeah, we've got them."

Hanabi scowled. "Then why did you let us suffer for two months in the sweltering heat without any of those things?"

"To toughen you up." Baki looked at her unapologetically. "And to see how long it took you to deal with the situation. So. Who did you steal a unit from?"

"No one." Rocks snapped. "I figured out a way to cool the air, tempering a freezing jutsu I know."

Baki stilled and pinned Rokuro with a frigid look. "You have a freezing jutsu?"

Rocks swallowed hard, backing up a step. "It's just a little thing. It's really more of a nuisance than a weapon. Freeze someone's toes? Or a finger or two? No big deal. It's not like I can freeze a whole person or anything."

Baki swore. He swore long and loud and with such facility that all three genin watched with wide eyes, learning many new phrases and even a few new words.

"How the FUCK do you think I can mold you into an effective team if you don't tell me of your abilities?" Baki finally wound down, going back to familiar curse words. "You hide things at every turn!"

Rocks stammered an apology quickly.

Michi stood up, facing their desert sensei. "He wasn't purposefully hiding anything from you. It's a child's trick. It wouldn't do anything in a real fight."

"Oh no?" Baki sneered. "I can think of several nasty applications right off the top of my head! Give me a day and I'll figure out even more! Damn it!"

"Calm down, sensei." Hanabi tried in a reasonable voice.

"Calm down? From the queen of pranks?" Baki turned on her so fast, Hanabi took a step back, her eyes wide. She wasn't wearing her mask in here. "I've let you have your way with me. Insects? Tricks? Bah!"

"You knew?" Michi's sea-foam green eyes widened dramatically.

"Of course I knew!" Baki thundered.

"But why did you let me keep …" Hanabi's voice petered out as he turned his angry look back on her.

"I wanted to find out your range." Baki answered almost reasonably. "Substitution jutsu? You're the best at it I've ever run across. And few can use it so well with living creatures like bugs."

Hanabi's face flushed under the anger and the faint praise. "It's not like they have chakra to fight back or interfere."

"And the distance." Baki nodded. "You seem most comfortable about 120 feet away from your target. My assumption is you use your Byakugan to allow you to be so precise?"

Hanabi nodded mutely.

Baki sighed wearily. "So why in the world do you only use it for pranks? That is a powerful tool you have there. Why hide it from me?"

Hanabi shrugged, feeling embarrassed still. "It's nothing major." She protested. "Just a substitution jutsu."

All three genin fell still as Baki made a cutting motion with his hand. "It's the small things that win battles. It's the subtle that is the true weapon." He pinned Michi with a hard look. "Sure, a water dragon is impressive. But it doesn't always work and many have come up with defenses against such jutsu."

"But a water ribbon slicing them up?" Michi asked in a small voice.

"Not as cool, not as impressive, and probably far more effective and deadly." Baki gave them each long looks. "I've already been asked several times about training with you three by other jounin in Suna. They're eager to 'train' with you."

"Meaning they want to know what we can do." Rocks said bitterly. "We're not ready. We can't face off against jounin, not like we are."

Baki nodded. "At least you've got that right."

Michi looked back down at the table behind him. The water ribbons twitched with the fluctuation of chakra he pushed into them. "How do I turn them into a weapon?"

The wind master shrugged and gave a hard smile. "We're about to find out. Together. Think you could leave off the infantile stunts and work towards making chuunin?"

Three sharp nods were the only answer he got, but then, that's all he really needed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"He's a pervert! Using his dog so he could peek over into the ladies private bathing area!" The old matron sniffed, her not inconsiderable girth fairly shaking with temper.

Anko fought to keep a straight face as the woman waggled her finger at Katashi. The boy looked horrified and embarrassed from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Anko wasn't sure, but she'd wager that if she pulled the boy's boots off even his toes would be blushing!

"I …No! There was a squirrel and you see …."

"Excuses and lies! That's all you get from children. He's obviously been raised poorly and without controls! I will speak to his parents about this! I will have him up before the council!" The woman sniffed as her two servants tried frantically to soothe her.

Katashi paled. He was already on ill terms with the council chairman after fighting with his grandson. This was bad! "I'm so so …"

"Don't apologize." Anko said smoothly, giving him a stern look. "A ninja never apologizes when not in the wrong."

"Ninja? Ninja! HIM?" The matron laughed like a braying donkey as Anko stepped back, sure the woman was a spitter. "Don't make me laugh! He's a ruffian and a young bully and a pervert as well! Looking at women as they take their baths!" She hugged her jacket closer to her well padded bosom.

Anko's eyebrows winged up. "Trust me, the boy doesn't need to peek over fences to look at you in your bath." She said, vaguely alluding to the Hyuuga family bloodline limit. "And trust me when I say, he would never stoop to looking at you in your bath. No one would. In fact, I think you've probably scarred the boy for life, seeing you in your bath." She said coolly.

The matron drew back, shocked and appalled. "Well! I see where the boy learned his ways! You are insufferably rude!"

"Thank you." The kunoichi preened, truly glad for the compliment as she perceived it.

"I may have caught a cold jumping from the water like that!" The matron sniffed experimentally and pulled a long fuzzy brown scarf from her jacket, starting to wrap it around her neck and head.

Katashi watched, horridly unsure of himself and what was expected of him. Kurokuma whimpered by his feet, still damp from his unexpected dunking in the heated spring.

What was worse for the canine? He hadn't caught the squirrel. Suddenly he stiffened, seeing a flash of brown fur.

Anko stilled as Kurokuma made a leap for the end of the matron's fuzzy scarf, biting down on it with a bark of victory and taking off down the street.

The woman screamed as the dog jerked her around in a circle as the scarf unwound from her neck. Katashi yelped as the hefty matron fell to the street hollering about being attacked by a gang of perverts. One servant chased after the fleeing dog as the other tried to help her mistress up from the ground, only to fall down with her instead.

Anko laughed so hard she cried.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki looked up as Naruto and Sakura approached. Arguing. "You two ready?"

They ignored him as they continued their spat, but they had their travel packs shouldered and they looked ready to go.

"I'm not listening to you fighting all the way out to the Akatsuki fortress." Ibiki informed the duo sternly.

Sakura paid the scarred man no heed as she rounded on her blond boyfriend. "I said no and that's final!"

"But Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined as she walked away from him toward the gate.

Ibiki winced, he knew that troubled look on the other shinobi's face. He'd worn it a time or two himself. But he didn't ask the trouble, because getting between a couple's argument was never a good idea.

Narurto growled and checked his pack straps, then turned to Ibiki. "Well? Aren't you ready yet?"

Ibiki sighed as he watched the blond hurry off after the kunoichi.

"This is not going to be a pleasant trip." He muttered as Shizune stepped up beside him. He leaned over and kissed his wife, lingering longer than he needed. "I'm going to miss you."

Shizune grimaced. "I should be less irreplaceable for Tsunade or you should be less wonderful at your job and be recalled."

Ibiki laughed and kissed her again as Naruto yelled at him from the gate. "They're fighting." He explained.

"Come on already!" Sakura groused, her arms akimbo as her foot tapped the ground in irritation.

Shizune sighed and reluctantly let Ibiki go as she tapped his nose. "At least your nose is healed now. Who knew Hinata had it in her?"

Ibiki grimaced at her as he took off after Sakura and Naruto. It made him guilty to think about Hyuuga Hinata and what he and Tsunade had put her through. A broken nose was painful and humiliating, but how much worse would it be to think your sister was dead?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What's the commotion?" Kankuro asked, putting down the precision oil injector he used with his puppets. Coming out of his work room, he looked and saw Hinata frowning over toward the main house. She'd activated her Byakugan. "What is it?" He asked, not liking the worried look etched on her face.

After word of Hanabi's death, his wife looked apprehensive anytime there was a messenger or a commotion over at the main house. Kankuro took a deep breath to reassure her. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Hinata relaxed a bit as she felt her husband's hand on her shoulder. "Katashi and Anko are meeting with father and some man I don't know. Father looks upset."

Kankuro brightened. "Anything that upsets Hiashi has to be worth it. Let's go find out."

Hinata looked up at her husband in surprise, the thought of purposefully going over to see her father upset never occurred to her. "I don't …"

The puppeteer pulled her to her feet. "Ani has the boys asleep upstairs. Come on." He chuckled.

His smile pulled a small one from her and his chest expanded. She was getting better! More determined than ever, he tugged her out the door. "Besides, if Katashi is in trouble with your father, we need to be there for him." Kankuro iced the cake.

Startled, Hinata sped up, now pulling her husband along after her instead. The idea of letting Katashi face her father's wrath was untenable. Whatever the cause, she would protect her little brother!

Kankuro grinned at the back of her head as they headed toward the main house.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well hell, look what I found!" Kiba grinned and slid into the booth next to Ino, drawing a frown from Shikamaru.

A blond little girl sniffed and turned up her nose at him as if smelling something horrid.

"I didn't know you had a sister, Ino." Kiba scratched his head and shrugged as he raised his hand to call attention from the waiter.

The kunoichi bit her lips to keep from laughing as the girl beside her stiffened unbearably. "I am NOT a girl!" The snooty voice informed him.

Surprised, Kiba's eyes met Shikamaru's. The Nara shrugged and nodded. "Kiba …meet Ino's …cousin." The shadow nin told the lie they'd been using to keep anyone from guessing Shihei's true identity. "He's from out of town." He said in a bored voice.

Kiba eyed the youth speculatively. "You look like a girl." He said bluntly. "Are you wearing lip gloss?"

"No!" Shihei's eyes widened with indignation.

Ino sighed and put her hand on Kiba's forearm. "Leave him alone." She chided. "When did you get back?"

"Today." Kiba grimaced and looked up to order some tea from the waiter, also asking for a menu. He turned back toward Ino. "I leave again in a few hours. Long enough to grab some food, a nap, and a shower."

"You have your priorities wrong." Shihei curled his lip. "The shower should have come first."

Akamaru whimpered and dropped down next to Kiba with a doggy sigh. The Inuzuka laughed outright and shook his head, his fangs showing. "Ino? How attached are you to your cousin? I could use him for target practice."

Shihei sniffed and patted his mouth with his napkin. "I believe I've lost my appetite. Come Ino, we have some shopping to do. The colors on that last cake the bakery sent over just wasn't quite right. We may need to look further afield."

Kiba stood and let the duo leave as Ino flashed him an apologetic look. The dog nin sat back down with Shikamaru. "I didn't mean to run them off. Okay, I didn't mean to run Ino off at least!"

The shadow nin smiled ruefully. "I'm glad you did. Oh, not Ino. But the kid." Shikamaru shuddered.

Kiba opened his mouth to ask more questions, but was forestalled as the tea he'd ordered was delivered. He glanced at the menu and placed a food order next as he sipped his tea. Shikamaru was grateful that the Inuzuka's questions had been postponed, he didn't like lying to friends.

Once alone though, Kiba started to ask again and Shikamaru interrupted him. On purpose. "I hear you were at the fortress? What's it like?"

Scowling, Kiba shrugged. "Wasn't there long enough to tell. Just dropped off Kakashi, Sai, and Sh …" He stopped and coughed, for some reason reluctant to mention Shiho to the guy she had such a crush on.

"Shiho?" Shikamura nodded and sipped his own tea, though he'd already eaten his meal. "She must be in heaven trying to decipher all that crap the Akatsuki left behind."

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Kiba frowned slightly. "Sai and Kakashi have orders to kill her if she's captured." He said slowly.

Shikamaru nodded. "Common practice with cryptologists. She knew about that before becoming a code-breaker."

Kiba stilled, looking at his friend. "You know about the training they go through?"

The Nara shrugged. "Sure. Doesn't everyone?"

Frowning, Kiba sipped his tea. Not telling him that HE hadn't known.

"They only approach the smartest, and even then they only take the ones they think can make it through the rough training. You have to be dedicated to go into that field." Shikamaru said dryly.

His attention snagged, Kiba looked up at him. "You're smart. Did they approach you?"

Shikamaru laughed. "My scores in school were only slightly higher than 'Dead-Last Naruto'. Only Asuma twigged to the fact that I wasn't trying. No, they never approached me. Besides, do I look like the dedicated type to you? Anyway, it would be too much trouble."

Kiba grinned at his friend as his food arrived. But as he ate, his mind wandered back to Shiho had what she must have been like at the Academy. Oh, she had to have been the perfect nerd! He could just picture her now.

He smiled at the thought, knowing if he'd been a classmate he'd have teased her mercilessly. "Bad dog." He muttered to himself. She wouldn't have been the type to draw a lot of male attention, not back then. Not ….

Kiba frowned slightly as Shikamaru called for his bill. Distracted, Kiba stared at his food a moment as he wondered who HAD been attracted to Shiho back then. Someone had to be.

With a strange feeling in his gut, Kiba wondered …just who in the hell had been Shiho's first kiss?

"You okay?" Shikamaru asked as he stood to leave. "I hate to leave you alone, but I have to get back to the Tower. Tsunade is sending me and Chouji out on a mission."

"Not Ino?" Kiba wondered aloud.

Shikamaru shrugged as if he didn't know either. Inwardly he felt bad for his fiance, stuck babysitting their 'hostage'. "Tsunade said she needed Ino in town for something."

"Probably medical." Kiba dismissed the question, thinking he'd guessed rightly.

Shikamaru nodded. "Probably." He lied. Poor Ino. Stuck with Shihei. Still, better her than him!

o.O.o.O.o.O

TenTen wasn't sure what was going on when Tsunade had sent her out here to the Nara family land. This area was off limits. Private. Protected.

Still, she followed her memorized directions and arrived at a small house. It couldn't have more than two or three rooms at most. Rustic.

"HALT!"

The voice rang out sharply as Lee suddenly appeared before her. "Lee?"

"Identify yourself!" Lee announced, blocking her path to the house.

TenTen's eye twitched as her foot swung out and she nailed him in the chest. "What do you mean 'identify yourself' you idiot! I was assigned here!"

Lee backed off and smiled at her, his teeth gleaming whitely. "I know! I just wanted to make sure it was you."

TenTen sighed. "You knew it was me or I would have never been able to land that kick." She pushed past him toward the house. "Now. Who are we prot …SHIT!"

Rinako stopped suddenly, Kirohu at her side. She gripped his fur with her left hand.

"You …you …you're supposed to be dead!" TenTen's voice was shaky as she looked back and forth between Lee and Rinako. "You killed …no, you couldn't have …not if you're under …wait, hold on …"

"No one died." Lee said almost softly. "No one was cut down before their life could reach the zenith …Oof!"

Lee blocked her kick this time but was knocked back a few inches.

"Plain Japanese. Tell me in plain Japanese. No one died? NO ONE?" TenTen's voice broke as it reached the higher registers. "Neji's cousin?"

Lee blushed and looked down at his feet.

TenTen whistled. "No wonder you haven't been to visit Hinata or Neji. I'd wondered."

"Naruto was with me as we guard this blossom as she recovers. Tsunade and ANBU come often, but that's it." Lee said in an almost normal tone of voice. "But Naruto has a new mission and …"

"And now I'm up." TenTen's lips firmed with determination. "Fine. But I don't have to like it. Or her!" She frowned up at Rinako.

The Cloud kunoichi stiffened, but nodded. She wondered just who this leggy brunette was. Obviously someone Lee knew and liked, to let her scold him like that. The tiniest sting of jealousy touched her and Rinako looked away, ashamed.

Lee was helping her, being nice to her, because it was his job. That was all. This girl …was she his girlfriend?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro was holding in his laughter as Hiashi escorted Lady Yurine Nemoto's man of business out of the house. He looked over at Katashi. "Was the woman as ugly as Anko described?"

Katashi blushed and yet gave a small smile. "Worse."

Hinata fussed over her little brother a bit as Hiashi came back, glowering at them all. "It wasn't his fault, father!"

"His dog. His responsibility." Hiashi growled, looking downright cross. "He didn't have to give chase and look into the ladies bath either."

"But …" Hinata started to defend him.

"Brilliant! Wish I'd thought of it as a kid." Kankuro grinned and winked at the scandalized look on his wife's face. "Seriously!"

"That dog is a menace!" Hiashi stared down at his son.

Anko coughed and grinned. "That woman is a menace. And she was horrid."

Hiashi pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "That woman is married to a very influential land owner. They have a lot of political clout."

"More than you?" Katashi asked in a small voice.

Hiashi sighed and bit back an oath. "No. But if you continue to align people against the family, it won't be good. What if this Yurine family joins with the chairman of the elder council? Combined, they do have more clout than I do. More money, more power, more sway …"

"But far less sexy." Purred Anko as Katashi coughed and Hinata blushed.

Hiashi sighed and looked at his wife. "Don't say things like that!"

"Even if they're …" Anko started then stopped and yelped. "No! Don't do that!" She yelled and rushed across the hallway into the study. A series of growls and ripped paper noises followed.

Hiashi stilled and shuddered. "What has that dog done now?" He clenched his fists before turning to look into his study, his private domain.

Katashi rushed into his father's study and felt dizzy at the destruction. Kurokuma was currently ripping a book into pieces. Hiashi's desk looked nice and clean though. Too clean. All the scrolls and papers had been strewn all over the place, and some were in pieces. Shredded. Torn. And some were dripping with tea from a nearby teapot that was overturned.

Hiashi stood in the doorway, shaking with anger as he glared at the dog in question. Catching the glare, Kurokuma's tail dropped down between his legs and he hunched down.

"Horrid mongrel." Hiashi hissed.

Kurokuma dipped his head and peed in submission, making Hiashi groan.

Katashi ran around picking up papers and trying to make everything right. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll take him outside, I promise! He won't come back in, he'll be good …"

"Oh, poor shrimp bait." Anko sighed looking amused.

Kankuro walked in and picked up a parchment. "Some of this is salvageable." He commented.

Hiashi suddenly stiffened as he caught sight of what his son-in-law was holding. "No …don't!"

But Kankuro had already read the first few lines. His jaw tightened. His dark eyes flashed dangerously. "A letter …to Hanabi?"

"Oh father." Hinata almost melted, not taking into account that her father would miss Hanabi as much as she did.

"Save your sympathy." Kankuro stated. "It's dated today."

Hinata went still. Katashi looked dumbstruck. Even Anko stopped laughing.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special note: The name "karemasu" meaning "withered" was a fan suggestion from knotgrace. Thanks so much!


	30. Painful Lessons

Hiashi moved so quickly that Kankuro blinked one moment and the next the Hyuuga clan leader was taking the letter from his hand so quickly it sliced his finger.

"It's dated today!" The puppeteer hissed, his eyes probing and his tone accusatory as he clenched his teeth and shook his hand.

Anko kept quiet as she watched, wondering if Hiashi would tell them the truth.

The elder Hyuuga nodded. "And the one for last week was dated for last week. And the week before there was another letter. It too was dated correctly."

Hinata went still as a statue, staring at her father with an odd expression. Her brother Katashi wrapped his arms around himself, looking cold as he dropped his gaze, unable to meet his father's eyes.

"Oh." Was the best Kankuro could manage, feeling a bit foolish.

Hinata's mouth started to droop slightly, before her father's words caught her.

"I write my daughter." Hiashi held up the letter to Hanabi. "I've written her every week since her funeral. Then I burn them as a prayer offering."

The caught sound of a breath drew everyone's attention to the doorway. Yugao stood there, watching, a stricken expression on her face. "I …I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Neji walked up beside her, his expression carefully bland. It was obvious that the two had just come from training, looking tired and sweaty with their packs still dangling from their fingertips. "Is something the matter?"

Hiashi crumbled the letter in his hand, pulling a small whimper from Hinata as she watched the parchment like a lifeline.

Katashi's voice cracked slightly. "My dog got in here." He whispered, holding out his hands in misery to show the destruction and mayhem. "I promise he won't do it again."

Neji looked around the study carefully, judging the damage. "No, I imagine that you won't let him back in here."

Anko remained quiet, her eyes just a tiny bit sharp and disapproving as she looked at her husband. But she didn't interrupt.

Hiashi's eyes cut toward his wife, knowing her thoughts but unwilling to tell the family that Hanabi wasn't really dead. Not yet. He needed the charade in place to protect her, or at least that's how he rationalized it to himself. The less people that knew, the safer Hanabi really was.

"He's been writing to your young cousin." Yugao sighed, her voice gruff. "Burning the letters."

Neji nodded stiffly. "Let's leave him to it then." He let his pale eyes slide over his uncle's form without making eye contact, unwilling to look at the man lest he give away the secret.

Kankuro didn't know what to say, embarrassed that he'd thought something ugly in the first place. "I …" But apologies weren't really part of him. So he stopped, closed his mouth and grunted slightly before heading for the door. "I'm sure this won't take long to clean up." He substituted instead as he headed for the door.

"Katashi? Better get cleaned up for supper." Anko's voice was carefully neutral. Hinata's eyes swung around to stare at her step-mother as the spiky haired jounin gestured for Katashi to proceed toward the door of the study.

Everyone was heading toward the door. Except Hinata, who remained rooted where she was, unable to move.

Yugao cleared her throat and gave a wan smile toward her uncle-by-marriage. "It's a kind gesture and an honorable thing you do. I hope we haven't embarrassed you."

Hiashi nodded, still holding the crumpled piece of parchment. "I feel like I haven't lost Hanabi this way. It helps."

Everyone nodded.

Everyone except Hinata who nearly fainted on the spot, swaying as she caught herself with one hand on her father's desk.

Kankuro frowned from the doorway, pausing next to Neji. "Hoshi?"

"He's lying." Hinata whispered, blinking rapidly to keep the moisture at bay. "He's lying."

"Hoshhhhi." This time the nick-name was drawn out sympathetically. "He just explained …"

Hinata straightened up to her full height, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. "You are lying father." Her eyes bored into Hiashi's and for once in his life, he blinked first.

Yugao stepped forward, her hand raised to be helpful. "Hinata, your father just explained about why he's writing your little sister. Please, come with us." Her voice was sympathetic but firm.

Hinata shook her head decisively, rudely pointing at her father. "And I know my father better than any of you. And one thing I know for sure. My father explains nothing. He owes no one an explanation. Ever. He's believed that his entire life. He's lived it. He breathes it."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed in confused speculation.

Katashi shook his head. "No. No. He wouldn't lie …not about …her."

"He named her." Hinata's voice grew in strength, though not in volume. Her pale eyed gaze never left her sire as she took a step towards him. "Just now he called her by name."

A shocked breath sounded from the doorway as Yugao's eyes went wide, catching the implication. "He's of the old school."

Hinata nodded. "You don't name the dead by the name they used in life."

Katashi looked upset. "He made a mistake." He shrugged, "Everyone does."

The Hyuuga clan leader's eldest child stopped right in front of her father. "Lord Hiashi doesn't make mistakes. Not like that. He guards his tongue. He guards his privacy. And he NEVER explains."

A harsh growl escaped Kankuro as he stared daggers at Hiashi's haughty and silent profile. "He'd better start explaining now." Suspicion and threat lacing his tone of voice.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako scowled deeply at her right hand as she rested her elbow on the table, her fingers about a foot from her face. Perspiration beaded around her hair line. The forefinger and middle finger twitched, bending at the main knuckle. Painfully slow, her fingers moved toward a full fist until the first two fingers touched the palm of her hand. Breathing hard, she stared hard at the last two fingers, but try as she might, they would only come partway to the surface of her palm.

The sudden clatter of a dish hitting the table startled an oath from Rinako and her finger muscles spasmed painfully. She looked up balefully as TenTen slid smoothly into a chair across from her. "Lee said you might be hungry."

Rinako stared at the nearly barren plate, a piece of lettuce sitting on it. She looked back up at TenTen's expressionless face. "Only one piece of lettuce? I've worked hard enough for at least two pieces. Or maybe a radish slice." She said dryly, letting her right hand relax as she sat back in her seat, pressing her palm hard against the flat surface of the table.

TenTen raised an eyebrow as she watched unsympathetically. "Should we talk about what you deserve to get? Hmmm?"

The dog nin shrugged. "Sure. What have I done to you to deserve this kind of treatment?"

The Konoha kunoichi leaned forward. "You didn't have to watch the Hyuuga clan's faces at the girl's funeral. I was there, I saw their faces, felt their grief!"

"I didn't kill her." Rinako pointed out, cocking her head to one side tauntingly. "No one did."

"I don't have to like what you are putting her family through." TenTen snapped back.

Rinako sighed, pushing her sweaty hair behind one ear. "Not me. Your Hokage. It was her idea, not mine."

TenTen shrugged and leaned back in her own seat, pushing the plate with a single piece of lettuce on it toward the other girl. "True. But I still don't have to like the necessity of it. And I don't like you. I can't believe we're protecting a missing nin."

Rinako's breath caught and she swallowed her sharp retort. Finally she shook her head and shrugged. "Technically not missing, I'm dead. To the Cloud village. I'm dead. And unlike this Hyuuga's father, my mother really does think I'm dead."

"You betrayed your village. Whether that helps out Konoha or not, I can't say." TenTen waved aside the issue as so much smoke. "I'm not privy to the reasons you're here. But I do know you wouldn't be 'dead' if you hadn't betrayed Kumokagure somehow."

Her chest tight, Rinako gave a sharp nod of her head. "Your logic is impeccable."

TenTen's eyes narrowed as the dog nin stood, pushing away from the table.

"But you're also clueless and wrong." Rinako walked away, not bothering to look back as she spoke. "And I would NEVER betray Kumokagure." She said, putting the emphasis on the name of her village and not mentioning the Raikage at all. In her mind, the two were now completely separate.

"Ah! Have you eaten yet? We'll let your meal settle then go for a light run, shall we?" Lee's bright eyes gleamed at her from his perch in a tree just off the side of the small cabin.

"Not hungry." Rinako snapped, oblivious to Lee's quick frown at her tone as she strode off toward a field they'd set aside for training. "Leave me alone."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rokuro dug into his food with a hearty appetite. He grinned around a mouthful of noodles as he slurped them up. "Sozoku is turning out to be a fair hand in the kitchen. Much better than Hanabi."

"Who?" The boy slipped into the room, grinning as he put out a platter of rice balls. He didn't seem to notice the three ninja as they stiffened around him.

"No one." Hanabi said blithely. "A cook Juzo hired some years ago."

"Slovenly creature." Michi purred, ignoring Hanabi's swift kick under the table. "We had to let her go rather quickly. She kept trying to seduce Juzo, it was really rather disgusting. And her name was Hanagi, if you can't remember it, then don't bring her up." He turned to glare at Rokuro.

Rocks nodded and shoveled more food in his mouth.

They all surreptitiously watched as Sozoku nodded and went on about his business. The three 'dead' Leaf ninja relaxed a bit and continued with their meal in silence. Each knowing they'd been sloppy and would need to watch themselves better now that they had someone else coming and going from their apartments.

Their relaxation ended, however, with one simple question. Sozoku looked around at them. "What are your names? I can't keep calling you Juzo's Threesome like the rest of Suna."

Names? Michi fought to keep his face expressionless. How had they missed something so basic?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari stopped in the doorway, tensing up. Sai looked up at her and nodded. "Everything alright?" The wind user asked tentatively, looking around trying to sense anything amiss.

Sai shook his head. "Hai." He answered simply.

"Oh. Okay then." Temari did another sweep of the area before heading out and down the hallway.

A long moment passed as Sai watched the blonde leave.

"That is the third person to ask you if everything is alright. In under an hour." Shiho didn't even look up from her book as she made notations on a separate parchment. "A smarter person would note the pattern."

Sai nodded, his fake smile sliding from his lips to his usual expression. None. He rarely used the fake smile around Shiho anymore anyway. She seemed to see right through it every time.

"I am not smarter than you." Sai said evenly and without any tension. There was no hurt or jealousy in his voice, he was merely stating a fact as he saw it.

Shiho nodded and kept right on with her work. "In some areas you are. Art for instance. Inks. Warcraft. Survival. There's a whole list."

Sai nodded, knowing she was speaking the blunt truth. Actually, Shiho was kind of relaxing to be around. She didn't try and change him, make him 'feel' things or judge him. She simply left him his own space.

"Emotions though. I'm not the best in that area either. But I'm better than you." She continued, still not looking up though.

The ninja nodded. It was nothing less than a true statement of fact. "You have an observation?" He asked, getting to the point.

"Several." Shiho sat back, finally looking at him. "Stop trying to make physical what is an intangible."

Sai blinked slowly. "I make intangible items physical all the time." He said evenly, holding up his pad of drawing paper. "In fact, I'm an expert at it."

Shiho shook her head gently. "Your drawings aren't intangible, merely two-dimensional. They are physical and you merely transfer them from one form to the next."

The shinobi paused and considered her words carefully, but decided he hadn't caught her point yet. "Explain."

"Smiling with your eyes? It's not a physical expression you can fake, like a smile or a laugh." Shiho gave him an oddly sympathetic look. "It's an emotion, and one I've not seen in you at any time in the last two months."

Sai nodded, frowning slightly. "Faking emotions is possible. I've seen actors do it in movies."

Surprised, Shiho smiled at him. "You've been to a movie?"

"Naruto and Kakashi dragged me last year." Sai said quietly.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"No." Sai answered, his expression even.

"Did you dislike it?" Shiho asked next.

"No."

Shiho nodded. "As I thought. You have no emotional depth from which to call on in order to 'act' out any emotions. Actors do so, because they've experienced these emotions, or can sympathize with them. Empathy. You simply don't have that."

Sai digested her words carefully. Then he shook his head almost stubbornly. "I will continue to practice."

"I wish you wouldn't." Shiho sighed, turning back to her work. "Whenever you bug your eyes out like that, trying to smile with them, people keep stopping to ask if you're alight. It interrupts my thought processes as I'm working to decipher these texts."

Sai didn't respond as he stared off into space, concentrating on pulling non-existent emotions to reflect in his eyes.

A moment or two later Kakashi was standing in the doorway. "Er …Shiho? The Earth Country code-breaker has asked for an extra ten minutes with that book from the Northern passes you requested. Shino told him to keep the book an extra hour if they'd allow you extra time in the main library later today before their turn."

Shiho frowned sharply. "They wouldn't do that. They won't even tell us the name of their code-breaker, they're not going to give up time in the main library."

The code-breakers from the different villages were taking turns in the main library, working through the books under heavy guard. No group trusted the other groups. And no code-breaker was allowed to meet with anyone outside of their own people.

"Too right." Kakashi grinned beneath his mask and tossed Shiho the book in question. "Here's the book you requested. They gave it up rather than give you any extra time learning what they want to know. It seems they are determined to solve the riddle of this fortress before we do."

Shiho's eyes widened as she grabbed for the book, grimacing as to the treatment of such a rare volume. Her fingers brushed the cover as the book slipped from her grasp. But it didn't fall as Sai was suddenly there to catch the book before it struck the ground.

The shinobi stared at his teammate for this mission. "You did that on purpose."

Kakashi crinkled his one visible eye, giving a low chuckle. "I wasn't sure if you weren't having a seizure or something, even though you keep saying nothing is wrong. I just wanted to check your reflexes." The copy-nin gave him a jaunty wave of one hand and turned to leave.

Shiho irritably plucked the book from Sai's hand. "I told you so. They think you're hiding seizures or something."

Sai frowned and went back to his stool and picked up his sketch book. Learning how to smile with his eyes was meeting with some drawbacks it seemed. Then he looked speculatively down the corridor after Kakashi. The man crinkled his visible eye sometimes when chuckling. Hmmm…

After about half an hour of silence, Shiho made another notation and frowned. "Where have I seen this symbol before?" She whispered to herself, tapping it with her finger. Oh! Yes! The book with the cracked binding that she'd looked over last month. Now …where had she put it? Shiho looked up, her gaze sliding around the cluttered shelving that Sai and Kakashi had set up in here for her.

Suddenly her gaze stopped, widened, and slid back toward Sai. She stared at him in almost horrified wonder. "Is that supposed to be an expression?"

Sai's face melted back to his expressionless state. He blinked at her. "It didn't work?"

Shiho pursed her lips lightly and shook her head. "Congratulations. You've moved from looking like you were having a seizure to looking like you're horribly constipated."

"Fine. Show me." Sai demanded.

Shiho shrugged. "I'm not in the mood. Hand me that book with the cracked binding, no …the one to your left. No, your right, my left. Sorry!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi looked at the young boy in their employ, taking a deep breath.

"I'm Tei." Rokuro stepped into the silence. "He's Mizu and she is …well, she is Kaji."

Sozoku quirked his eyebrow and sighed. "Fine. Don't tell me."

Hanabi scowled at Rokuro as the blue-haired youth smiled. "If we had real names before Juzo got hold of us, we don't know. In the meantime, we are Tei, Mizu, and Kaji."

Michi nodded, going along with it. Hanabi scowled deeper.

The boy scratched his shoulder and shrugged. "Okay. Tei means air. Mizu means water. I get that. But why not call her Hi for fire? That means fire, doesn't it?"

Rocks smirked at Hanabi and tore off a piece of bread to sop up his meal with. "Hi is the element of fire. But for the sake of accuracy, she's known as Kaji. It's the destructive side of fire. Like say ….burning down a house?"

With that, Hanabi gave a small growl and leapt over the table, Rocks scrambling back barely in time to keep from being knocked unconscious. As it was, his food went flying everywhere and the chair cracked and gave way. The two rolled a moment before Rocks came up on top with a crow of victory.

That is, until his 'victim' turned into a log and Hanabi's foot hit the air where his blue-haired head had been but seconds ago.

Michi sighed as Sozoku watched with awe. The boy turned to look at the erstwhile leader of the group. "Mizu?"

It took Michi a moment to realize he was being addressed. Sighing he turned to look at the boy. "Aren't you going to stop them?" Sozoku winced as the two fighters slammed into the futon and fell over to the other side. A loud crashing sound made him suck in a deep breath. "I think they broke the side table."

"I think you're right." Michi sighed, standing. He whistled really loud, making everyone wince. "Outside. Fight outside, I don't want to spend food money on furnishings."

To his astonishment, both combatants listened and stopped. They stared at him a long moment, then Hanabi turned to look at Rocks' split lip. He looked at the bruising already starting to discolor her collarbone. Rocks tipped his head toward Michi. "Our leader looks pristine."

Hanabi grinned. "Yes, yes he does. Too pristine."

Michi held up his hands and backed away. "No! I had nothing to do with this!"

But Rocks and Hanabi stalked toward him anyway. Michi reached behind him for the door as Sozoku started to actually smile at the spectacle as he realized that none of them were really, truly angry.

Hanabi stopped as Michi started to open the door. "Wait!"

But it was too late. The door was open and Michi spun around to look up, way up. The jounin towered over the three, his vertical height as impressive as the width his shoulders. The man was lean, not muscle bound, but still, there was power stored in those shoulders. A lot of it.

The shinobi smiled ruthlessly at them, his lips twisted with an old scar. "About to scrap with each other? Good. How about scrapping with us? A little …getting to know you get together?"

"Us?" Rocks mouthed.

The man stepped back and two other jounin were leaning against the posts on the porch looking lazy and relaxed.

"Shit." Michi sighed. "We're supposed to train only with Baki. Kazekage's orders." He sounded almost sorry, which was an out-and-out lie. They couldn't take on a fully trained jounin, much less three!

The first shinobi smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile at all. "Now, now. This isn't training. It's just a friendly match. That's all. An introduction to Suna."

"Or are Juzo's pets afraid?" Crooned the smallest of the three jounin.

"They're not afraid of anything!" Sozoku shouted from behind Hanabi.

"Good." The first shinobi nodded, a ferocious grin covering his scarred face.

Michi moaned, his fingers twitching reflexively. Hanabi glowered. Rocks just prayed he didn't wet himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako picked up another stone with her left hand and tossed it lightly into the air, trying to catch it with her right hand. She was a few beats too slow as the rock fell to the ground just before her hand could intercept it. She bent down to pick it up again, just as she'd been doing for nearly an hour.

Her stomach growled. She ignored it.

Lee coughed lightly.

Rinako sneered and turned her head to look at him, sitting there, watching her. "You've been quiet for over an hour. I didn't think that possible."

Lee stood and took this as an invitation to join her. He walked up to her as she threw the rock up in the air. Lee intercepted and caught it, then formed a fist and crushed it. Startled, her eyes flew to meet his. Rinako looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "I wondered what you'd look like angry."

"Not angry." Lee sighed. "Worried."

Rinako laughed without mirth and looked back out over the forested land. "Worried? No one knows I'm here. Cloud thinks I'm dead. No one goes hunting dead people. You're not guarding me so much as babysitting me. Or keeping me prisoner. Which is it?"

Lee reached down and grasped her right wrist firmly, but not painfully. He pushed open her fingers as she held her breath. "You're hurting."

"RIGHT!" Rinako laughed and yanked her hand away, temper flaring in her dark eyes. "This from the king of over training! You're always pushing me to do more, go farther, move faster …."

The flash of a grin he gave her had her temper fading as fast as it had risen. "I have no problems with you training more. I mean that you're hurting inside. Is it because your family thinks you are dead?"

The former Cloud kunoichi sighed and nodded as she shrugged, not telling him of TenTen's words to her. The two of them were obviously friends, possibly more than friends. She liked Lee too much to do spoil it with biting words about his friend.

"Are you worried you might need surgery?" Lee asked, his voice at an almost normal tone. The last time Tsunade had visited she'd mentioned possible surgery to help with some ulnar nerve damage. "They couldn't fix everything at the fortress, she explained that something needing this type of surgical finesse would have to be done here in Konoha."

The dog-nin shrugged. Truthfully she'd rather avoid surgery, but it didn't really bother her. "What's the worst that could happen? More nerve damage would make my hand useless? It's already useless." The words came out more bitterly than she'd intended.

Lee let her wrist slip down so their hands were palm to palm, his fingers holding her hand gently but firmly. He gave her arm a tug. "Even the most hardy of blooms require sustenance." He grinned at her. "TenTen has been making one of my favorite stews. You'll love it!"

Rinako smiled falsely, wondering if TenTen was even now poisoning her bowl.

Lee smiled over at her. "And your hand is NOT useless."

The kunoichi let her smile go as she shook her head. "I can't form seals, I may never be able to form hand seals properly again."

"I believe I've told you before. Ninjutsu is not necessary to be an effective and capable ninja." Lee struck his chest with a loud thump with his free hand. "Look at me. I don't have any ninjutsu."

Rinako stopped and stared at him. Lee stopped when she stopped moving, grinning at her. She shook her head. He nodded.

"I …I've never seen you use ninjutsu. But every ninja has to have some basic knowledge and ability." Rinako felt off-balance, in the deep end of the pool. "I just thought you weren't using your ninjutsu to spare my feelings."

Lee shook his head. "I have no ninjutsu. So, certain abilities and maneuvers to counteract ninjutsu don't work against me. It is a powerful tool when opponents expect something and it never arrives. Then I pound them with my taijutsu and am walking away before anyone figures it out."

The kunoichi sighed as Lee tugged her forward by her right hand again. "You're not boasting, are you?"

"Yes." Lee laughed happily. "But I can back up my words. So what if your hand never heals? You'll work around it. Kirohu doesn't care if you can't use ninjutsu."

The nin-dog 'woofed' and walked along beside the duo, never far from Rinako's side since her rescue.

"I care." Rinako whispered.

"Then I care too!" Lee said boisterously. "And we'll work and train until you can do it! But if you can't, your world is not over. I know! You are not as bad off as I once was!"

With that mysterious pronouncement, Lee picked up the pace, fairly dragging her back toward the small cabin.

From the porch, TenTen frowned to see the missing nin and Lee holding hands. Her fingers curled around the haft of the cooking blade she was holding, imagining every different way she could use it to cut up a certain kunoichi.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I owe no explanation." Hiashi avowed, his voice stone cold. "To you or to anyone else."

Kankuro sneered. "See now, that would be more effective if you hadn't already explained. Was that explanation a lie?"

"No." Hiashi glared at his son-by-marriage.

"Yes." Hinata breathed out, looking longingly at her father. "It makes sense now."

Yugao looked uncertain, shaky. "What does?" Neji gritted his teeth and tried to catch his wife's hand, but she pulled away, staring at Hinata. "What makes sense now?"

Hinata gave a coughing little laugh and wiped a stray tear. "My sister's ashes. They are in the ugliest urn I have ever seen. And they are here, in the house, with no portion of them going to the temple. He has not put her with the Hyuuga ancestors."

"Because it's not Hanabi?" Kankuro shook his head slowly, looking steadily at his father-by-marriage. "Tell me she's wrong."

"She's wrong." Hiashi stated, his voice even.

Yugao threw up her hands and grinned widely. "He IS lying!"

Katashi looked back and forth between everyone, clearly uncertain. Finally he frowned. "Father would never lie. He's not lying!" His hands balled up into fists.

Anko put her hand on Katashi's shoulder. "Yes, yes he is. Hanabi lives."

Kankuro rushed to grab Hinata as she swayed dangerously, but she caught her balance and flung herself at her father.

"No!" Neji stepped forward, sure his cousin was going to strike her father like she had Ibiki. But he stopped when Hinata merely wrapped her arms around her father's neck and wept.

Katashi looked mutinous as he looked up at his step-mother. "You knew? You knew and didn't say anything?"

"I'm the evil step-mother." Anko ran her hand over his hair with a smirk. "I didn't get that title being nice, now did I? No. I'm evil."

Surprisingly, Katashi accepted that explanation without a qualm and grinned up at her.

Yugao though looked rocked to the core as she glared at Hiashi. "What of the others? Rokuro and Michi?"

Hiashi pushed Hinata away, uneasy with such displays. But he didn't chastise her, oddly moved by her relief.

Kankuro looked disappointed. "Don't you want to hit him? Break his nose?"

Hinata laughed, wiping away her tears with shaky hands. "Father had reasons, I'm sure. To protect Hanabi probably. The Hyuuga family has been the target of assassins, I assume this move has some political and protective parts to it."

Hiashi couldn't help looking the tiniest bit surprised at his daughter's reasoning ...and her lack of anger. He nodded gruffly.

"But he couldn't bring himself to put Hanabi's ashes in with the Hyuuga ancestors at the clan temple. Not since they weren't Hanabi's to begin with." Hinata shivered and nodded toward her father. "We all should continue to mourn, to protect the secret."

Kankuro wrapped his arms around his wife and Hinata turned to hide her face in his shoulder. "Ah, Hoshi. I still would have loved to see you hit him. He'd look good with a broken nose."

Hiashi frowned at Kankuro as Yugao gave a frustrated growl. "What about Rokuro and Michi? Do they live? Or …"

Neji put his hand on her shoulder. "They chose to follow Hanabi into this false death. But the Hokage hasn't told us where they are currently."

Hinata and Yugao both stiffened and twin glares turned on Neji, who blinked rapidly. "What?"

"YOU KNEW?" Yugao screeched. "Hiashi told Anko, but you couldn't tell me? THEY WERE MY FUCKING STUDENTS!"

"I …I didn't know that Anko knew." Neji looked at his wild-eyed wife, reminded sharply that she was a highly trained ANBU operative. Former operative. Still deadly though, he reminded himself.

Hinata's breath hissed out as she watched Yugao circle around Neji, the dark-haired shinobi backing away from his furious wife.

Katashi moved closer to Anko who put her hand on his shoulder as the boy watched with wide eyes.

Hiashi stepped back away from the fray.

"It was a secret!" Neji protested. "And you're not this angry with Lord Hiashi!"

Anko smiled nastily. "It's his job. He's head of the clan, he has to do many things that might not sit well."

"I'm the next head of the clan!" Neji backed up some more, his back to Hinata.

"You don't trust us?" Hinata said in a small voice, still wrapped in Kankuro's arms.

Neji whipped around and looked at her. "It's not about trust …"

Hinata pulled away slightly, watching Neji. "It was always my sister and I. Then you joined us and we made room for you. The three of us. The three of us against him!" She pointed at a stoic looking Hiashi. "How could you not trust me?"

"Or me!" Snapped Yugao, spinning Neji around as he backed away from both viragos.

Anko sighed and stepped forward, tapping Neji on the shoulder. He turned, she struck. Yugao and Hinata backing away in shock as Neji flew back against them. The two women caught him as they stared at Anko.

Hiashi blinked and pursed his lips to keep his expression neutral. Katashi gaped as Kankuro crowed in victory. "YES!"

Neji winced, touching his bleeding nose. He glared at Anko. "I'm not the bad guy here!"

Anko shrugged. "Sure you are. Hiashi was doing his job at the behest of the Hokage. You? You fucked up."

Hinata sputtered, unable to form a thought as she pointed down at Neji and then up at Anko.

The spiky-haired woman grinned mercilessly. "You two were taking too long and we're late for dinner."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	31. Making Friends in Suna

"This is not the brightest idea you've ever had." Hanabi hissed.

Michi shrugged, looking around at the rock face of the walls in this training facility. The three jounin had suggested the place. "What can you see?"

"Why did you agree?" Rocks nervously eyed the three jounin as the Suna shinobi watched them with predatory smiles.

Michi sighed. "Because if we hadn't, they would have found some reason to 'attack' us right then, right there. I needed more time to think of a way out of it."

"Come up with anything?" Hanabi swallowed hard as the smaller of the three jounin flexed his fingers and rolled his neck to loosen up.

Frowning, the water user shook his head. "Not a thing. Now, do the walls hold anything that could help or hurt us?"

Startled, Hanabi nodded and revved up her Byakugan. Over the past two months she'd been able to find a way to keep a low-level of her family trait on just so she could see through the mask covering her face. The trick was a slow miniscule feed of chakra, very precise. For the first month she'd had nearly constant headaches from the effort, but those were fading in the last two weeks or so.

Michi watched as Hanabi turned her back on the jounin so they wouldn't see her mouth the word "Byakugan" though she no longer had to vocalize it out loud. Still, out of habit, she sometimes forgot and said the word.

The Hyuuga scanned the area minutely and scowled. "Son of a bitch!"

Rocks tensed. "They have hidden weapons here, I knew it! This place is a damned trap!"

"No." Hanabi frowned and turned back to her teammates. "Worse."

Michi blinked and cut his eyes to the jounin. The tallest of the three, the one with the scarred face made a gesture for them to hurry it up. "Worse?"

Hanabi's lips pressed flat as she growled, then sighed. "We're being watched. There are at least fifteen ninja watching from various places throughout the building. "

"An ambush?" Rocks sounded faint.

Slowly, the kunoichi shook her head. "I don't think so. Some are old, some young. Possibly some genin even. I think this is just the curious out to watch 'Juzo's Threesome' against three of their own."

"Shit." Michi breathed and nodded at the three jounin waiting for them. "We can't just run away, not if we want any respect in Suna at all."

Rocks let out a harsh sigh. "Great."

Michi walked forward, the scarred Suna jounin did the same, mirroring him. About three feet apart they both stopped. "Three jounin? You know we haven't even taken the chuunin exams yet."

The scarred man smiled, and it was a twisted scary expression making Michi's hands sweat. "One on one then. And just look at it this way. If you fail? You won't have to worry about taking the chuunin exams ever again."

Michi had only those words as warning before his vision went dark. A whistling sound made him reflexively leap high and to the left. Pain exploded along his left lower leg, letting him know that whatever attack had happened, he'd missed the brunt of it.

The smell of his own blood made the water ninja grit his teeth as he landed by instinct, trying to picture the lay of the room in his mind. He'd been standing roughly fifteen paces from the side, yes …hitting the wall with his right foot, Michi climbed the wall with chakra pooled in his feet, then launched himself the moment he heard the slight crunch of sand behind him.

At the same time, he reached for the long animal skin container across his back, pulling the stopper and letting the water flow free.

The free flow of liquid stilled, then stopped as thin ribbons formed. Michi landed lightly and whipped the three ribbons of hardened water around him defensively. He imagined them swirling around him like a protective barrier.

His opponent chuckled. "Good in spatial relations are you? Try this."

Michi cried out as suddenly his entire world shifted and what was left and right now held no meaning. Now not only was he blind, but he had no clue as to what was around him. Up was down? Or was up to the left? Nauseated, Michi struggled to hold on to his stomach contents.

There was the soft crunch of sand coming from …somewhere. Michi leapt away, only to fall as he hit something hard and immoveable. Somewhat stunned, he gagged as a hard kick hit him square in the stomach.

Dead meat. He was a sitting duck now! Shit!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yugao sat on the edge of her chair watching as Neji pulled off his top, grimacing at the blood stains. "I will never understand that woman." He said, speaking of his Uncle's wife, Anko.

The kunoichi shrugged and admired the view of her husband, shirtless. Sometimes he was so beautiful it still took her breath away. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she sighed. "I think she was trying to distract me out of my anger. Striking you before I could get my hands around your throat was probably the best thing she could have done."

Neji frowned and pulled out a fresh shirt.

"No. Not that one." Yugao said quietly, shaking her head.

He could see nothing wrong in the top he'd chosen, but shrugged and hung it back up, taking out another very similar to the first. "You don't seriously believe that Anko hit me, almost breaking my nose, just to keep us from arguing?"

The blue-haired woman got up and took the shirt from Neji and tossed it to the side. "Not that one either. And we're still going to argue, but what Anko did …well, it did help me cool off. Some. I can't believe you didn't tell me that my team was still alive." With that she slapped her hand down on his bare chest with enough force to sting, though only slightly.

Neji sighed and wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her in closer. "It was harder than anything I could ever imagine. But …."

"But …why? Hiashi told Anko." Yugao pulled back, still looking cross.

The Hyuuga ran one hand through his hair and shrugged. He reached back into the closet to take out another shirt. Yugao tore it from his hands, balled it up and tossed it over her shoulder to land on the floor behind her.

Neji's eyebrows rose. But instead of calling her actions childish, he grabbed her hand. There was a brief struggle, but finally she relented and left her hand in his. "It wasn't a matter of trust. I trust you more than I do anyone else."

Yugao nearly melted at the look in his oh-so-pale eyes, but managed to stand strong as she nodded, looking away lest she tear up. "You could have told me."

"No." Neji shook his head. "I couldn't. Hiashi swore me to secrecy. How was I to know he'd spilled everything to Anko? I …I'm the heir now. Heir to the Hyuuga clan. But …part of me still feels like a Branch Family member. Like at any moment it will all fall apart if I don't do everything perfectly."

Yugao caught her breath and nodded, to show she understood how he felt. "Fine. But next time, remember this …Anko may have bruised your pride but at least your nose isn't broken. HOWEVER …if you ever hide something from me again, I will do more than break your nose." Her voice dropped with each word closer to a snarl.

Neji gave a small smile and jerked his head. "Agreed."

"Good."

"Now. If I take out another shirt, are you going to throw it on the ground with the other one?" Neji asked a bit carefully.

Yugao's eyes narrowed on him as she turned, pushed and pulled at just the right places using her lesser weight well in order to toss Neji to the floor. He found himself suddenly on his back blinking up at his blue-haired angel. Then she straddled him and knelt down on her knees, one leg on each side of his hips.

"You're not going to need a shirt." She growled.

Neji smiled and reached up to run his hands over her back. "In that case, neither are you." His clever fingers pulling and tugging at her top until it loosened and fell open.

Yugao ran her eyes down his front and smiled at the evidence tenting his pants. "Seems you're interested."

"Seems so." The Hyuuga prodigy raised his head and pushed down on her back, bringing her closer to him. He caught the breast bindings with his teeth and used his fingers to slide beneath her open shirt and loosen them.

Yugao sat up slowly, letting the bindings fall free from where Neji still had his teeth in them. She sat there, bare breasted with her shirt framing her and licked her lips. Neji groaned. She laughed. "Now. If I were truly mean I'd get up now and walk away, that would teach you a lesson."

Neji, didn't even let her finish the sentence before he'd grabbed her and rolled. Now on top, he grinned down at her. "You are trying to kill me after all then?" He teased her, his hands holding down her wrists to the floor. The evidence of his arousal prodding her thigh insistently.

"No." Yugao's head lifted up and he bent down, their lips met and clung, pulling a groan from Neji as he winced. "I'm still furious with you." She told him, scraping her fingernails down his pecs to the hard planes of his abdomen, making the muscles there twitch under her ministrations.

"This is angry?" Neji groaned as he leaned in for her touch. Her fingers flew up his chest to twist his flat male nipples cruelly. He grunted and winced. "Damned woman." Neji growled as his wife laughed at him.

"Live with it." Yugao challenged and twisted her wrists out of his hold, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him into a heated embrace. "I'm also too damned relieved to kill you over it, but don't EVER hide things from me."

Pain melted into pleasure as Neji groaned and reached for the ties on her pants. He hated to admit it, he owed Anko. Whatever her reasons really were for hitting him, it had helped stem the tide of Yugao's anger.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Tag." Hanabi's voice rang out as she ran toward the two fighters, she pushed Michi away even as Rocks released the genjutsu blinding their teammate.

"This is one on one." The scarred shinobi frowned down at the kunoichi that barely stood taller than his upper abdomen.

"I'm one. You're one." Hanabi sneered and settled into a defensive stance.

"Arrogant, especially for someone not even claiming chuunin status yet." The man nodded at the masked kunoichi. "But it's your funeral."

Michi stood and started to protest, now that his vision had cleared and the world made sense again. "He's mine."

"Not anymore." Hanabi huffed as the man smiled and made the world go dark again.

Rocks and Michi immediately dispelled what they now knew was merely genjutsu. Hanabi didn't even bother, it didn't work against the Byakugan especially when she was prepared for the move. It helped that her eyes were covered too. The scarred ninja twisted his lips and wondered if she could see anything under either the bone or cloth mask she wore. Well, moving well blind was impressive, but it wouldn't stop him twisting the world out from under her. Unlike the blindness, the vertigo sensation was not genjutsu, but ninjutsu.

But Hanabi had been paying attention earlier when the man had 'twisted' reality the first time when he'd been fighting Michi. She'd seen the quick flash of hand seals, but more importantly she'd watched as the chakra levels in his body had changed, showing the preparation for this move.

In a trice she rushed forward and with a lightening fast move, kicked, spun, hit, reversed direction, and then flipped over the man's head to land perfectly behind him. With impressive speed, the shinobi had managed to move and block every motion. Hanabi had not managed to touch him at all.

All three jounin laughed as the scarred man began his hand seals for the vertigo jutsu once again. But suddenly he frowned as the fingers on his right hand just didn't seem to want to cooperate correctly. He frowned down as he realized that while he could still move, the chakra flow to his right upper extremity had been slowed to a trickle.

"What did you do little girl?" The man snarled, as the other two jounin looked at each other and straightened. Whatever move she'd done, they hadn't seen it either!

Hanabi smiled, still facing away from her opponent. She wasn't going to tell him that she'd used the Hyuuga family ability to sense and see chakra patterns. And that she'd used a chakra blade of her own jutting out from her fingertip and had used it to slice through one of his main energy points in the right arm, all without having to actually physically make contact with the man. It wasn't as good as striking the chakra points and shutting them down completely, but it did have uses to merely disrupt the flow of energy. "Having difficulty?" She purred, then leapt away as she sensed the change in his chakra levels as he prepared to attack her physically.

The scarred man looked surprised by her move, then looked speculative. His chakra changed direction, pooling in his left arm as he turned to rush her position. But Hanabi was paying too much attention to his chakra moves to notice facial expressions.

Hanabi moved swiftly to her left, only to blink and then fly through the air as the shinobi was suddenly on the other side of her, his chakra-enhanced strike hitting her in the shoulder as she twisted away.

Gasping, she slid on her back across the sand to one of the far walls. Groaning, she clutched her numb shoulder.

"She reads chakra well. But not well enough." The scarred shinobi grinned at his successful ploy, using a feinting technique.

He'd faked the flow of chakra to test her? Damn! He caught on fast!

Hanabi jumped to her feet and ducked, twirled and spun as the scarred ninja went on the attack with a lightning fast series of moves. Finally his fist crunched the wall behind her head as she jumped out from his reach and over his head to land three feet away. She wiped something from her cheek, chagrined to note she'd been scratched somewhere along the way, probably from rock shards flying about. There were even a few larger chunks laying around, broken off from the carved rock wall.

"I'm getting bored." The smallest of the three jounin yawned. "You're going to kill her before I ever get in there."

"Be my guest." The scarred shinobi bowed out, backing away as the smaller of the three stepped forward. He nodded to her and then growled low and predatory.

Suddenly the newest fighter was moving too swiftly for her to see, even with the use of the Byakugan. Hanabi stood still, able to see nearly completely around her in 359 degrees of visual field. She narrowed her focus to chakra and …there ….he was circling her almost too fast for her to keep up.

With butterflies in her stomach she noticed that his chakra was lengthening out through his fingers and toes, forming sharp and quite lethal points. Claws or talons, it didn't matter if one of those pierced her …it would not hurt her physically so much as disrupt her flow of ….SHIT! Hanabi ducked barely in time as a bladed talon grazed her arm, drawing blood.

The bastard had real blades sheathed within the ones made of chakra! When had he pulled those out? Damn!

Hanabi spun and fought against the instinctive desire to settle into the Hyuuga family Gentle Fist defensive posture. Uneasily she settled into a version of this too recognizable that she and Baki had been practicing. But she'd been using the Gentle Fist technique nearly from the cradle, this new stance had her feeling exposed, unsettled.

Fighting her own instinctive moves was making her nervous as she spun, blocked, substituted a small log in her place as it's bark was pierced by razor sharp claws enhanced with chakra, and generally stayed on the defensive.

Breathing hard, she landed lightly with her back to her opponent, hoping to lure him into a mistake if he thought she couldn't see him. Concentrating on her Byakugan, she took note of all around her as well as the jounin even now speeding toward her position.

Focused as she was on her opponent, and the possible moves open to her, she still took in everything she could see. It just took a moment to register exactly what she was seeing. Watching them. No, not 'what' but 'who'!

"FUCK!" She hissed, spinning with a burst of speed, she let her fingers dip into her specialty pouch. With a feral smile on her lips, she noted what she needed about thirty-two yards from the building. A whole nest of them. Perfect.

Hanabi's fingers flew and the jounin attacking her jumped left, knowing she'd be leaving a log or something behind. He'd definitely recognized a substitution jutsu when he saw it. But had …had she flashed through the hand seals twice? No. Surely ….his blades ate into a log just as he predicted, but the bone-masked kunoichi did not appear where he'd predicted.

Frowning, the shinobi dipped his hand into his weapons pouch for more blades, only to have his eyes widen in sudden pain. Yanking his hand out of the pack he paled to see the smallish snake hanging from between his third and fourth fingers.

His two jounin companions straightened and stared. Then all eyes turned to the lone kunoichi as she slapped an exploding tag onto a large chunk of rock that had crumbled under assault earlier in the fighting. Her fingers flew and with a 'poofing' sound, the rock disappeared and in it's place was a chair.

The shinobi yanked the snake out of his flesh and neatly killed it, noting with distaste that it wasn't poisonous, merely painful. He peered into his weapons pouch and noticed that several sharp blades were missing. And …his eye twitched as he quickly tossed the weapons pouch at the kunoichi in question.

She spun away as the exploding tag within the pouch ignited and blew. The weapons within the pouch flew like shrapnel, embedding themselves into whatever was in their path.

The jounin moved away like water, avoiding being stricken. Rocks pulled out a kunai and blocked three that came close to he and Michi.

Hanabi was staring at a far wall with an ill expression of fury, her back to the explosion and all that was happening behind her. A lone blade flew with sickening certainty toward her temple.

The scarred shinobi opened his mouth, but before he could shout, the kunoichi shifted her head slightly and let the blade pass harmlessly by her and into the sand beyond her.

He wondered about the rock she'd sent away with the exploding tag, when suddenly one of the doors on the far side of the main area slid open and Baki strode out, carrying the tag he'd defused between his fingers. He frowned sharply as all three jounin chuckled. Looked like the little girl had caught on to them and didn't like being watched or toyed with. Interesting.

Then Gaara stepped out, staring at the masked girl. "That was a gift for me I suppose."

All three jounin stiffened and shot appalled glances at each other. Had the kunoichi just attempted to assassinate their Kazekage?

Swifter than wind across a moonless desert the three struck.

Michi blinked and suddenly he was blocking a strike that had him flying half-way across the room and slamming into a wall.

Rocks then fell on top of him looking no less dazed.

Hanabi found herself surrounded by three highly irritated Suna jounin intent on killing her. They all circled her, before moving to strike. The first blow was deflected, stopped cold.

Rocks stood up, one hand braced against the wall, a sneer on his face. "I didn't get my turn and I resent that." He said, keeping the hardened air shields in place around Hanabi.

"Fine. Then we kill you all instead of just her." The shorter of the three commented coldly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba stared at the girl in front of him as she chattered on and on about nothing. It took everything in his power not to yawn in her face. It was a lovely face, he mused, but it lacked something …some spark or something that would make her …interesting.

Akamaru yawned and sat down beside him as Kiba sipped his tea. The dog nin looked down at his canine companion in jealousy. How he wished he could tune this twit out.

Subtly he toed his dog who scrunched his nose in protest. Kiba gave the dog a harder nudge and Akamaru reluctantly got back up.

"Something the matter?" The empty-headed blonde twittered at him.

"No, no …" Kiba gave her his most affable grin. "It's just, well …is there a vet in town?" He asked with sudden inspiration.

"A vet?" The blonde giggled and looked confused.

Stupid. Here he was, sitting there talking with her with his dog obviously at his side! How confusing was it to inquire about a veterinarian? "My dog has been acting a bit sluggish lately and he might need some sort of tonic."

"Sluggish?" The girl parroted and Kiba wondered darkly if she was capable of independent thought.

"Something to energize him." Kiba queried while Akamaru sighed. "You know, bad tasting medicinal stuff for animals."

Akamaru 'woofed' in protest. He did not need anything to energize him, and he certainly wasn't interested in anything that didn't taste good!

The blonde drew back in surprise as she turned baby-blue eyes on the large nin-dog. "He's big!"

Kiba fought to keep his smile in place and not to roll his eyes. "Yes he is." Hadn't she noticed the large dog sitting beside him when she'd approached his table with a pot of tea?

"Is …is he …dangerous?" The girl's plump bottom lip trembled slightly. Kiba watched her trying not to snarl. In the back of his mind he wondered why this twit so annoyed him, at one time she would have been exactly the type of company he would have sought.

"No." Kiba replied, snapping at her slightly. "He's been sitting here with us for over half an hour and hasn't bit anyone yet."

"Oh …oh!" The girl fluttered her eyelashes dramatically.

Kiba sighed. So much for learning anything from her. He paid the bill quickly and headed out of the little tea room. The ancient crone attending the door smiled at him, she was missing most of her teeth.

"If it's a vet you need, youngster. There's one along the way. Follow this street down until you reach the apothecary shop, turn left and go all the way past the stables. His sign is a horse and an ox, can't miss it." The crone hissed a laugh through her few teeth.

Kiba nodded glumly. Now he would have to visit the damned vet for a tonic if he desired to come back here for any information. And that's what he was really needing.

The Inuzuka straightened up, smiling finally as he realized why the lovely blonde wasn't appealing to him! He was on an information gathering mission and she had none! That's all. He was full to the brim with tea and nothing to show for his effort but a need to visit the bathroom.

Still, he'd try again tomorrow.

"Fancy a visit to the vet?" Kiba glanced down at Akamaru.

The large nin-dog shook his head. Hana was the only vet he trusted.

Kiba sighed and nodded. "I think a vet trip is out of the question." He mused, more to himself than Akamaru. "A vet might recognize you for a nin-dog rather than just a canine." Maybe. They seemed pretty dense out here in the border town he'd come across. Still, better not to take chances.

The two walked down the street a moment and Kiba stopped to pick up some take-out for the two of them. The counter girl flirted and Kiba smiled at her, taking in her slender build and long auburn hair. Straight, perfect, auburn hair. He frowned and paid his bill, not lingering once he asked a few questions that seemed random and general but really weren't.

The girl didn't have any information either. But instead of sitting and flirting with her, he took off toward their lodging. This girl hadn't seemed half as irritating as the blonde though. So …why was he feeling off kilter? Uninterested?

He slid into the inn and headed upstairs, knocked twice on his mother's door to see if she was back from her own tries and learning anything new. When she didn't answer he headed toward his own room instead.

Mother.

That was it! Kiba brightened as he divvied up the food, Akamaru wolfing his down before his master could even open the packet of chopsticks. He had his MOTHER along on this mission! That's all. Hard to feel romantic with your mother around.

Kiba frowned, not really buying into that reasoning. He and his mother had spread out to gather information. He only saw her really when they were traveling to the next village. So ….what had him feeling so …so …blah?

Akamaru 'woofed' and gave a series of barks.

The Inuzuka put down his chopsticks and frowned at his nin-dog. "I do NOT need to get a tonic for myself! And I am not moping!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I forbid it!" Hiashi drew himself up into his most arrogant stance, looking down his long nose at his eldest child. "I absolutely forbid it!"

Hinata looked stricken.

Kankuro sighed and opened his mouth to intercede, but before he could speak, Hinata stood. He watched as his wife stood up to her father and shook her head negatively.

Hiashi's eyes snapped with anger. "You would put your sister in danger for a whim?"

"Not a whim, father." Hinata protested in a whisper, though she didn't back away from him. "And Ani has just as much at stake as we do."

"Not true!" Hiashi growled at her, waiting for his daughter to back down as she always did to him.

Kankuro cleared his throat. "Ani has a family member to protect as well, how is her 'stake' in this any different than a Hyuuga? Or is it only because her brother is poor and Hanabi is not? Is her life worth more?"

"Yes!" Hiashi snapped, then groaned. "Not monetarily of course, but by keeping this a secret from everyone it protects all of them. Hanabi and her teammates."

"Rokuro?"

"Hai."

"Michi?'

"Of course." Hiashi nodded, sure his daughter now understood.

"You're a snob." Hinata slid the words in with her gentlest of voices, not condemning him but merely stating a fact. "You don't even name her teammates. And they volunteered to follow Hanabi into exile, letting their families think them dead. They deserve your regard if not your respect."

"Fine. Yes." The Hyuuga clan leader snorted.

"Good." Kankuro slapped his knee. "It's all settled."

Hinata looked over at him and her husband winked at her. "Hiashi just agreed we could tell Ani the truth."

"NO!" Hiashi roared, pointing his finger at the puppeteer. "I've about had enough of you! Sniping, cheering when Neji got struck, laughing when Hinata shamelessly broke Ibiki's nose and now this? Learn some respect!"

Kankuro stood up lazily and stretched, then held out his hand for Hinata. Shyly she reached out for him and he drew her to his side. He blinked over at his father-by-marriage. "Sure."

Turning for the door, he opened it for Hinata and then turned to look back at Hiashi. "I'll show you all the respect you've earned." He said and closed the door firmly.

Anko crossed her arms from her seat behind the desk where she was petting a purring Asubu. "Sure showed him, sea slug."

"Byakugan!" Hiashi activated his bloodline limit through gritted teeth, then cursed under his breath.

"What?"

Hiashi didn't answer, simply watching as Kankuro stood just on the other side of the door, looking right at him. As if he knew Hiashi would use his eyes to look through the walls.

The Hyuuga clan leader sighed as he watched his daughter try and pull her puppeteer husband away, but Kankuro was standing still. Grinning like an idiot. And flipping Hiashi off through a closed door.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	32. Snowfall in the Desert

Ibiki ignored his headache as he read through the stack of reports again, making notations as there was a quick knock on the door of his make-shift office. Glancing up, he nodded to Shino and Temari as they stepped inside. Technically it was a cave, or a room carved from the mountainside, not an office. And also technically, he'd just stolen it from Shino.

The Aburame shinobi frowned and shook his head when Ibiki made to stand and relinquish the chair behind the desk.

Temari laughed. "Go on, sit. Shino would much prefer to see you deal with the idiots from the other countries than himself."

Shino frowned at his wife, resisting the urge to sigh. He turned back to Ibiki. "I'm happy for any and all assistance, but I'm willing to ..."

"Hai." Ibiki nodded succinctly. "I've already met the representatives from Earth country." His tone spoke volumes on his opinions of them. "Any suggestions on how to deal with them?"

Shino pressed his lips together briefly, then grunted softly. "Carefully."

"As little as possible." Temari rejoined, putting her nose in.

Shino shook his head, ignoring his wife's comment. "Be polite, even when they are unreasonable. The take offense quite easily and then what should take moments to sort out becomes hours."

"Kill them. It'll help immensely." Temari smirked.

Both shinobi turned eyes on her and she grinned wider at them. Shino shrugged at Ibiki. "Really, she's not far wrong on this one."

"My impression of them as well." Ibiki gave a sour look and rolled his shoulders. "But not helpful in the long term in gaining Rock Village's agreement not to join with Cloud against us. They get to live a while longer."

"Pity." Temari mock pouted, her eyes sparkling with dark humor.

Suddenly the door was nearly thrown open as Kakashi slipped inside and shut the door, leaning back against it as if to block the entrance. "Ossu." He greeted them all informally. "Sorry I'm late, I ran into a flock of owls who'd lost their way back outside and needed a map drawn ..."

Ibiki sighed and even managed a dry chuckle. "Hiding from Sakura?"

Kakashi frowned through his mask and pretended innocence. "I don't know what you mean. My sweet former-student is as kind and gentle as the color of her hair would suggest." He winced as on his last word, the door behind him shuddered from the impact of a very angry fist. A very angry voice followed.

"Kakashi? YOU COWARD! Get back here and face me!"

Temari's eyebrows rose up in delighted curiosity. "Oh, this sounds delicious!"

Ibiki sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as his headache intensified. "You forget, I traveled here with she and Naruto. I already know she's pissed off at you. Now go settle this before the representatives from the other countries see our great copy-ninja being hunted down by a candy-haired kunoichi, or worse yet ...hiding from her."

Shino shook his head, his amusement not showing through his bland expression as he watched the hapless shinobi lean against the door in a vain effort to block Sakura from opening it. "They already know. Spying around here has evolved into an art form. It's all I can do to keep Nezumi's room safe from prying."

"Nezumi? As in 'rat'?" Ibiki queried, raising one finger questioningly. "I have found no reference to this person in my reports."

"Our code-breaker." Kakashi puffed out a breath as he struggled to keep the door closed, leaning into it with all his weight. "I decided it would be better to have a code name for her what with all the different spies around."

Ibiki grunted and nodded in agreement. What could another country gain by learning Shiho's real name? Probably nothing, but it was better not to find out. "Why 'rat' of all things? Doesn't she object?"

"Sai's nickname for her." Temari shrugged. "He says it's because she's meticulous, intelligent and industrious. Year of the Rat and all that. She hasn't protested. Much."

"Oh." Ibiki frowned. "That almost sounds like a compliment, which isn't like Sai at all."

Kakashi grinned and gave a loud 'oomph' as the door knocked him back a few inches. "But by the standards of a rat, they are also controlling, obstinate and critical among other things."

"That sounds more like Sai." Ibiki nodded and sighed as Sakura's hand and foot came through the doorway. "Give it up man, I'm just lucky she hasn't called chakra to her hands to break my door down."

"Not yet!" Sakura growled through gritted teeth as she gave one last push and sent Kakashi stumbling back three steps. Cold green eyes glared at her prey. "Don''t worry, it's not the door I want to break!"

Kakashi grinned beneath his mask, stuck his hands in his pockets as he slouched lazily. "Yo! Good to see you again Sakura." His tone was ever-so-casual, as if he hadn't been avoiding her since her arrival yesterday.

Temari whistled as she could have sworn she saw steam rising off Sakura's wide forehead.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi was bleeding, though not badly. The jounin circling him was covered in blood, but they were all shallow cuts of little consequence. Swirling arcs of hardened water circled Michi protectively as he faced off against the angry Suna shinobi.

Quick as a snake one of the ribbons lashed out toward the neck of Michi's opponent. The Sand ninja sneered and this time caught the ribbon around his forearm, using thick leather bracers to keep the sharp edges of the hardened water from slicing him.

A kunoichi who would have been pretty if not for the thick scar bisecting the left side of her face appeared suddenly next to Baki. The two watched a long moment. Saeko cocked her head to one side. "Nice, are those weapons made of water?"

Baki grunted noncommittally.

Saeko winced as the ribbon was yanked free of Michi's control and 'softened' back to its original form, soaking into the sand beneath their feet. "Water to replace that weapon will be hard to come by out here. And the attack to the neck was far too obvious."

Baki grunted again and nodded. "Far too obvious. He shouldn't have fallen for it."

Surprised, Saeko looked back and saw that the strike to the neck had been used as a distraction. A second ribbon had flown out and pierced through the lighter material of the Suna jounin's pants. Her eyebrow went up in appreciation. "Went for the femoral artery? Vicious. I like it."

The one-eyed wind ninja shrugged. "Missed." He commented as Michi danced back and regrouped as blood soaked the slacks of his opponent's inner thigh. But not enough blood to indicate the femoral had been compromised.

"Not by much." Saeko then nodded over toward the blue-haired young man. "Good defense."

"Needs offensive capabilities sharpened." Baki too turned his attention to Rokuro as his young student blocked each and every strike in his direction with hardened air, only occasionally striking back. "Far too cautious. Which is not like his nature."

The Sand kunoichi nodded. "If you say so. But he is being pressed hard enough to pull his defenses from around his young teammate."

Baki turned his attention to a fuming Hanabi. He sighed. "She's not in any danger."

"Indeed not." Saeko commented dryly and without a hint of approval.

Both Sand ninja watched as Gaara's sand protected the young kunoichi from any and all danger, veritably surrounding her in protection.

Saeko shook her head. "I object. I deny your request."

The wind master nodded slowly. "She wasn't trying to assassinate the Kazekage."

"I'm not so sure." Saeko muttered. "Sent an exploding tag right to him, not to any one she was actually fighting. They're good, I'll give them that. For genin." Her words were almost spat out with disgust. "But this attempt on the Kazekage? I can not accept your request for your students to join in training with our students."

Baki sighed. This hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Of course the sudden appearance of three unknown genin would cause a stir. Explain their presence as secret weapons being crafted by a former council member? Curiosity would rise most assuredly. The chuunin and jounin would want to see what the new three were made of. If he'd kept denying the requests to 'train' with them, then Baki knew some of the more cocky of his Sand ninja would call out his three students on some pretext or another.

So he'd set this up. Requested the other sensei of the village with current genin teams training for chuunin to meet with his three students in a test fight. He'd hoped Michi, Rocks, and Hanabi would make a good impression.

That was before Hanabi's reckless attempt to attack Gaara, something that didn't set well with Baki. Only he of the current jounin surrounding them knew that Gaara and Hanabi knew each other, were actually in-laws through their respective siblings since Kankuro and Hinata's marriage had come to light. To everyone else here she was an unquantifiable kunoichi of undetermined ability and bloodline who had just tried to attack their Kazekage.

Baki sighed. No. Today had not gone well.

A screech from behind the protective wall of sand drew everyone's attention.

"How DARE you protect me! Asshole!" The masked kunoichi's furious voice could not be mistaken.

Saeko sucked in a shocked breath. "Did that bitch just call our Kazekage an ..."

Baki closed his one good eye wondering how they were going to explain Hanabi's REAL funeral to the Leaf village.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume grimaced as she watched her only son put mayonnaise on his potatoes. She sipped her tea and tried not to look at the plate.

Kiba shot his mother a dirty look. "Coward."

"It's disgusting watching you eat that crap." Kuromaru whined from his place beside his mistress, the one-eyed dog sat down and looked away. "See? Even the nin-dogs think it's awful."

"We're on a mission." Kiba hissed, then fell silent as their waitress stopped by their table. Her bright azure eyes fell on the mayonnaise laden potatoes and she blinked in surprise.

"My son has no taste." Tsume groaned. "I didn't raise him to eat stuff like that."

The waitress gave a small smile toward Kiba, fluttering her eyelashes at him as she defended him. Though it was clear she didn't understand why he was eating the potatoes that way either.

"It's amusing actually." Tsume shrugged. "We're looking for a cousin who was supposed to be traveling this way, we got delayed and missed meeting up with them before we all headed to see my grandfather. His cousin has the same horrid eating habits. You haven't seen anyone else with the poor taste to pour mayonnaise on their potatoes, have you?"

Kiba held his breath, but the waitress didn't even pause when she shook her head. He watched the girl leave and sighed as he eyed his own dish. "Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?"

Tsume shrugged. They were using one of Omoi's habits to try and track down the former student of the Cloud's Jinchuriki. The Inuzuka clan leader wasn't sure where they'd come by the information that the shinobi ate mayonnaise on his potatoes, but she hoped it was a solid lead. "Go on and eat it, we need to be convincing. While you eat, I'm going to run an errand. I can't stand to watch you eat that crap."

"You hate mayonnaise anyway, it doesn't matter what you put it on." Kiba groaned. "Me too, actually. And why do I have to be the one to eat the stuff? You could do it."

"Seniority." Tsume grinned wide enough to flash a hint of fangs at her son. "And I can still take you in a fight."

"Damn it." Kiba muttered as Akamaru whimpered by his side. "You don't know that. Not anymore. Not for sure."

Tsume stopped and eyed her youngest speculatively. "You're right, we haven't sparred in a while. We'll have to do that when we get home. But right now? Eat the damned potatoes." She growled and leaned in close. "And think twice before you challenge me little boy. I may be your mother, but I will take you apart if need be."

Kiba stayed quiet, but gave her the evil eye as his mother walked off, Kuromaru by her side. He looked back down at his plate, his stomach turning over. This was the fifth or sixth place they'd visited this week, trying to hunt down the elusive Cloud ninja they'd been sent to locate. Omoi. Once more he wondered just where the Hokage was getting her intelligence, and for what reason they needed a missing-nin Cloud shinobi. Still, it wouldn't do to question mission parameters.

And that meant ...he had to eat the fucking potatoes.

With deliberate slowness, Kiba forced the 'treat' down, taking his time to make sure he was seen in the village eating like this. He just hoped this wasn't all in vain and this small clue led to the man they were looking for.

"You're finished?" The waitress sashayed up to his table, pursing her lips that looked freshly glossed. "Would you like some more? Oh the house?" Her voice trailed off suggestively.

Kiba shook his head and paid for the meal, flirting lightly but making no liaisons. The girl was undeniably cute, but he put his disinterest down to being on a mission. And those disgusting mayonnaise covered potatoes. He wondered what Shiho would say about his potato eating mission, a smile crossing his face as he pictured the look on her face. Unless ...did Shiho like mayonnaise?

Naw. Surely not. As a smart little librarian-slash-kunoichi, she'd be on his side about mayonnaise. He chuckled lightly at the thought.

The waitress smiled back at the Inuzuka, thinking the smile was for her as she preened a bit. Kiba didn't even notice as he and Akamaru walked out of the restaurant.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako stepped outside, then nearly turned around to head back in when she saw TenTen was by herself.

"Nice nap?" The words were heavy with innuendo, probably insinuating that she was weak.

Rinako gritted her teeth as she nodded. "Lee wore me out."

TenTen's eyes widened and Rinako coughed as she caught her breath and waved her hands at the other girl. "That didn't come out right! I didn't mean that he ...that we ...shit!"

TenTen stilled and cracked her first smile since getting to the cabin and learning who she was supposed to be protecting. "Lee's my teammate. No explanations are necessary. Lee and our sensai are like two identical peas in a pod. Worn out? You haven't been double-teamed by them."

Rinako nodded, hoping not to spoil the mood. Then her eyes widened as she replayed the other kunoichi's words in her head. "You mean there are TWO of Lee?"

TenTen sighed and despite herself, felt the corners of her lips tilt upwards. "Hard to image two green-clad energetic beasts?"

Rinako shrugged and nodded, giving a wry smile. "I don't think I could survive two of them. Lee is the best, but he doesn't know when to stop. But I wouldn't have healed even this much without his help."

And just like that, TenTen's smile disappeared as she recalled that this was a foreign missing-ninja. She'd follow orders and protect Rinako, but that was all. "Lee shouldn't be helping you recover, it's a waste of time."

The dog-kunoichi sighed and felt the social temperature drop to below freezing. Though the day was warm enough, the cold shoulder was enough to cause frost-bite. "I didn't kill your friend's sister." She said quietly.

"I don't want to protect you, but my orders say I must." TenTen said quietly. "We all follow orders, oh ...except for those who betray their villages and go missing nin. I suppose you can defy mission orders."

Suddenly, the sniping just got to her. Rinako couldn't filter her mouth as she snapped back. "Yes. I disobeyed orders. Direct orders from our Raikage."

TenTen turned stunned eyes on the other girl, opening her mouth to make some snide or cutting remark. But Rinako beat her to the punch.

"If I had carried out my orders? Your friend would be dead. Dead for real, not pretending to be dead." Rinako spun around to head back into the cabin, only to draw up short as she found Lee standing in the doorway. He did not look happy.

"We're late for our walk." Lee said quickly. "I'll wait for you out here." He stepped aside and let Rinako pass into the cabin.

TenTen took one look at Lee's face and knew his anger was for her. "We're supposed to protect her, not make friends. Or are you looking to make more than friends?"

Lee drew up to his full height, eyes sparkling. "Miss Rinako is a gem, a rare flower that blooms in the most oppressive of gardens. I would be honored to court her, if my heart wasn't already given to another. To suggest that I would betray my beloved Sakura is saying that my honor is lower than the roots of the trees surrounding us!"

TenTen sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing that Sakura and Naruto were back together again. She hoped this time they could make it work. "Oh Lee ..." She said softly. "You are one of a kind." Then she paused and shook her head. "My mistake, TWO of a kind. You and Gai are the same person, I just know it!"

Rinako let out the breath she was holding, just inside the doorway. Sakura? Who was Sakura? Embarrassed to be eavesdropping on her one and only friend in this village, she hurried to get ready to go walking with Lee.

"You should be nicer." Lee told his teammate earnestly, but then, he did everything earnestly. "I do not know the whole of it, but from what I've learned Miss Rinako gave up a lot to help us out. Lady Tsunade treats her respectfully, and not a feigned respect either."

TenTen nodded reluctantly. "I'll try, Lee. But I can't promise to like someone."

Lee's grin sparkled as he crowed. "I knew you'd come around!"

The weapons mistress sighed and shook her head. "I didn't agree, I said I'd try."

Lee's grin spread wider as he thumped his chest. "And I know my TenTen! If you try, you will succeed!"

TenTen gave up, knowing she couldn't win. "Just ...just promise me you won't get hurt."

Misunderstanding her meaning entirely, Lee laughed out loud. "Miss Rinako would never hurt me! Besides, she's still recovering. Gai has warned me to be sensitive to the feelings of others though, so I will not take offense that you think her capable of hurting me! As she trains, so do I! As she grows in strength, so does my own strength grow!"

TenTen gave up the battle and laughed outright as she smile at her oblivious teammate. She was worrying for nothing. Lee would never give up his crush on Sakura for a ninja from a foreign village. An outlaw. A prisoner. No, she was worried over nothing.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"That's it. Genin blood needs to spill." The scarred shinobi dropped Michi's groaning body to the ground at Baki's feet.

"Your own blood is still flowing." The wind shinobi said caustically, looking down at the soaked thigh of the other man. "He got you."

The Sand jounin sneered. "Not good enough."

The smaller of the three jounin dropped Rokuro's unconscious body down next to Michi's, he coughed and winced as he rubbed his chest. "Damned kid may have cracked one of my ribs."

Baki didn't smile, but he was pleased. Sure Michi and Rokuro had lost, but they'd lost to seasoned veteran jounin. They'd made a decent showing at least. Hanabi on the other hand ...

Gaara's sand moved effortlessly to intercept even more thrown weapons from one of his own jounin. He turned to glare at the shinobi in question. "What part of this makes it look like I want you to kill her?"

The man swallowed hard and took two steps back. "She tried to kill you, Kazekage-domo. Inept as it may have been it was still ..."

"Inept? INEPT? It wasn't an assassination attempt, jerk-off! It was a message!" Hanabi fumed and tried to get by Gaara to face off against the jounin. But the sand moved to block her every move. "FINE!"

She ran through a series of hand seals and spun, coming to a stop right in front of Gaara. "I will never forgive you for this!"

"Wasn't asking for you to do so." He commented dryly.

"Oh! You are so not on my good side." Hanabi ranted.

Gaara cocked his head slightly. "You have one?" He asked in all seriousness.

Saeko's frown faded as she stared at the duo. All the other jounin were making angry noises about getting rid of the upstart kunoichi. She raised one hand for silence as she watched the byplay between Kazekage and genin very carefully.

The scarred shinobi frowned. "She made a substitution jutsu, I know it. Those hand seals are unmistakeable, but ...what did she replace?

Michi groaned and pulled himself up, looking out from one eye as the other was swollen shut. "Tell your friend to move back."

Baki caught on first and whistled, gesturing for the remaining jounin who'd been attacking Hanabi to back away. The man shook his head. Baki growled and pointed to the senbon at his feet, embedded in the floor.

The shinobi took one confused look. "But I was throwing senbon, she tossed back shuriken. Didn't she?"

Baki sent a wind jutsu to blow the man away, knocking him into the far wall just as the replaced senbon discharged their tags. The explosion was enough to throw shrapnel in every direction. Everyone coughed as the air cleared slowly.

"Clever girl. She replaced the weapons I tossed with the ones she tossed, only she sent mine back to me bearing exploding charges." The jounin leaned against the wall where Baki had tossed him. "Still need to kill her. Too bad actually. She has potential."

"In more ways than one." Saeko sighed, her face lighting up with a smile. "I withdraw my objections to the new genin training with our students."

"WHAT?" All the other jounin protested as Saeko picked up Michi and helped him to his feet. "We need to leave."

The others followed her, protesting. The smaller jounin reached down to pick up the unconscious Rokuro, but the blue-haired genin pushed the hands away. He climbed to his feet under his own power.

Saeko nodded at him. "Feigning? Good strategy to recover and discover information about your opponent. I approve."

Rocks smiled and took a step forward, which was nearly his last as he fell forward only to have Baki catch him. "Don't approve too soon, he's spent." The wind shinobi sighed and helped the boy to stay standing.

"Come on." Saeko headed for the exit, raising one hand to signal the others watching to vacate the building.

Baki shot one look back at Gaara as Hanabi raged at him. The red-head stood resolute as he let her tirade continue unabated. This wasn't like Gaara. He frowned. "I need to stay."

"Not for this you don't." Saeko admonished him, shoving open the door and escorting everyone out. "Courting needs no witnesses."

Baki stiffened and Rocks would have fallen to the ground if one of the other jounin hadn't caught him. "Courting?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki watched with amusement as Naruto sat between Kakashi and Sakura. The poor blond just sat there, blank faced, and sighed.

"Give in, Naruto." The torture master advised. "Just give in."

Kakashi and Sakura both paused in their argument to shoot a look at Ibiki.

Naruto looked up at the man, hope on his face. "Which do I give in to?" He asked.

Ibiki shrugged. "Tough call."

"Naruto! Tell Kakashi no once and for all. You will NOT write a new Icha Icha novel!" Sakura screeched shrilly.

"Now, now ...don't be hasty!" Kakashi whined. "It's good money and if you do write a new book in the series, so many people will love you for it! Think how happy all of the fans will be!"

"I won't have him writing that trash!" Sakura shook her fist at Kakashi.

"Trash?" Kakashi drew back, deeply affronted. "Where is your appreciation for the fine arts?"

"FINE ARTS?" Sakura yelped, horrified. "It's perverted!"

"It's beautiful!" Kakashi shot back.

"My mother is reading it and it's all your fault!"

Kakashi smiled smuggly. "And now we reach the crux of the matter, you don't think your mother is good enough for me!"

"My mother is on a whole different level than you, jack ass!" Sakura sputtered.

Naruto sighed and slumped down in his seat.

Ibiki looked at him sympathetically. "You're stuck with them on this new mission. Both of them."

Naruto closed his eyes and shuddered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"She tried to kill the Kazekage, didn't she?" The scarred shinobi propped Rocks up against the outer wall.

Saeko smirked. "Trying to impress him. Push him away. Notice her. Whatever. She's young, she doesn't know what she's doing. Not yet. But there's something there."

The smaller jounin whistled. "He ...he wasn't angry with her ...protected her ...from us."

Baki looked shocked still. "Courting?" He repeated.

Saeko slapped the wind user on the back. "Try to keep up old-man. Our Kazekage is definately interested. He wasn't upset or even irritated, not at her. Us, sure. But not at her."

"I don't know." The first shinobi shrugged. "Is this even a good idea? We know next to nothing about her."

"Kaji's good." Michi coughed. "Proud. Prickly."

"Spoiled brat." Rocks slid down the wall to sit on the ground. "Difficult."

Baki stopped and shook his head. "Kaji?"

Rocks nodded. "I'm Tei, he's Mizu and she's Kaji."

Saeko nodded. "Air, water and fire." She paused a moment. "Fire is good. He needs someone, and he'll need to marry eventually."

"Courting? Marriage?" Baki stammered then shook his head wildly. "Hell no! Not to her!"

The Sand ninja all looked at him. "Why not?" One asked cautiously. "It's actually kind of perfect. She didn't grow up with him being a demon vessel. So she's not afraid of him."

"She's strong, sneaky and manipulative." The ninja who'd fought her at the end nodded. "Good stock there."

"Pretty enough." Saeko nodded happily. "And she's not some wilting flower from Konoha. I thought we'd have to go to another village to find Gaara-domo a bride. She's Sand through and through. This is just perfect!"

Baki shook his head in horror. Hanabi WAS a Leaf kunoichi, not a Sand one. And a Hyuuga to boot.

Michi coughed, trying hard not to laugh at the expression on their teacher's face.

"Spread the word to the other jounin." Saeko looked at the other Sand sensei. "We need to encourage this, but not overtly. They're still dancing around each other."

"She's too young!" Baki protested, sweating as he tried to stem this way of thinking. "Far too young to be courting."

The other jounin shrugged. "She'll grow. And if she doesn't work out, we can still kill her."

Baki pressed fingers to his temple to try and stave off his headache. No, no they couldn't just kill off a Hyuuga belonging to Konoha. Wars had started over less. She was here to be protected. Not courted! Fuck!

"Gaara isn't ready for ..." Baki tried again.

Saeko cut him off. "If we step back and let them be, let them get to know each other she'll age and he'll be ready when the time is right. This gives them both time. You're brilliant."

Baki groaned. "No. I refuse. It will snow in Suna before I let this happen!"

Michi rolled his head to look at Rocks. Rokuro grinned. Michi opened his last water container and threw it into the air, he then tore it open with a well placed kunai. Water sprayed everywhere. Rokuro's fingers flew in a freezing jutsu.

The door behind them opened as Gaara and Hanabi stepped outside. He looked smug. She looked murderous.

"Well? Aren't you going to torture and kill me for attempting to assassinate your precious Kazekage?" Hanabi bit out her words.

"They wouldn't dare." Gaara said with a light tone.

"It would let me escape from your insufferable ...in ...in ..." Hanabi looked up, putting out her hand. "Snow?"

Gaara looked up, blinking hard as a flake fell on his cheek. "It doesn't snow in Suna. It's not even winter yet."

Saeko laughed at the expression on Baki's face. "Perfect."

Michi and Rocks laughed as their combined abilities made it snow in Suna.

Baki looked down at his erstwhile students, irritated because of everyone there, they should KNOW why it was a bad idea for Gaara and Hanabi to court. "I will kill you both for this."

Hanabi blinked and looked around her. "It's really snowing." Her temper flowed away as she laughed. "R ...Tei? Mizu? Did you do this?" At their nods she threw back her head and laughed up at the sky.

Gaara's mouth twitched slightly as he watched Hanabi's face. His pale jade eyes softened as they traced the lines of her silhouette.

The red-head's reactions were slight, barely noticeable to the naked eye. But his ninja knew every nuance of his expressions. They knew him. The Sand ninja missed none of their Kazekage's reaction and inwardly they all vowed to do everything in their power to make this happen for their leader.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	33. Setting Things in Order

Hanabi held the shopping basket as the trio headed into the marketplace. Rocks limped slightly and his left arm was in a temporary sling. Michi was without his usual eye make-up. Since one eye was still nearly swollen shut, he hadn't seen the point in putting on the kohl. They hadn't been in Suna for that long, so it was with some surprise that Hanabi felt that Michi didn't look like himself without the dark liner around his expressive eyes.

Both young men were smiling. The unhurt, unbruised kunoichi was scowling enough to send some poor souls out shopping scurrying away from them. It didn't help that only the lower part of her face was visible under her two masks, the outer one made of the skull of a mountain lion.

"You don't need me to carry the stupid basket, neither of you are that hurt." She pouted, having been pulled away from practicing her calligraphy. The calligraphy necessary to make the exploding tags she was quickly getting the hang of making. Though it was still a struggle with most of the harder shaped charges.

Michi shook his head. "I'm sore. So is he. You get to carry the groceries this time."

"And whose fault is that?" Hanabi nearly bit out the words. "Stupid red-head. I didn't ask for him to protect me. Like I can't handle myself!"

Rocks winced as a merchant overheard her comment and frowned. "Stop that. He is the Kazekage here. We need to treat him with respect or we might get mobbed."

Hanabi muttered under her breath, but thankfully didn't make any more disparaging comments about Gaara while in the small shop. Casually she picked up an orange, knowing that they were Rokuro's favorite fruit, though they couldn't afford more than a few at a time. Still, it was for his birthday tomorrow. "We need paychecks."

"We have paychecks." Michi commented as they headed over toward the owner of the stall.

"REAL paychecks. Get over all this "D" ranked mission crap." Hanabi huffed as she pulled out her coin holder. Then looked up in shock as the shopkeeper named the total price. "That's about a 25 percent off what we've been paying."

"More like thirty." Michi eyed the man behind the counter speculatively. "There are no sale signs either."

The older man shrugged and smiled at Hanabi almost dreamily.

Rocks ran his hand in front of the shopkeeper's face. "He doesn't appear to be on any drugs."

"Nevermind." Hanabi handed over the money and grabbed the sack with the oranges. "Let's get out of here before he changes his mind.

As the trio headed out of the shop, Michi turned to give one last look at the merchant. Who was currently staring at Hanabi's ass.

"Lecherous fool." The kunoichi shook her head in disgust, able to see behind her perfectly well with the Byakugan and seeing the same thing Michi had noticed.

Rocks whistled happily. "From now on, you always buy the oranges. I think the lecherous fool likes you!" He stepped aside quickly despite his limp as a precaution against Hanabi hitting him. It didn't work. She gave him a glancing blow to the abdomen as Michi rolled his eyes in disgust.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi glared at his nemesis, but his hard stare seemed to be having no effect whatsoever. Asobu stared right back at him. "Get out of my chair."

The cat yawned.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen."

The caustic words had Hiashi scowling as he resorted to physically pushing the animal out of his office chair. He sat and turned impassive eyes on his son-by-marriage. "Are you quite finished?"

"No." Kankuro grinned. "Head's up. Ani knows about her brother's team." He said, not willing to speak too openly with servants all around.

Hiashi glowered. "Hinata would never have told her without you pushing her into it." His tone was the slightest bit accusatory.

"I thought you wanted your daughter to be stronger. Wasn't that your complaint about her, that your eldest was too weak?" Kankuro grinned nastily, then shook his head. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but Hinata didn't tell her. She never would have put her sister in any danger."

"You did." Hiashi guessed, his tone frigid. "You told her."

Kankuro nodded and shrugged, running one hand absently through his messy hair. "I did. Funny thing? She already knew. Seems her mother trusted her enough to tell her about a week after the funerals."

A bit taken aback, Hiashi grunted. "She didn't let on?"

"Appears the woman is stronger than you gave her credit for. Not only didn't she let on, but she didn't tell Hinata." Kankuro grinned. "Then again, she thought Hinata already knew. Felt devastated that she knew when we didn't."

Hiashi sighed and got up, heading for his bookshelves. "How are the boys?"

"They're infants." Kankuro laughed. "They sleep, eat, poop and occasionally spit up."

"Jishin smiles now." Hiashi said as he pulled out two volumes. He turned to look at Kankuro.

The puppet master shook his head. "Don't waste your breath angling for an invitation to visit. I could care less. Hinata would be the easier touch, she'll let you visit your grandchildren. Old man."

Hiashi scowled at the inherent disrespect in his daughter's husband. "Whatever happened to respecting your elders?"

"You want a nice polite son-by-marriage?" Kankuro grinned widely. "Shouldn't have married her off to a Sand shinobi like me then." He turned and left, rudely exiting the room without a dismissal.

Hiashi shook his head and went to shut his door, not letting his son-by-marriage see his small smile. In his opinion? Kankuro was rude, crass and utterly lacking in all refinement. But he was good for Hinata. Though it did sting when she stood up to him now rather than to fall in line like a good daughter.

He mentally reminded himself to seek out his eldest child later. Hiashi really did want to visit his grandsons. The Hyuuga looked down at the two volumes he'd pulled out of the bookshelves. Hyuuga history texts. He was researching, looking through the family lineage trying to find any mention of eyes like the twins, Nowaki and Ryusei. Had they inherited the clan bloodline limit? Or were they something completely new for the Hyuuga? Or had the bloodline missed them both completely?

Hiashi opened one book and was frowning at the small, crabbed handwriting of one of his ancestors. Why did they have to write so small? Was paper that expensive back then? He moved to sit down in his chair then grunted in resignation as he heard a hiss, turning he looked back down into his office chair.

"We are going to have to come to some sort of understanding." He sternly told his son's errant cat.

The feline paid him no attention and began washing one fuzzy paw.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The waitress smiled down at the handsome young man, ignoring his two female companions completely. "Mayonnaise? No problem."

Samui shook her head in disgust. "I don't know how you can eat that on your potatoes."

Omoi shrugged and pushed his toothpick to the other side of his mouth as their team leader looked around the room carefully. "It wouldn't hurt you to go flirt with the workmen eating their lunch over there. You won't even need to torture information out of them, just let your cleavage do the asking."

"You're a pig." Karui slapped her hand down on the table.

"Oink, oink." Omoi smirked at his other kunoichi teammate. "Grow some impressive mammaries of your own and I'd be the envy of every male here."

Samui ignored them both as she calmly looked around the small establishment. "Kirabi wouldn't stop at a place like this. There's no karaoke available here." She said, mentioning the name of their former sensei, also known to many as Killer Bee.

Omoi raised one hand to the waitress who hurried over. "Can we get those orders to go? And is there anyplace in town that has karaoke?"

The waitress lost the sparkle in her smile, but she nodded and named a few places that allowed karaoke. "I'll have your orders out shortly."

"Don't forget the mayonnaise!" Karui called after her. "My pig of a friend can't live without it."

The waitress turned back to them and nodded. "Just like the other guy."

All three Cloud ninja stilled for a heartbeat. Samui then cleared her throat. "What other guy would that be?"

Some guy traveling with his mother, they were on their way to visit family. He liked mayonnaise on his potatoes too. Oh! Wait?! He said he was looking for his cousin! I'm so sorry, I forgot!" The waitress smiled apologetically. "He described someone who looked a lot like you, except blond."

Kurui sucked in a sharp breath. Omoi was usually blond, but they'd dyed his hair to make him a bit less noticeable. With them as outlaws now, they couldn't afford to be too recognizable.

"Blond, heh?" Omoi played it cool. "I have a brother like that. Tell me about this guy that was asking around. I may need to catch up with ...family." He lied smoothly, having no siblings.

Samui's eyes met those of Karui and the two kunoichi ran through the possibilities of who might be looking for them in this manner. Cloud? Most of the ninja there knew the three of them on sight, hair dye wouldn't fool them. And they couldn't waste their chakra on henge disguises all the time. Not when they were being hunted, they needed their energy to fight when the need arose.

So who the hell was looking for Omoi? And why? It couldn't be Killer Bee, their former teacher didn't do 'subtle' well. Besides, as the waitress described what she remembered of the 'other guy' it became clear that none of them recognized the description.

Samui's lips thinned as she listened intently.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Who is Sakura?" Rinako asked lightly as she and Lee ran through the umpteenth kata of the day. Her muscles were burning as sweat pooled down her back.

Lee's look of utter concentration split apart as he grinned so widely Rinako wasn't sure she hadn't been blinded by the white gleam of his teeth. "Sakura? The love of my life? The most beauteous in all of creation? The strongest, prettiest bloom on the tree of life? Do you mean my friend Sakura who is everything to me? More precious than the air that I breathe even now?"

Rinako's stomach turned sour as she stumbled slightly, regaining her movement pattern a moment later. She sighed. "Yeah. I guess I mean THAT Sakura. And are you breathing? Hard I mean?" The former Cloud kunoichi was having trouble catching her own breath.

Lee shook his head. "After this small workout, no. But if you want to push it harder, we can run around the pond."

All thoughts of Sakura disappeared as Rinako groaned. "That is NOT a pond, Lee! That's a frigging lake!"

Lee grinned and finished his kata, waving his arms enthusiastically. "Let's run twice around the pond! Excellent idea Miss Rinako! You are tired, I can see it! But your commitment to your training is above reproach! How I admire your pluck and drive!"

Pluck and drive? Rinako felt like bawling. She was plucky and driven while this mysterious Sakura was the very air he breathed? Damn. Still, she wasn't about to let him see her in an unfavorable light. Pride sucked sometimes. "Sure, let's go for a small run." Besides, if she died while running it wouldn't be so bad, would it?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi stood at the counter, haggling with a merchant over the price of cheese.

Michi sighed and Rocks parroted him as they watched. They were on the last items on their shopping list. Finally Michi looked over at his teammate. "She's arguing with him that the price is too low."

Rokuro winced and touched a bruise on his side. "I'm not arguing with her again today. Your turn."

"My eye is still swollen shut. No depth perception." Michi offered the excuse blithely. "You do it."

"Fine. How much for the wine?" Hanabi pulled out her money pouch once more.

The merchant whisked the bottle of wine off the counter and shook his head. "Wine isn't good for you. You're too young anyway."

Michi stood up taller, looking confused. In Konoha, wine could be sold to anyone wearing a headband protector. Sure most genin didn't bother with it, but it wasn't unheard of. Perhaps customs were different here in Suna. They'd wanted a bottle to have a special celebration dinner for Rokuro's birthday. Still, it wouldn't do to appear like they didn't know the ways things worked in Suna.

Hanabi seemed to agree and didn't argue. She bought just the cheese instead, for much lower than they'd been paying previously. As the trio walked out of the shop, she whispered. "Sorry R ...Tei." She said, nearly using his real name in public.

Michi hissed at her.

"Sorry!" Hanabi sighed. "Is there a different age limit here?"

Rocks shrugged. "Don't drink much at all, alcohol dulls me. I guess it's just a different custom here."

"We'll have to be more careful. We don't want anyone speculating about where we come from." Michi said. "Now, all we have left to get are the steaks." He said, rubbing his hands.

Rocks looked up, startled. "Steak? I thought we were having goat. As usual."

Michi cackled lightly. "We've not spent nearly what we usually do on groceries today, I think we can splurge on this. It's not everyday you turn fourteen."

Sighing, Rokuro grimaced. "Sure, rub it in that I'm the youngest."

"Only until tomorrow." Hanabi grinned at him as they headed for the last stop of the trip.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho watched Temari leave the room and frowned. "Did she seem odd to you?"

Sai looked up from his perch in the corner. "Everyone seems odd to me. Daily." He said blandly.

"Then take the normal 'odd' and tell me if she seemed odder than usual." Shiho said.

"No." Sai replied and looked over at her. "You'd better concentrate on what you're doing. The Grass code-breaker has second degree burns on his hands and arms from opening a scroll the wrong way."

Shiho nodded, remembering the screaming of the day before. "I hear that the Grass contingent is making demands. That they don't want anyone else to gain an advantage over them. They want all the code-breakers to take time off while their guy heals."

Sai snorted. "Ibiki shut that down."

The kunoichi nodded and turned back to the scroll she was examining, though in the back of her mind she did wonder. Temari had turned pale, then flushed with what looked like anger. But why? Shiho had just opened a packet from Konoha and they'd been chatting. So what?

The code-breaker sighed and decided she didn't have enough information to decipher the other kunoichi. Much like she didn't have enough information to crack open this particular scroll yet. Seemed the Akatsuki were a paranoid bunch.

Shiho let the question of Temari go as she focused on the scroll in front of her. Now. Where had she seen that particular grouping of symbols before?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume stopped and looked at her son. Kiba winked at her. "We're being followed, I know."

The clan leader frowned, she'd only noticed herself a moment ago. How long had the upstart puppy known? She looked long and hard at her only son and didn't like what she saw. He was good. Very good. Instead of being pleased, she felt a bit threatened. Then shook off the feeling as being ridiculous. She was still in her prime!

"Well? Let's take a break and see what our visitors want." Tsume laughed and pulled off her pack.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi stared at the butcher and blanched. He hadn't just said that, had he?

Rocks took a step back, reading for the explosion. Cautiously he let his left arm drop out of the sling in preparation.

Hanabi blinked twice and stared at the man. "What did you say?"

"Fish would be better for you, so that you grow up fertile and strong to breed well." The butcher told her bluntly, his broad face stoic as he stared at her. "Your hips don't look wide enough though. It's a good thing the Kazekage's shoulders aren't as wide as that of his brother. Still, you might have trouble later. You need to start eating better now."

Rocks grabbed Hanabi from behind, wrapping his arms around her and locking his hands together, one hand gripping the other wrist hard. "Don't kill him!" He said, gritting his teeth through the pain of using his injured arm.

Michi slapped their money down on the counter. "Steak. Three of them. Fast. Or we'll have Tei let Kaji go, and trust me ...you don't want to see that happen."

The butcher grinned and pointed his carving blade at the furious young kunoichi. "Spirit! Good to see! Good to see! My son is a ninja here, and they're all buzzing about you young woman. I have to admit some skepticism, but you might do just fine after all. Still, you're hips are rather narrow."

Hanabi's screech of rage could be heard across over half of Suna.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino lay awake in his room from the moment he felt someone approach his doorway. The kikai bugs hummed happily as they too recognized the chakra signature before the door even opened. He just breathed in her scent as he waited for her to join him in bed now that her shift was over for the night.

He was drifting in pleasant thoughts, almost asleep again when his eyes popped open and he turned on his back. The humming of the kikai had taken on a slight edge. Shino peered through the dimness of the chamber as his wife silently undressed.

Sensing his regard, Temari shot him a smile and finished undressing. "What's wrong?" He muttered, his voice low and husky from being asleep.

The blonde kunoichi shed her clothes and shook her head as she pulled one of his old training shirts on and slid into bed next to him. "Sakura nearly gutted Kakashi at supper. With a chopstick. It was an impressive sight." She leaned in and kissed Shino lightly. "He might even bruise."

Under the covers Shino's hands found his wife's slender body and tried to pull her close. She resisted. Shino frowned sharply. "Something the matter?"

"If you're Kakashi." She temporized, keeping her back to her confused husband. "I don't envy Naruto when he leaves with those two at first light."

Shino's fingers lightly reached out and traced the curve of her shoulder. "Temari?"

Biting her lip she grumbled. "Go to sleep. You have to go help Ibiki early tomorrow."

The duo waited in the silence, in the dark, and barely breathing. Finally Temari cursed roundly and sat up, glaring at her husband in the dimness of their chamber. "You're not sleeping!" She accused.

Shino shrugged, letting the sheet bare his chest as he stared at her. "No. Are you alright?"

"Go to sleep ...or I'll teach Sakura how to gut a guy with a chopstick. Guess who I'll be demonstrating on? Hmmm?" She glared at him, daring him to comment.

The bug-ninja weighed his options carefully before speaking. "If I'm taking my life in my own hands by speaking instead of sleeping, I only have one thing to say."

"If you ask me if I'm alright one more time, I swear that I'll..." Temari started.

"I love you."

The blonde stopped, the words caught in her throat. "Shit." She whispered, looking away with a hard sigh. A moment later she pushed back her hair, loosened from it's usual pony-tailed style. "You don't fight fair."

"No." He admitted, reaching out for her again. This time she let him pull her closer to his heat as he sat up beside her. "If I fought fair, I wouldn't stand a chance against you."

"Against me?" She gave a choking laugh.

"With you?" Shino amended in his quiet manner, his hands rubbing her back gently.

Temari smiled sadly as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. "You'd better be with me and not against me."

Shino waited patiently, holding her as he rubbed her back with one hand. The hum of the kikai bugs the only sound outside of their breathing.

"The supplies that Ibiki brought with him were welcome."

The bug-ninja said nothing, continuing to quietly hold his wife. His wife who still wasn't looking at him.

"Nezumi got ...a package ...from the Hokage." Temari whispered, referring to Shiho by her code-name.

Shino ran that through his mind, but couldn't see what was upsetting Temari so much. "I'm sure that there is a lot of correspondence between the two." He said blandly, then grunted as his wife's elbow jabbed him in the ribs.

"Smart ass." Temari snarled. Of course there was a lot of correspondence between their resident code-breaker and their leader. Their main job here was to let Shiho decipher the mysteries left behind in this fortress by the Akatsuki after all. And to guard her.

"So. A package?" Shino verbally prodded the conversation forward, wanting to get at what was upsetting his wind princess.

The blonde sighed and snuggled closer into her husband's warmth. "Books and scrolls mostly. But ...also a pouch." Shino waited quietly for Temari to come to the point, not rushing her. Pushing at the kunoichi only made her more stubborn.

Temari took a deep breath and sat back, using both hands to push back her wayward hair since it was loose. In the dimness of the room Shino couldn't see the teal color of her eyes, but he could see that she was miserable. "Tell me."

"There was a package, a pouch ...of contra ..." She paused, unable to move forward.

Shino sighed and put the pieces of the meager puzzle together. He knew his wife. Inside and out, he knew her. And he knew the few things that would make her this miserable. "Contraceptive brew?" He guessed. It made sense. Shiho was a kunoichi out of the village on a mission, it was basic normal procedure to protect against pregnancy while away like this. But most female ninja carried enough for every mission. "Did Sh ...I mean Nezumi ...not have enough?"

Temari cursed a long and colorful moment, then sighed. "She pushed it away, said she had no need of that stuff and it always upset her stomach."

Shino mulled over that for a long moment. "Makes sense. The brew is to protect against capture, rape, or pregnancy if a kunoichi is seducing the enemy. Nezumi? She's a code-breaker. She'd be killed by Sai or one of us if capture is imminent. Or suicide, I'm sure she's trained in several effective methods. And as a code-breaker we don't let her even MEET one of the foreign shinobi, much less seduce one of them. Pregnancy really isn't an issue for her."

Temari growled tried to elbow him again, but Shino blocked her blow this time. "She could have an affair with a member of the Konoha delegation." The blonde hissed. "It's not fair that she doesn't even consider the possibility of having a ...a ..."

"Baby." Shino slid the word in and deflated his wife's anger as she nearly collapsed against him. Deliberately he moved to lighten the moment. "Who would she seduce? Sai? Can you picture that?"

Temari drew back with a stunned look that actually turned into a few chuckles, then an actual laugh. Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. "No. No I can't picture that." She shuddered lightly. "And I thank you for putting the image of THAT in my head. Asshole."

The tension broken, Temari took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders. "I'm being an idiot. Jealous? Jealous because I want a baby and she ...she won't take basic precautions. Not that she needs any, she's right. Still."

Shino nodded and pulled his wife in closer to him, laying back down in the bed. No longer stiff, she melted into his side, laying her head on his bare chest. The kikai's humming turned happy again as the emotional residue sifted away from the couple.

In the darkness, Temari absently petted her very own bug-ninja. Her hand tracing the lines of his muscular chest. Shino shifted slightly after a few moments and ran his hand down her side to slide up and under the thin material of the shirt she was wearing to cup her backside. He paused there, letting her choose the next move if she was interested in taking this further tonight. Would she take him up on his invitation? Or was she still upset?

Temari's sudden outburst of hilarity wasn't what Shino was expecting, however. The laughter caught him off guard as the blonde nearly doubled over in unfeigned mirth. He let her wind down a bit and then she'd cough and start laughing again. Finally, she was down to some panting as she tried to catch her breath.

Feeling a bit unsure, Shino raised one brow at her and sighed. "I take that as a 'no'?"

This only managed to pull more laughter from the hot blonde in his bed, not an actual answer.

Finally, Temari calmed down and leaned forward to buzz his lips with a quick kiss. She grinned at him. "Have I ever said 'no' to you?" She purred, running her lips down his face to nuzzle his neck and nip at his collarbone.

Shino held back telling the truth, as his wife was a complicated and stubborn woman who had indeed told him 'no' to many things since they'd met. Rather than lie however, he caught her loose hair in one fist and pulled her head back up so that their lips could meet in a long, drawn out kiss.

"Care to explain the laughter?" Shino asked almost breathlessly as he rolled onto his back, pulling Temari up and over him to straddle his thighs. His hands slid up the old shirt she was wearing and pulled it off of her, tossing it aside carelessly as his uncovered eyes ate up the sight of her rising above him. "Gorgeous." He breathed.

Temari smiled and arched her back, pulling a moan from her husband as his hands moved up to capture her breasts. His thumbs found her nipples and she lost her breath for a moment as she purred happily. Then chuckled.

Shino stilled. "You're laughing again." He accused.

Temari grinned and shrugged. "When you touched me? A picture of Shi...er, Nezumi's reaction to Sai doing that went through my head. Can you see it? She'd be reading a book and he'd have this nothing expression ..."

Quick as a snake, Shino pulled her down to his chest and rolled the two of them over. Temari blinked up at him as she found herself on her back. Shino nudged her knees apart and settled between her thighs as he began pushing inside her body. Temari's laughter faded as she moaned and arched her back, accepting his invasion into the sensitive heated sheath of her body.

Once seated fully inside, Shino smiled down at his wife. "Still thinking of Sai?"

"Who?" Temari groaned and pushed upwards with her hips, pulling him in even deeper.

"Better." Shino muttered and pulled back with his hips until he was nearly out, before sliding back in with a hard thrust. She groaned and he set the rhythm. It was a long time before either of them spoke again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki stared at his genin team, shaking his head mutely.

"Say something." Hanabi pouted.

Baki turned and shook one finger at her, looking murderous. "Don't even start!"

"They started it." Rocks offered. "Measuring her hips with their eyes. Refusing to sell us a bottle of wine. Lowering all their prices like that. We just didn't catch on at first."

"YOU DESTROYED THAT SHOP! One of my men has his father in the hospital!"

Michi shrugged. "He'll heal. We kept Hanabi from killing him."

Hanabi stood up, brushing off the sleeves of the top. She then looked straight into Baki's eyes, though he couldn't tell because of her mask. "I am not marrying your Kazekage." She bit out every word with as much emphasis as she could manage. "I will not be forced into it."

Baki swallowed and nodded. "We agree on that at least."

Hanabi frowned. Why had the man sounded so relieved. She wasn't that bad a choice!

But before she could say anything else, Baki continued. "You three are to single-handedly re-build the man's shop. And pay for his hospital stay. And work off the debt of supplies with ..."

"He was MEASURING my hips!" Hanabi sputtered. "I'll be damned if I ..."

Wind knocked her and both boys back against the wall, several objects flying back with them, striking them all as they winced. "I don't care where you came from. I don't give a fuck who you date or marry. But you will NOT bring down Suna because you don't like the way the butcher looks at you!" Baki growled sternly.

Hanabi shakily climbed back to her feet. "I'm not dating Gaara."

"Fine."

"Fine?" She asked, watching their newest sensei carefully.

"I don't want you dating him." Baki told her bluntly. "I want you all out of here and out of my life. You marrying the Kazekage? Politically it would be a nightmare!"

"Your butcher doesn't think so." Hanabi snarled, her pride stung.

"The butcher thinks you're one of us! Suna through and through!" Baki flung back at her.

Michi sighed as he watched the two snarl at each other. He just prayed they wouldn't be stuck in Suna for much longer. Maybe a month or two, tops. Hopefully.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit different, settling some things without too many cliffhangers. The reason? Next chapter is the start of the time skip. Over two years will pass before the next chapter starts. What does this mean? An older Hanabi for one thing!


	34. Sweet Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two years later ....

The sun could not be seen coming up over the mountains, only the color of the sky changing let it be known the sun was coming from the other side. The light was dim and the air was cold as winter approached here along the border area between Earth and Wind countries. No man's land. Except ...except ...there was a man here. Several of them. Too many of them. Armed. Mean. Lethal.

The silence was not disturbed by the running footsteps of nimble feet, no, those went undetectable. And only a blur could be seen if the person watching were very, very good and paying excellent attention. The guard yawned and blinked, missing the small signs that he was not alone. One moment he was thinking it had been a mistake to eat the squid yesterday because he just wasn't feeling all that well, and then there was nothing. The guard died swiftly and without raising an alarm as his body was lowered carefully down.

One hand signal had the two teams of three splitting up, as previously planned in their meticulous briefing earlier. One mission, two teams. Two objectives.

Once past the outer perimeter, the first team split off, heading north. The second and younger team watched them and looked down into the small, hidden valley. Here, they'd wait for the first team to get into position.

Energy thrummed through the three, the dim light playing off their headband protectors marking them as Suna ninja. The two males stood nearly a head and a half taller than the shorter kunoichi as they all tripled checked their weaponry for this mission.

"Your tags ready?" The young man was taller than he'd been two years ago, the hair longer, and his bare chest covered in not only weapons but a silver streaming tattoo with no beginning and no end. He'd also bulked up through the chest and shoulders some more, strength radiating off of him.

The kunoichi frowned, the top half of her face hidden beneath two masks, one made of the skull of a mountain lion. "Worry about yourself."

A dry chuckle from the third member of their team had both frowns turn towards him. Blue spiked hair with deep green tips was only one of the changes. In the past two years he'd gotten some growth spurts, now he was half an inch taller than their team leader though he was also more slender with not quite as broad shoulders. "He just wants this mission done, has a date lined up for when we get back."

"So do you." Michi hissed over at Rokuro.

"Focus." Hanabi hissed, then stilled. "The replacement guard is arriving early. He's leaving the barracks and heading this way." She said, using her family bloodline limit, the Byakugan.

Hand signals replaced words as the three melted into the area, unseen and waiting.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The door to the office stood closed while the leader of the Hyuuga clan held conference with a faction of visiting trade dignitaries.

Asobu the cat stalked up to the closed door and sniffed, then turned his back toward the office and instead headed for the library. He blinked his gold-green cat eyes at the man sitting there, staring intently at the office door across the hallway. Veins bulged around his white-eyed gaze as he focused intently on the meeting that he was not a part of. The cat yawned and turned away, looking for something more exciting.

Hinata stopped at the door to the library and looked in, she smiled softly. "For shame." She chided and let go of the two chubby hands she'd been holding.

"Jiji-san!" Both Ryusei and Nowaki scrambled to be the first to tackle their beloved ojiisan.

Their grandfather smiled and disengaged the Byakugan as he scooped up the two wriggling packages of two-year old energy.

"Spying on Neji, father? You relinquished control of the clan to him, and you taught him. Trust him." Hinata watched her twin boys pull and tug on Hiashi in a way she had never done as a child. They held no awe or fear of him at all. "Sometimes I wonder if they're really mine."

Hiashi caught her whisper and gave her a smile that had softened over the past two years, but only where family could see. He patted both boys on the back as he settled back in his own seat. Ryusei bounced a bit hard, drawing an 'oof' from the former Hyuuga-clan leader and current Konoha council member.

"No hurt jiji-san!" Nowaki scolded his younger twin brother, who only grinned back, his baby teeth clearly visible.

"I'm not hurt." Hiashi sighed happily and ran his hand over Nowaki's head. "And you need a hair cut." The boy slapped his hands over his ears and giggled as he shook his head. On the other side, Ryusei mirrored him as both boys began to bounce.

"Snacks?" Aki, the head housekeeper, appeared at the door with a tray laden with goodies.

Both boys grinned and slid from their grandfather's lap, laughing and running with up stretched hands. Hiashi sighed dramatically. "Rescued by cookies, how humbling."

Hiashi watched the duo clamoring for their favorite snacks with a smile as Hinata rescued the pot of tea from Aki along with a cup. She poured for her father and offered him the tea.

Blinking over at his eldest, Hiashi's smile faded into his usual stoic expression. "No."

Hinata's smile faded as she looked down, then made her self look back up to meet his eyes. No longer was she the shy child unable to stand up for herself. "You don't know what I ..."

"I'm on the elder council. I know that a medic is heading to Suna to train in exotic fevers while one of theirs is heading here to study something-ology."

"Oncology." Hinata whispered. "And I ..."

"Have not finished your training." Hiashi frowned. "You are not a full medic yet, though the Hokage speaks well of your progress. But the surgery specialty you are working towards takes longer than being a mere field medic."

"You are on the council, your words ..."

Hiashi shook his head sternly. "The rest of the council would wonder why I was sending a surgical trainee to learn what is outside of her area of study. Especially since there are several far more qualified for this trip."

"My qualifications ..." Hinata tried again, her voice still soft but with a hint of deep-seated resolve.

"Are not for this exchange, the decision ..."

"Stop interrupting me!" Hinata's voice didn't rise, but the mere fact that she'd cut him off had Hiashi's eyes narrowing on his eldest and usually most pliable child. "I am an excellent medic. And sending a surgical trainee would not be overly suspicious, especially as those outside of this family and the hospital don't even know my qualifications. We're ninja. We know how to keep secrets."

"The council knows ..." Hiashi started brusquely.

"It can be explained that this is an area that I need further training in ...it can be explained!"

Hiashi watched quietly, letting her finish and stare at him pleadingly. "Are you quite done yet?"

Hinata blushed, but firmed her chin and nodded briefly, refusing to drop her eyes in deference.

Sighing, Hiashi took a deep breath. "You are not going to be part of the medical exchange." He held up one finger as Hinata opened her mouth. "Do not stretch my patience further by interrupting again. Now. That doesn't mean that you can't travel to Suna."

Hinata's mouth dropped and then she pulled back, whispering. "You've nixed every attempt I've made to go there. And had the Hokage block Kankuro from visiting as well!"

Hiashi shook his head. "You give me too much credit. The Hokage had her own reasons for keeping your husband away from Suna, though I admit I had some input into that. But two years have passed."

The purple-haired kunoichi swallowed nervously and waited for her father to finish.

"Two years." Hiashi's voice trailed off as he looked over at the bouncing two-year old twins. "You don't think I miss her too?"

"It wasn't supposed to take this long." Hinata hesitated briefly and then reached out to touch her father's forearm lightly, a bit surprised he allowed the touch.

"No, no it wasn't. But ...there are forces outside of Konoha and outside of our control that I can not share with you. Forces I wasn't even aware of before becoming part of the elder council of the village." Hiashi looked down at Hinata's hand and then frowned when she pulled back from him. What had he missed with his eldest child by being stern? He'd tried to mold her into someone she could never be, and it was only now that he had a new child, two really, and grandchildren that he was getting a glimpse of the mistakes he'd made as a young father.

"Father?" Hinata prodded gently as he fell into silence.

"Yes." Hiashi stirred and moved away from any thought of regret, what was done was done. "Two years have passed. No one will think it odd for you and Kankuro to visit Suna now. He does have family there."

Hinata caught her breath. "Do you ...no, of course you mean it. You always mean what you say."

Hiashi grunted. Then his hand snaked out and caught hers. "The boys stay here."

Her lips firming, Hinata glanced over at where her twin boys were now seated on a small couch, their little legs drawn up under them as they ate their cookies. They were covered in crumbs and she suspected that their fingers would be sticky as well. "More assassins?"

"Not to my knowledge." Hiashi said in a low voice as he too looked over at his grandsons. "But I will not put them in danger. You can go or not, that is your choice. The boys will stay here."

Hinata thought about it and then nodded reluctantly. She too would never put Ryusei and Nowaki in danger. "When does the Hyuuga council call for them?" She asked hesitantly, bringing up another touchy subject, her voice a bit strained.

Hiashi frowned, worry entering his own pale-eyed gaze. "Soon." He said ominously.

But before Hinata could respond, there was a streak of fur, an angry feline yowl and two year old Jishin came screaming into the library. "Give back! Give back! Kitty give back!"

The cat, Asobu and the toddler chasing him circled Hiashi twice before the Hyuuga managed to grab his teary-eyed child. Jishin squirmed and kicked and even managed to land a pudgy fist under his nose before she slid from his grasp, her shirt nearly coming off before he let go.

Asobu jumped up between the twin toddlers on the couch, then hissed as Jishin came after him again. "Give back! Bad kitty! Bad kitty!"

Both Nowaki and Ryusei jumped up to help their aunt chase the cat as the feline took off again. The frenzied cat streaked out the door just as Anko stepped in front of the entranceway and scooped up her daughter with a frown. Jishin let out a piercing screech of rage and tried to squirm free, but her mother wasn't letting go. Ryusei and Nowaki started babbling and trying to get by Anko as their little voices escalated.

"STOP!" Anko raised her voice and all fell silent.

Hinata sighed and watched, knowing too well that the tactic wouldn't work.

Jishin took a deep breath and stared at her mother in defiance. The silence ended two seconds later as she bent her back into an arch and screamed at the top of her impressive two-year old lungs. Ryusei and Nowaki covered their ears and giggled, then joined in the cacophony. At the top of their equally as impressive lungs.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hiashi stood, raising his voice and looking terribly stern. Hinata nodded as her two boys quieted and hiccuped as they looked at their beloved jiji-san. Even as a two-year old she knew instinctively that she'd never yelled or thrown a fit around her father.

Jishin though stared at her father and caught her breath, her baby lips trembling. Big fat tears rolled down her baby soft cheeks as she reached out for him with both arms. "Papa!"

Hinata swallowed her chuckle. That had to be Anko's blood in the little girl. She would never have dared tried to get her stern father to hold her, and she never would have sniffled all over him. Hinata winced and handed her father a tissue as he sighed.

"Now. What is going on?" Hiashi demanded as his daughter buried her little face in his shoulder.

Anko sighed and ran her hand through her spiky hair. "Her nannies managed to hide all her pacifiers, but she still had one on her."

Hiashi grunted, frowning. "I thought we were trying to break her of that habit."

"We?" Anko objected, sneering as she crossed her arms. "Next time you do it if you want them gone so badly."

"Just tell me what happened." Hiashi said, ignoring the jibe.

Anko grinned and shook her head. "I asked Jishin to show the cat her pacifier. She popped it right out and handed it to me to show Asobu. When she wasn't looking I tucked it away. When she turned back I told her the cat had eaten her pacifier."

Hiashi groaned and closed his eyes. "And now she wants the cat to give it back?"

"She's been chasing him everywhere."

"Oh the poor cat." Hinata smiled and shook her head.

Hiashi thought about it a long moment and weighed every thing carefully. He then bent down and put Jishin on the ground. He looked at her most seriously. "Go get it back."

The toddler grinned mischievously as her father used his Byakugan. "He's back in the hall between the dining room and kitchen."

Jishin took off like a streak, her two young nephews following right behind her all three of them screaming and giggling like banshees.

Hinata sighed. "Now why did you do that? You had her all quiet. We could have distracted her from the pacifier and that would have been the end of it all."

Hiashi just watched the toddlers as they ran down the hallway, his expression carefully neutral.

Anko sighed and threw up her hands in disgust. "It's the cat. He did it to torture the cat."

Hinata looked surprised and a bit confused. "The cat? But she'll try and catch poor Asobu looking for her pacifier. The cat will get no peace."

The corners of Hiashi's lips tilted upward ever so slightly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako sat at the table as Shizune poked and prodded her hand, running her through a series of movements and such. Finally Shizune nodded and sat back.

"Well?" Rinako looked at the healer anxiously.

"You're progressing well." Shizune packed up some equipment quietly. "Nothing to worry about."

The former-cloud ninja frowned sharply. "But the finger was tingling!"

The Hokage's assistant sighed and shrugged. "And you've been working so hard I'm surprised none of your fingers have fallen off just to get away from you. A bit of tingling? Could be just about anything, more than likely some swelling pressing on the nerve slightly. The last surgery was almost a year ago, this is not connected and your hand is healing far better than first anticipated."

Rinako looked down at her right hand in worry.

"And haven't you been learning one-handed seals?" Shizune asked. "Genma says you're quite efficient with them."

"It's not the same." Rinako said defensively, frowning as she thought of the jounin who stood as Lee's replacement when the green-clad ninja was needed for other missions. Genma, Lee, Kotestu, and Izumo. Oh, and TenTen of course. Rinako's frown deepened. Other than the Hokage and Shizune, these were the only people she'd seen in two years. Oh, a few ANBU dropped by with questions from time to time, but none conversed with her and she was clueless as to who they really were what with the masks and all.

"Will Lee be back soon?" She asked, trying hard to sound casual.

Shizune's eyes sharpened on her though. "Why?"

Rinako shrugged as if the question wasn't as important to her as it truly was. "Genma grumbles about running around the lake." She lied, though the senbon sporting jounin never seemed happy about accompanying her on her training runs. He'd never actually voiced an opinion on the matter.

"Hmmm." Shizune said noncommittally, then shrugged. "I don't know when the guard rotation will change again." She temporized, though how the information of when Lee and TenTen would return from their mission would benefit Rinako she wasn't sure. Still, the ninja way of life was to keep things secret, even when it seemed harmless enough. "Well, I'll be back next month, but send for me if the finger keeps tingling. I'm leaving some herbs that will reduce muscular swelling, I have a feeling that is the root of this."

Rinako thanked Shizune and escorted her to the door where Genma was waiting with Izumo. Some small talk and then the goodbyes. Shizune chuckled to herself as Izumo challenged Rinako to a game of cards. Lazy bum was probably just trying to get out of working out with the dog-ninja. The former Cloud kunoichi seemed determined to spend all her time training. Kind of reminded her of Rock Lee.

Shizune's step hitched just slightly, then she continued as an odd thought occurred to her. Rinako had asked about Lee, and only Lee. Perhaps she was asking out of a personal desire to see him again? Specifically him? Hmmm. Maybe she needed to have a chat with TenTen and Lee when they got back from their latest mission.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Noon was in high zenith as the three ninja climbed up out of the valley, they all turned to look back down at the compound they'd just left. Michi patted his pouch where the purloined scrolls were secreted. Now for the end game.

Turning he looked at both Rocks and Hanabi. He nodded toward a guard post they'd left alone earlier when they'd made their approach.

They needed to sneak back toward the compound. And to do it poorly. Hanabi grinned as the three of them deliberately made slight noises as they approached their enemy. And yes, they were now trying to get caught.

Nothing.

Michi frowned. He reached over to a tree and broke off a twig with a snap.

Nothing.

Rocks sighed. What kind of fucking guards were these? What did they have to do? Knock on the stupid door?

Suddenly Hanabi stiffened as she whirled around, leaping away as she signaled to her teammates. Both boys made it to the trees as the ground they'd been standing on just seconds before liquefied and five Earth shinobi rose up out of the morass. Quick as a snake strike, the trio found themselves in trouble.

Rocks startled as he jumped from his perch to avoid being scorched by a fire jutsu. Michi landed next to him a second later as the tree limb he'd been standing on disintegrated. Hanabi stood still in the trees, the man behind her holding a ninja-arts blow gun.

"Move slowly, that's a poisonous dart in the weapon. And you won't live long enough to get medical care." One of the ninja on the ground called up to her. "So dangerous."

"Yes it is." Hanabi said calmly and then smiled as her fingers flew and she leaped down to join her teammates. The man in the trees grunted and neatly killed the poisonous snake she'd just substituted for his weapon. He growled wondering what had happened to his blow gun and glad he hadn't screamed like a little girl when he'd suddenly found himself holding a coral snake.

"Did it bite you?" Smirked one of the other shinobi as they circled around the trio from Suna. His voice sounded less than impressed with the move. "Caught by a chuunin trick."

"Team Hyakunan." A portly man came out of the guard post, blowing smoke rings as he smoked his cigar. "What took you so long?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Two fucking years! The waiting is killing me! No, you idiots are killing me!" The man with the sunglasses and the bull's horn tattoo on his left cheek snarled. "Sweet is revenge and blood! Why do we wait? Those idiots should be crying a flood!"

Samui blinked haplessly as Tsume sighed.

Naruto scratched his head and looked at Kiba. "Revenge and blood?"

Omoi popped out the sucker in his mouth and shrugged as he pointed out what was obvious to him at least. "The word 'blood' is easier to rhyme with than the word 'revenge'."

Sakura stepped up to the Jinchuuriki. "It took six months of talks to convince your students that the Leaf village wasn't trying to pull a coup."

"Slow!" Killer Bee turned on Samui and her team. "Everyone is an idiot! Allies we must find a way to trust. If we don't ..." He growled.

Naruto looked up helpfully. "Must rhymes with trust. How about ...Making friends with our allies is a must!"

Karui groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Don't tell me there are two of them!"

"Allies we must find a way to trust. Can't be no two ways or we'll fails. Don't be flaky like a pie crust, we need to let loose our collective tails!" Kirabi thumped his chest triumphantly then looked at Naruto. "You have a lot to learn about rapping, kid."

Kakashi closed his one visible eye and shuddered as Tsume mouthed the word 'fails' to Samui, who ignored her.

Karui slapped her hand down on the table. "Sure we were slow, but you took a two year vacation, then it took three huge fights and a destroyed forest before you'd even TALK with Naruto! Nearly tore everyone limb from limb when you heard about your brother. In fact, I think the locals say that the land was destroyed and won't grow anything for at least two seasons! And all of that once they caught up to you, because YOU thought it would be funny to lead them on a wild goose chase!"

Tsume nodded and rushed the conversation forward. "Then another few months as you both verified everything we'd told you."

Omoi shrugged. "Can't take the word of Leaf too cautiously. We still remember how the Uchiha attacked Kirabi."

Killer Bee stopped and sighed. "Best damned fight I'd had in a long while. Until you kid." He and Naruto shared a smile as Sakura rolled her eyes in female exasperation.

"Fine." Kakashi stepped forward. "Two years. We're here, we're together and we're working hard to find all the remaining Cloud ninja who are not aligned with the upstart Raikage."

Killer Bee scowled at the mention of the man who'd killed his brother, the former Raikage. "How many do we have now?"

"Not enough." Karui sighed. "About fifty."

"More than enough!" Killer Bee growled and pumped his fist. "I could do it alone! I am up to snuff and victory is already won!"

Kiba shuddered as he wondered in what universe 'alone' rhymed even remotely with 'won'. This man was the worst rapper he'd ever heard.

Samui stood and all eyes turned to her. Kakashi's paused at her impressive cleavage before finally traveling up to her face though. "It's not a question of attack power. We have that and more. It's a question of whether we want the village standing when we're done."

Killer Bee pouted and Naruto nodded sagely.

Sakura deliberately stepped on Kakashi's foot as Samui continued.

"We want to destroy the Village Hidden in the Clouds? We can do it. We want to save the village and do some pest control? Harder to manage."

"Humph." Naruto grinned. "Pest control. Hah!"

Sakura poked Naruto in the back to get him to shut up. The hyperactive blond settled down a bit and shot her a cheesy grin.

"The upstart dies." Killer Bee said bluntly and with dark intent. "No question about it."

"No rhyme either." Muttered Kakashi under his breath.

Kirabi turned to glare at the copy ninja, who held up his hands in mock surrender. "No question, the man dies." Kakashi assured the jinchuuriki of the eight-tailed demon beast.

Samui coughed to gain attention, which only drew Kakashi's eyes back to her impressive chest. Sakura stepped on his foot once more as the Cloud ninja spoke up again.

"We can not advance head on until we have the Daimyo Lord free and clear. We can not afford to lose him." Samui told them bluntly. "He dies? If he dies, not only do we lose the whole of Kumogakure, but possibly the entirety of the Land of Lightning will sink into a bloody civil war."

"Something everyone wants to avoid." Tsume growled. "I've told you before, if you have something of the Daimyo Lord's that holds his scent ...Kiba and I can find his location. The problem, as we all know too well is that he is well hidden and possibly moved often. We just don't know."

Omoi shook his head, moving his sucker from one side of his mouth to the other. "Leaf is support on this, not active. You come into the mission on any active level and this declines into the starting gambit of another Great Ninja War."

Kiba leaned forward. "All we would do is find the man. All active portions of the mission would belong to you and yours."

"Cutting it too close to the bone." Samui protested without heat. "You get caught or recognized out there and Konoha's part in this becomes far too obvious. Earth will step in due to the damned treaties and then everyone will be choosing up sides. It wouldn't be too bad if we were only acting against the village and the Raikage. But to bring in the fate of the head o f the Daimyo Lords? No. This has to be handled by one of our own."

"But you don't have a dog-ninja or anyone capable of following a scent trail in your ragtag collection of shinobi willing to support your side of this!" Kiba growled in frustration.

Naruto looked up, his mind racing.

"Ragtag?" Karui sputtered, glaring daggers at the Inuzuka male.

Naruto stood up, looking indecisive and torn. "I think we need a break. I think we need a break right NOW!"

Every eye turned to the blond and he grinned cheesily at them, rocking back and forth on his heels trying to look completely innocent.

Sakura eyed him speculatively as Kakashi caught on to the fact that their blond teammate had something he was wanting to share with them in private. He nodded. "Yes, a break would be just the thing!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki rummaged through the myriad of invitations, grumbling under his breath. "How many of these fucking things are there?"

Gaara shrugged. "I don't care, my secretaries go through them. That pile has only invitations they feel are appropriate."

"You mean there were more?" Baki sounded appalled, then shrugged in resignation. "Oh well, I'll just have to vet them all."

The Kazekage finished his letter, then was reaching for another set of scrolls when his hand hesitated. He turned to look at Baki, giving his councilor and former sensei his full attention for the first time that morning. "Why? This isn't your job. And I accept very few of those."

The wind master nodded, leafing through all the social invites. "I know, you need to socialize more."

"Why?" Came the blank-faced response.

"You need a wife." Baki stopped and pulled out three invitations. "And I don't mean Kaji." He said, referring to Hanabi by the name she used while living in Suna.

"No." Gaara glowered, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Baki paused, knowing that look of stubbornness. Like the wind, he changed direction. "Or at least you need to go out more socially so you'll know how to act when you do start courting. No matter who you choose."

Gaara's quick denial died in his throat as he considered it a moment.

Baki pressed his advantage. "You've never been on a date. Not a real one. You don't want to be uncomfortable, you will need to know how to get on."

"You just want to divert me from Kaji." Gaara said quietly, eying his councilor carefully. "Put other options in my path."

"True." Baki conceded the point. "But ...the truth is you still need to learn how to speak to a female alone. And I don't mean trade or mission negotiations."

"Kaji and I will learn together." Gaara said coldly.

"She already knows. Daughter and former heiress that she is, I'm sure she's quite comfortable in this area." Baki paused and thrust the verbal blade deep. "You don't want to look the fool, or bumpkin in front of her ...do you?"

The sound of sand swirled within Gaara's nearby gourd as his temper rose. Baki eyed his former student and wondered if he'd pushed hard enough ...or too hard?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Team Hyakunan?" Rocks pouted as he kicked the downed man in the ribs. "I hate that name, makes u sound like children. Team 'All kinds of trouble?' We're all chuunin now."

Michi smirked at the portly man who was looking a little less confident now that all his guards had been downed or flat out killed. "Some of us have been chuunin longer than the others."

"Rub that in one more time and I'll substitute your heart right out of your chest." Hanabi threatened, making the portly boss of the area swallow hard not knowing it was a bluff and she really couldn't do that. "Tei and I passed the second go-round."

"I liked Team Catastrophe or Cataclysm. Maybe even Destruction." Michi sighed. "Even had half of Suna calling us Team Toukan for three months. Team 'bitter cold'? I liked it!"

"Team Kousei had a nice ring to it." Rocks said as the three surrounded the portly chief criminal they'd been sent after. "But no, Mizu shot that one down saying 'rebirth' was too literal."

Michi sighed and uncorked his water container strapped across his back, letting his water-ribbon weapons circle out around him. "It was."

"I liked Team Shibito." Hanabi grinned chillingly. The boss criminal's round face froze and whitened as he stared at the smallest of the three ninja, his lips not quite steady.

Rocks chuckled dryly.

A deep voice from behind them laughed and all three spun. Hanabi was looking around frantically wondering how the HELL anyone had snuck up on them while she was using the Byakugan?! "Team Corpse? Seriously? No little girl, I don't buy 'Team Shibito'. You just made that up to frighten our boss."

There was no one there. Michi cut his eyes to Hanabi who was still searching for the source of that deep voice. Wait. She pointed. "He's in the rock there, or is the rock, or something ..." She could barely make out the suppressed nature of the man's chakra.

"Ah! Well done." The large rock in question became fuzzy and then in a cloud of smoke disappeared as a lone ninja stepped out of it. He grinned at them, letting them see the distinctive facial tattoo he was sporting.

Michi drew up sharply. He knew that tattoo, it was on a shinobi for hire in the BINGO book. An 'S' class criminal and a former Earth Country master jounin.

The portly man behind them raised a shaky hand toward the shinobi. "What took you so long, Yurasu? I hired you to protect me!"

The man shrugged and licked his lips as he stared at the three chuunin before him, then up at the criminal who'd hired him. "You're still alive, shut the fuck up. You're not nearly as interesting as the many-named team over here."

"They were getting ready to sneak into my compound!" The stout, cigar-smoking man protested again.

"About to do so? Oh no." Yurasu smiled evilly. "They already did. I'll bet they have the scrolls hidden on them even now. No. It looks like the plan was to escape clean and then get caught sneaking in so it appears they never got to their target in the first place. Oh, and then they'd get away making it look like a failed mission. Leaving behind fake scrolls. Was that it little team of 'all kinds of trouble'?"

Michi's face was stoic as he sighed. "I hate that name. Your boyfriend did us no favor by sticking us with that name." He cut his eyes toward the lone kunoichi.

Hanabi scowled. "He is NOT my boyfriend!" She then looked straight at Yurasu. "Fake scrolls? No. Nothing like that."

Yurasu's face brightened. "You're going to destroy the compound? Make it look like the scrolls went with it? How fascinating! How?"

"How?" Michi chuckled. "One word."

"Oh?" The 'S' class missing-nin looked intrigued. "Tell me baby chuunin."

Michi pointed at Hanabi. The kunoichi smiled and said simply, "Boom."

At her word, the entire valley seemed to explode inward in a series of explosions that made the very ground they stood on shake.

The boss cried out and whimpered as wind whipped around his sparse hair and he fell to his knees in shock. On the other hand, Yurasu stood his ground and let the wind of the blast whip around him as he eyed the three chuunin in front of him. Not one piece of their clothing even rippled with the blast wave as Rock's air cushion surrounded them.

Yurasu smiled and cracked his knuckles. "I thought this would be plain murder. Me? Against three lowly chuunin? Seems you're willing to make a fight out of it. Those charges aren't chuunin level, no something like that is destruction specialty jounin all the way. Beautiful!" With that, he fell into a fighting stance.

Hanabi grinned and Rocks sighed. "Don't let it go to your head, Kaji. You're still only a chuunin. Besides, your mask will break if your head gets too big."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Time is up." Sai rose from his perch and stretched.

Shiho didn't even bother to look up, so intent on what she was doing that she didn't even notice his words.

"Nezumi? The Rock Village code-breaker will be here soon, we need to leave the library." Sai tried again, speaking louder this time as he used her nickname.

Shiho didn't even hear him.

Sai stared at her a long moment, then whispered. "There's a water leak over the scroll bookcase."

Shiho leaped up and spun, looking around frantically. "What? Water leak? What?!"

"Time to go." Sai held open the library door, his alert eyes marking the corridor making sure it was clear. Though he was sure that the other villages had their ways of spying on them. Just as he was sure that, in turn, his side was spying on the other villages as well.

"No water leak?" Shiho sighed, her heart still racing as she gathered her materials meticulously.

"No."

"You're evil." The code-breaker said without rancor, sighing as she headed for the door.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura turned and glared at her two teammates. "What the hell was that about? Why do we need a break?"

"Dog-ninja. We need a Cloud Village dog-ninja!" Naruto smiled tentatively. "You were temporarily Hokage around two years ago. There is a Cloud dog-ninja we could use. You do know about that ...right?"

Kakashi looked at his blond former-student, his expression closed and hidden. "What do you know?"

Sakura frowned, thinking hard, but then shook her head. "No we can't, she died! She died after killing three of our own people!"

Naruto sucked in his cheeks and let his eyes slide away from those of his girlfriend.

"Didn't she?" Sakura caught her breath harshly. "But if she isn't dead, then...she's a prisoner? They caught her and are holding her in prison? Why hide that? No, never mind ...Lady Tsunade probably has her reasons. All political. And to keep the Hyuuga family from tearing the bitch limb from limb."

Kakashi shook his head. "We can't possibly trust her. She killed ..." He paused as Naruto grimaced and shrugged, blushing. "She didn't kill ...?"

Sakura's mind was racing. "All those joint missions with you and Lee? You never brought them up, I just thought they ...and YOU managed to keep it a secret? From me?" She whistled, more than a little impressed.

"I still haven't brought those missions up. Not exactly ..." Naruto said. "But we MAY have access to a dog-ninja that Killer Bee can't object to. If she's well enough by now."

Sakura frowned sharply. "What about Hinata's little sister and her team? Who killed them if the Cloud kunoichi didn't?"

Naruto shrugged and shook his head, unable to answer due to promises he'd made to Granny Tsunade.

The copy-nin eyed his former student and then sighed. "Fine. Keep your secrets a bit longer. I'll find you a message bird." Kakashi mused, wondering how deep the game was being played. And were the genin team really dead? And if not ...Kakashi stopped and shook his head. Secrets upon secrets, that was the shinobi way. "I'll go find Samui ..."

"Like hell!"

The copy ninja stood while brushing off his pants, then jerked to the side defensively as Sakura's fist headed his way. Her punch hit the wall and a big hole appeared where Kakashi's head had been but a moment before.

"I'll need a message bird too!" The pink-haired kunoichi hissed, as she drew her fist back to strike again. "To tell my mother what a colossal jerk you are! Staring at Samui's chest like that! Pervert! Looking for Samui? Like we can't guess why you're not asking Omoi for a message bird!"

Naruto sighed and went to the door, opening it to ask Karui for some paper and a pen. The Cloud kunoichi looked in the room and raised a brow at Kakashi and Sakura fighting. She looked back at Naruto who shrugged. "He's dating her mother."

"Oh." She said as Omoi and Samui came up to join her, also curious.

"Now Sakura! Cherry Blossom!"

The pink-haired kunoichi gritted her teeth, snarling. "Don't 'cherry blossom' me you pervert! I saw where your eyes were glued on Samui, and it wasn't her face!"

"I was just making sure she wasn't using some sort of anti-gravity jutsu!" Kakashi defended himself with a chuckle as he escaped yet another blow, this one cracking the chair he'd grabbed to fend her off with. "Her breasts are awfully perky for their size."

Omoi stiffened and turned to stare at his team leader, eyeing her cleavage speculatively. "Anti-gravity?" His voice made it sound like he was now wondering about it too. "They are awfully perky, now that you mention it."

Karui growled and slapped Omoi sharply on the shoulder, but he didn't even budge. So she did it again.

"I'll also need a message bird." Naruto asked. Samui nodded though her two teammates were still squabbling, as were Sakura and Kakashi.

Samui looked inside as Sakura's fist actually caught Kakashi's hand against the wall as he dodged, but not quite quickly enough. The wall gave way, as did the hand. She winced as there was a loud crack. "I think he just got his finger broken."

"She'll heal it." Naruto sighed. "Either he's getting slow or she's getting faster."

"I am not slow!" Kakashi protested as he cradled his broken pinky, his visible eye rounded.

"No! You're a pervert!" Sakura challenged and grabbed his hand. "And stop getting Naruto to write the next Icha Icha novel!"

Sakura finished the small healing job of the cracked pinky finger, blushing that she'd actually lost control enough to strike Kakashi for real.

Omoi whipped around, forgetting Karui completely. "There's a new Icha Icha novel?" He asked, his eyes bugging out with hope and fervor.

Kakashi pointed at Naruto. "The original author is gone from us, but his apprentice is right there. He's already written one book in the series."

Sakura's blush disappeared as she sighed and watched with horror as Omoi dropped to his knees in front of Naruto, capturing his hand. "We need a new Icha Icha novel!"

Karui and Sakura both groaned as Samui stared with a blank expression. "I'll go get the message bird ready." She said, ignoring all the idiots behind her.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	35. Making Impressions

Rokuro was stuck, his feet embedded into the rocks that had been solid and just beneath his feet only a moment ago. That was before he'd landed lightly, ready to spring into another assault on Yurasu, the S-class criminal formerly of the Earth Country. Then suddenly he'd found himself sunk into the rock itself, calf-deep and immobile.

A giggle escaped Hanabi even as she dodged a killing strike aimed at her and managed to deflect the blow into a nearby tree trunk, which nearly exploded as bark flew everywhere from the force of the attack. "Rocks, you're stuck in rocks!"

"FOCUS!" Michi demanded, though his lips did curve upward ever so slightly.

Yurasu frowned. The kunoichi he'd just tried to skewer had not been looking at her teammate's position. How had she noticed that the ground beneath the blue-haired shinobi had melted and re-formed around his lower legs?

Team Hyakunan was slowly gaining a reputation in this part of the region, Yurasu was well aware as he took great pains to keep updated on who was 'out there' so to speak. A young, brash chuunin team out of Suna. Demolition specialty by all accounts. A soft, nearly silent hissing sound drew his attention. Yurasu cursed and ripped the whole sleeve off rather than try to detach the burning tag, knowing it was probably prepared to detonate at the slightest attempt to simply disarm. This way he merely lost the sleeve and not the whole arm.

Hanabi's mouth turned into a sexy little pout as she jumped back, regrouping. "Aw ..."

Yurasu smirked as the tag exploded fifteen feet away from him as he flash-stepped away. "I am not a building to be demolished little girl." He chided gently as he tossed some exploding discs of his own at the immobile Rokuro. His intention was to draw away the other two in order to protect their stuck teammate.

It didn't work. Neither teammate even looked at their stuck companion. Instead they pressed him harder.

Apparently they knew the attack would fail. Yurasu raised an eyebrow as the discs appeared to stop in midair, hover a moment and then fly right back at him. He had to leap quickly to avoid his own weapons, then whistled as the weapons turned and followed him on his new trajectory. He poured more chakra into his speed and was safely far enough away when the small discs finally released their charge. Still, the blast knocked him back an inch or two.

Michi smirked and razor fine ribbons of water circled the criminal before drawing tight in order to rip the man to shreds. A quick substitution jutsu saved his skin, literally, as the log he'd used was sliced cleaner than a fine cheese into raw kindling.

"Catch this in the air." Yurasu's fingers flew. Rocks and pebbles around him began to shake and shimmy, rising into the air to fly at Rokuro. "How many can you handle?" But before they got to them they all stopped as Rocks grinned, catching all of them as easily as he had the exploding discs with his air jutsu he'd named the Tei Gyokaku.

"It's a diversion!" Michi yelled out as he stepped forward, just as three well placed strikes hit his back, embedded into the thick animal skin that held his water supply. The precious liquid that was the basis of all his jutsu flowed out and down his back in a wet rush, soaking the ground.

The fire jutsu hidden behind the rocks tossed at Rokuro grew into a huge ball of flames heading right for the blue-haired shinobi.

Hanabi watched and grinned. "Oh, this just got interesting!"

Yurasu heard her soft mutter and was a bit taken aback at how calm she sounded, as if his attacks were bound to ...ignoring what now looked like sure victory, the missing-nin jumped away in defense instead of offense, following instinct.

"Ah, Kaji ...why did you have to warn him?" Rocks muttered and then used his Tei Shinkuu technique to literally suck the air away from the flames even now reaching him. Without oxygen, the flames dissipated completely, leaving Rokuro untouched and unfazed.

"Impressive." Yurasu said mockingly, not acknowledging that the move really had been impressive. Especially for a chuunin. "But I managed to unarm one of you."

Michi grinned and the silver filigree tattoo swirling over his exposed chest began to move slightly. Yurasu's eyes widened slowly as he realized that the boy didn't HAVE a tattoo. He was wearing water ribbons as spare weapons, disguising them as body art.

The criminal had half a second to wonder if he'd miscalculated this trio when a faint reptilian form appeared made from the ribbons of water swirling above the three from Suna. Two seconds later and the shape struck out at him with a mouth wide, menacing, and filled with the swirling tentacles of razor sharp hardened water. Now he was sure that he'd underestimated them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Are you sure about this?" Kakashi said lightly, shaking his head as if he didn't understand the younger generation.

Kiba shrugged nonchalantly. "What's the problem? The Cloud ninja figure that a message bird heading right to Konoha is too risky. We've been sending messages through liaisons, but Naruto feels this is time sensitive information." He patted the pack that held the message scroll for the Hokage's eyes only.

"And you can get the the former Akatsuki fortress and have our compatriots there send out a message. A message bird from there would look innocuous." Kakashi waved his fingers in an offhand manner. "While a bird from here going to Konoha would be far too noteworthy. We can't risk letting the Raikage guess that Leaf has a stake in the outcome of an internal Cloud dispute."

"And even though a message from here to Leaf might not be noted, we can't take the chance." Tsume nodded, smirking. "We've got all that, puppy. He's wondering why you're taking the message. Yourself. Personally."

Kakashi nodded and shrugged lightly. "There are plenty of Cloud, or technically missing-nin Cloud ninja around who would jump at the chance to get out and be doing something rather than waiting, planning."

Kiba shrugged off the question as of little consequence. "There are a lot of other ninja at the fortress now. Rock, Grass, Sand and Leaf. They can't suspect a Cloud ninja of delivering a message to Leaf. Remember? Cloud found the fortress and was keeping it for only themselves. We're trying to keep the others from siding with Kumokagure, so we can not be seen as being friendly with even missing-nins from Cloud."

"True." Tsume said bluntly. "Though Naruto offered to go."

Kiba tightened the straps on his pack and slung it around onto his back, testing the weight because he wanted to move quickly. "Naruto is needed here with Killer Bee, he doesn't really trust the rest of us all that much. Besides, he just wants to get out of the way from between Kakashi and Sakura for a while."

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled as he spread his hands in innocence. "Whatever do you mean by that?"

The dog-ninja turned and stared briefly at the white bandage wrapped around the pinky finger of the copy ninja. "Oh, nothing much."

"Everything you say is true." Tsume smiled enough to flash some fangs, making Kakashi eye her nervously. "And yet are they your only reason for going? Perhaps someone you might want to ...catch up with?"

Kiba paused and shrugged as he whistled for Akamaru. "Sure."

"Yes?" Kakashi turned his attention away from Tsume's fangs and back to her son. "Really?"

"Sure." Kiba waved goodbye as he set off toward the Akatsuki fortress. "I haven't seen Shino in ...what is it, two years now?"

"Shino." Tsume's tone made her seem amused as she watched Kiba and Akamaru race off on their journey. "Like I believe that one."

Kakashi too watched the dog ninja disappear into the forest and shook his head. "I don't know, Tsume. It has been two years. And he's been seeing that Cloud kunoichi lately, looks intense. At least on her part, still ...he has been seen with her often."

"And the innkeeper's daughter, and the apothecary's sister, and the pretty little brunette from the kitchens, and ..." The Inuzuka Clan leader sighed. "He can't focus on any one of them."

"Wild oats. Those he's getting a bit old for that." Kakashi shrugged. "I know that you told me that he's hung up on the little code-breaker, but I just can't see it. Sure there was a spark or two off of them, but ...two years Tsume. It's been too long. Sparks die."

"The pretty little brunette came to cry on my shoulder last week." Tsume smirked. "Thinking that I might be ...approachable."

"You? Approachable?" Kakashi whistled at the sheer audacity, or possibly stupidity of the poor brunette. "Makes you question her sanity, I'm sure."

Tsume grinned and shrugged. "Seems Kiba called her another name in the heat of mating."

Kakashi's foot paused in mid-air as he stopped and turned to face the dog kunochi. "Now THAT is telling."

Tsume's grin faded and she sighed. "My idiot of a son didn't recall doing this, of course. Denied everything to the girl, so she comes to cry on my shoulder and wonders who Shiho is to Kiba."

The copy-nin laughed and shook his head sadly. "Not smooth, not smooth at all. He should have lied and told her she misheard him."

The Inuzuka Clan leader snorted and bit back a sharp laugh. "Misheard him? What could he say he was yelling out during sex? Huh? Perhaps 'Ishihou'?"

Kakashi nearly lost it as he fought to keep from laughing outright just as Sakura rounded the corner, looking for them. "Is Kiba gone yet?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked.

"Gone? Oh, he's long gone. Far gone. Done for. Kaput." Kakashi snickered as Tsume took a swipe at his ears with her sharp nails, almost talons. The copy ninja shifted enough so the half-hearted attacked missed him by a mere centimeter.

"Huh?" Sakura asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, sure she was been had somehow.

"Ishihou." Kakashi called out as he pursed his lips and slid by the two kunoichi heading back toward the inn that was serving as home base for the time being.

The pink-haired medic sighed and turned baleful eyes on Tsume. "Ishihou? What's that? Why is Kakashi asking about medical practitioner's law? He's still mad about the broken finger isn't he? It was an accident! He should have moved faster, that's all!"

Tsume gave a bark of laughter and didn't answer as she headed back to the inn herself.

Sakura muttered to herself. "He can't bring me up under medical practitioner's law anyway, we're ninja not civilians. Stupid sensei! Ishihou indeed. And it was an ACCIDENT!" She hollered out after the two departing jounin.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rocks pulled the air out of the fire before Hanabi landed squarely in the middle of it, right where she'd been tossed by Yurasu. A second later she leaped free and pinned the S-class criminal with a volley of kunai, catching his one remaining sleeve as it barely missed the man's skin. He laughed as three of the blades embedded themselves in the the tree trunk behind him, and another three in the dirt at his feet.

"You expect me to fall for that? That you'd miss? Chuunin you may be, but you have a lot to learn." Yurasu jumped away from the kunai, and their hidden explosive charges, just in time. The blast knocked him back a foot from where he'd intended to land, and then a shove of hardened air pushed at him from behind. Spinning and jumping away, Yurasu dodged the lashing of Michi's water ribbon weapons and landed in the smoldering patch of ground where'd he'd just tossed Hanabi but a moment or two before. Slowly he smiled. "You children look about tuckered out. Ready for a nap?"

Hanabi, puffing slightly shook her head and tried to fight off the incipient headache from overuse of the Byakugan. Her endurance with it was better than anyone, her father included, after two years of near constant practice and use. Still, she had limits. Looking up at the setting sun through her mask, she smiled. "Time's up."

Michi nodded. They'd done their part, caused a whole ruckus of commotion and had fought with this criminal bastard all afternoon now. If the second part of their group had been successful, then they should be returning soon. "Tei?"

With a sudden sinking feeling of dread, Yurasu tried to jump clear, but it was too late. Fire erupted all around him, encasing him in his own trap that'd he'd originally tried to use against the kunoichi.

Rokuro smiled nastily. "Not only can I suck air out of a fire, but I can feed one as well." His jutsu pushed rich oxygen into the smoldering flames as Hanabi tossed in a few small discs filled with accelerators, making everything burn even hotter.

Water ribbons circled the area, writhing and hovering as their master watched the flames intently. Never once did the water attempt to stem the flames.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari hissed with irritation as she read the report from the guard, then took off at a fast clip. Rounding a corner she spied Shino speaking quietly with a pair of Grass shinobi. Without a word to either of them, she grabbed her husband by the back of his hood and tugged him away.

The Grass ninja clucked their tongues, but didn't comment. After two years spent here in this fortress, they knew enough of the dynamics of their Leaf counterparts not to question the blonde kunoichi when she looked that angry. They just pitied her poor husband.

Their amusement turned to ashes as she rounded on all three of them. "Did anyone invite Mist to our little party and forget to inform the hostess?"

Shino stared at his wife for a second, then grabbed the message in her hand. He frowned sharply. "Fifteen ninja approaching, all wearing Mist headband protectors."

The Grass ninja gritted their teeth as one signaled the other to go inform Rakuai, the leader of their delegation here at the fortress. "We sent no information to Mist." His tone was a shade less than accusatory, barely.

Shino shook his head. "If not Leaf or Grass ..." His voiced trailed off and he turned to Temari. "Go get Ibiki."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Bokkai's eye twitched as he looked at the charred remains. "Wood and rocks. You burned ...nothing!"

Michi's face flushed only slightly, though his eyes weren't quite as bright as usual. The sea-foam color of his gaze was clouded as he shrugged with a nonchalance he didn't feel. "He was an S-class criminal." He said defensively.

"Still is." Saeko stated coldly. "Present tense."

Rocks winced as the jounin kunoichi verbally rubbed salt into the wounds. "We completed our mission. Blew the house and covered your infiltration into Earth country ..."

"Let an S-class criminal escape and along with him, the man who hired him." Came the caustic response from Saeko as Bokkai looked too furious to comment, both Suna jounin looked to be upset.

Hanabi sighed. "We had him." She spoke bitterly, though without fidgeting. "We cornered him in his own trap."

Bokkai growled and turned away, clasping his hands behind his back to keep from strangling the erstwhile team of chuunin. "And what is the inherent trouble with trapping someone in their own traps?"

Michi sighed and volunteered the information reluctantly. "They know the trap inside and out, and how to escape."

"Give us some credit here!" Hanabi leaned against a nearby boulder, tired to the core of her being. "We fought an S-class criminal to a stand-still. He didn't win!"

Saeko shook her head, blowing out a breath. "Yes, he did. He found out more about you three than you did about him."

Michi's eye twitched and he rubbed it wearily as he caught on. "He wasn't trying to kill us, was he?"

"Yes, yes he was." Bokkai snarled. "If you died, he would have been happy. As it was, he learned you. All of you. Tei? He knows what you can do with air now, I suppose you used all the jutsu against him? Now that he knows what you can do, he can more effectively fight you."

Rokuro bit his tongue as his face went beet red.

"Or sell the information." Saeko kicked the ground. "Your team has been ...shall we say LESS than quiet? You're getting known. Now everyone wants to know what you can do. So not only do you show him ...but you let him get away with the information!"

Bokkai pointed at Michi's bare and now tattoo-less chest. "Mizu? You had to pull out your trump card. Now it is no longer a trump card at all! Once known, you can no longer surprise anyone with it."

Saeko nodded at the three chuunin. "Go on, head back to Suna and make your report. We'll see you in the morning."

Churlishly, petulantly they moved. Rocks and Hanabi first, a dejected Michi following behind.

Bokkai waited a good half hour after their departure before he turned to his teammate for this mission. "They fought Yurasu." His throat felt dry. "Yurasu!"

Saeko grinned and shook her head. "I had no idea he was even in the vicinity, if I'd known I'd never have left them on their own."

"You think I would have? If Baki doesn't kill us, the Kazekage surely will." Bokkai whistled under his breath. "Why do you think he really let them live?"

The kunoichi shrugged. "The man is ruthless and if he ever had morals, there's no evidence." She paused, running her sweaty palms against her leather pants. "We're lucky. They got lucky. It's a fucking miracle they're alive."

"You ...you don't think they really ...they really fought him off ...do you?" Bokkai closed his eyes and searched with his senses, but could find no trace of hidden chakra anywhere around them. "No, the very idea is crazy."

"Yurasu? Held off by three chuunin?" Saeko scoffed as if the very thought was idiotic. "He was toying with them. For what purpose, I have no idea."

Bokkai nodded. "We'd better catch up to them."

Saeko agreed. "While we try to figure out what we're going to tell the Kazekage. How we put Kaji and the others in the path of Yurasu of all people. The man is sick."

The two jounin both shuddered at the thought of what could have happened today, and wondering at what miracle had kept this chuunin team alive and intact.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba and Akamaru traveled swiftly, albeit quietly. They were on high alert, not wanting to be seen by anyone. And despite all of this, all of the focus, all of the awareness and orientation to everything around them. In the back of his mind, one thing dominated his thoughts.

Shiho.

Four eyed, scrawny, weird hair and smart with a mouth that could cut a guy to shreds, Shiho. Why had he called out her name the other night while he was sleeping with Mayako? The brunette was just what he liked in a woman. Soft, curvy, loving, and didn't mind the rough and tumble. She didn't snap back at him, and didn't take everything he said the wrong way, and didn't even mind his odd hours.

"Mayako is nice, right Akamaru?" Kiba asked as they adjusted their course to avoid a group out fishing that he'd sniffed out long before anyone would be in sight.

The large shaggy white canine 'woofed' twice, but without a lot of strength.

Kiba's eyes narrowed. "She IS nice, right Akamaru?"

Akamaru gave the doggy equivalent of a shrug and a soft series of barks.

"What do you mean 'if you think so', I'm asking your opinion!" Kiba growled.

The large nin-dog appeared to think it over a moment, then yipped and whined.

Kiba sighed. "Nice enough? Now what is that supposed to mean. Pfft. Fine. Whatever. Mayako is damned nice. And nearly perfect in bed!"

Now Akamaru definitely whined.

The Inuzuka turned shocked eyes on his nin-dog, coming to a stop in the thick forest as he stared at his life-long friend and companion. "Now what is THAT supposed to mean?"

Akamaru settled down and let his tongue loll out as he panted slightly, then barked a few times and nudged Kiba's leg as he walked by him.

"I don't seem relaxed enough after I've been with her? How much is enough? Besides, I'm out of Konoha! We're away on a mission, there's only so much relaxed I can get. I have to be on alert all the damned time. All the time! That's what you're sensing!" Kiba waved his arms dramatically.

Akamaru yawned.

Kiba's stomach clenched. He'd known the moment he'd made his mistake. The name had slipped from him right as he was about to release and the very second he uttered it, he'd gone over. Shiho. What a crock! Mayako was perfect for a liaison! And he hadn't even laid eyes on Shiho in about two years. Kiba growled low in his throat as he bared his fangs. Shiho. Crap!

"Sure Mayako sometimes has a vacant look about her, and yeah maybe she can be a bit boring ...except in the bedroom of course. Still, it isn't as if I miss Shiho or anything. We've never even dated!" He muttered to himself, then looked around in shock as Akamaru gave a much stronger series of 'woofs' and barks. And his tail wagged.

Kiba pointed an accusatory finger at his nin-dog. "Who was the tail wag for? Which name? And you'd better be sure it isn't the librarian you overgrown rat!"

Akamaru whined and tucked his tail safely between his legs before sitting. Then he bared his teeth at his master and turned his head away in a huff.

The Inuzuka sighed and ran a hand through his scruffy hair. "Okay, okay ...so Shiho called you beautiful and defended you against Ise."

Another series of barks.

"Yes ...and Ise was a bad choice of mine, not yours." Kiba sighed. "And you were right about Ise, I'll admit it. So you can like Shiho as a friend. Sure, and maybe she and I can even become friends. Maybe. In an alternate reality or something. But Akamaru, I can't choose a mate just because she slips you an extra piece of bacon or thinks you're wonderful."

Akamaru barked and woofed, standing up to make his point.

Kiba's frown eased and he laughed outright, reaching out to hug his rather large canine companion. "Yeah, sure. Maybe Shiho will slip me some bacon and rub my belly. If she does, you're right, we could be friends." His smile faded a bit. "Akamaru, Shiho and I are not a couple. Will never be a couple. Mating for humans is more ...complicated than for canines. Trust me."

Akamaru sniffed his nose almost haughtily and turned away as he leaped forward, Kiba following as they continued their journey. Their mission to go send a message from the former fortress of the Akatsuki.

The same fortress where Shiho was ensconced. And he'd volunteered for this. Crap. Kiba squared his jaw and picked up his pace, making Akamaru look at him questioningly.

"I'm going to see her. I'm going to see her and then I'll stop thinking about her. Not that I think about her." Kiba growled. Sure he'd dreamed about her. But not sexy dreams, no ...of course not! Dreams where she'd scolded him for one thing or another, her huge blue eyes flashing with temper. There'd even been one really strange dream where her hair had hidden things in it, but he blamed that particular dream on a spicy meal before he'd gone to bed.

So what if he'd woken up turned on each time? Morning wood was nothing new to a guy. Right?

He was going to see her and put her out of his mind. That was all. Sure he'd been restless for the past year or so, maybe longer. Yeah, so he'd been pickier about the women he chose to see ...and none quite hit the mark for him. He'd been distracted. That was all. Away from Konoha. Something deep inside him must have known that he couldn't meet a future mate while away on a mission. He needed a home town girl. That was all it was. Not some need to see a librarian-slash-ninja.

Nope. He didn't need to see Shiho at all. Ever.

Kiba frowned as he rolled that over in his mind. He shouldn't have come on this mission, he should have left it to Naruto after all. But now it was too late. And maybe that was a good thing. Maybe he needed to see this girl and he'd instantly know that his boredom with the women extended to her as well. He just needed to finish this whole Cloud village mess, get home to Konoha and settle down.

"With anyone but Shiho." He muttered.

From the corner of his eye he saw a flicker of white fur and gritted his teeth. "You'd better not be wagging your tail at her name!" He growled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi watched jealously as Hinata made arrangements for she and her husband to travel to Suna. "I'd be quiet." He promised. "I wouldn't be a bother at all, and I'm getting really fast at running. You can ask Iruka-sensei."

Hinata smiled gently as she looked over at her now ten-year old baby brother. Barely ten. He'd just had a birthday last month. "You'd be no bother at all, I know."

"Then why can't I come with you to see her?" He carefully avoided saying Hanabi's name in case anyone could overhear.

Anko stepped up behind him, putting her hand on his thin shoulder. "You have classes that you can't miss." She said, then frowned as she kneaded his collarbone. "You need to eat more."

"I eat seconds on everything." Katashi rolled his eyes. "And Emi keeps sending me snacks all day long. I think she wants to fatten me up to feed me to the pigs or something." He said with disgust about the head Hyuuga chef, though he loved her and she him.

"Or something." Anko frowned and ran her hand over his head. "You're barely any taller, the girls in your class tower over you. Where does all that food go?"

Hinata smiled and shook her head in wonder. "His stomach is a bottomless pit." She commented as she folded some more travel clothes for Kankuro.

"You burn all of your energy up practicing and running around all day, you need to save some of it up and grow a few inches taller." Anko said and used his head to prop her arm on.

"Not funny!" Katashi, with all the wounded pride of a young male, shoved her away.

"Hey, hey! No fighting in my bedroom." Kankuro said from the doorway, looking travel worn and sweaty. "Wait, this still is my house, right? How did the midget get in here?"

Hinata stifled a giggle as Katashi took offense to the word 'midget'. Her eyes caressed the form of her puppeteer husband lovingly. "You're back early." She said shyly.

Anko rolled her eyes. "Peapod, you can not still be shy around the man after several years and two children!"

Hinata blushed prettily, but not like she used to do. Now instead of looking away, she smiled dreamily at her step-mother. "Go away. Please?"

The spiky-haired jounin laughed and grabbed a rowdy nine-year old. "Let us depart from where we're not needed."

But Katashi wasn't ready to go just yet, he reached out and snagged Kankuro's hand. "Tell Hinata that I can come with you guys. Please?"

"I'm not going anywhere for a while. I just got home after nearly a month." The puppeteer complained and turned big puppy-dog eyes on his wife. "Unless you're kicking me out."

Anko smirked. "You did your job Zassou, not one child but two. Talk about overkill. Now you're yesterday's news. Toast. Thrown to the curb."

Kankuro sighed as he watched Anko and Katashi disappear downstairs. He turned back to his wife. "Zassou? That's a new nickname."

"I don't think you're a 'weed'." Hinata said gently and walked over to him, taking his pack from him and leaning in for a long welcome home kiss. After several moments she wrinkled her nose.

Kankuro laughed and pulled away. "Yah, yah ...I need a bath, I know." He turned toward the bathroom and then stopped as he saw what his wife had been up to. He pointed toward the clothing folded on the bed. Her clothes and his as well. "We really are going somewhere?"

Hinata nodded and followed him into the bathroom, drawing his bath water for him as he undressed. "Suna."

Kankuro stilled, his head whipping around toward her, his shirt only half-way up his chest. Eyes widening he finished pulling off his shirt and tossed it to the hamper where it slid off the closed lid and onto the floor.

"How anyone with as great eye-hand coordination and targeting abilities as you can always miss the dirty clothes hamper, is beyond me." Hinata chided him gently and went to pick up the discarded shirt.

But the puppet master stopped her as she passed him, taking her arm and turning her toward him. "You're not kidding? We're going to Suna?"

Rising up on her toes, Hinata pressed a kiss to his lips and smiled. "We're going to Suna."

"When? Why?" Kankuro groaned and wrapped his arms around his petite wife and hugged her close. "I missed you, Hoshi." He said, using his pet name for her.

Hinata wrinkled her nose again. "We're going on a social visit, to see your family. Father arranged it all. It's been two years, no one watching will read anything into it at all." She tried to pull back, but he tightened his hold on her and growled, rubbing his face against her neck.

Laughing, Hinata pushed harder against his chest. "Ew! Now I need a bath too!"

Kankuro, having pulled this on her more than once in the past two years, grinned. His hands snaked under her top and pulled it up and over her head. "So glad that there's a nice warm bath and a huge tub built for two just over there." He tossed her shirt towards the hamper, but it ended up on the floor with his.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"All alone?" The voice was low and without inflection.

Hanabi sneered anyway. "Not anymore. By definition if someone is around to ask the question, then I can't possibly be alone."

Gaara nodded and leaned against the railing next to her.

"Going to yell at me again?" The kunoichi asked, not bothering to look in his direction.

"Turn off the Byakugan." He said and tugged at her hood. "You've got another headache, let your eyes rest. You're endurance is impressive, but not without limits."

"You're not my mother." She snapped and yanked her head back, which only increased the headache which she would never admit to having. "You're not even my kage. You're not courting me, you're not my brother, you're ...what are you again?"

"The bane of your existence." He said pithily and pulled off her hood, his hand getting tangled in the long fall of her hair. "We're alone up here, you can take off the mask."

"We're alone because you sent me up here." Hanabi pulled his hand free from her hair, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach and looked around at the view from the top of the Kazekage tower. The lights of Suna at night were pretty enough. "I'll bet the sunrise is gorgeous from up here, over the desert I mean."

Gaara stilled and nodded, knowing Hanabi couldn't have known he ...oh yes she could. "You've seen me up here with your Byakugan."

"I don't spy on you." Hanabi brushed him off as she pulled her masks from over her eyes and dismissed the Byakugan. Relief was instantaneous, though a softer ache did remain. "Now. If you're not going to yell at me about our mission again, which I still don't think we botched up all that badly, why am I here?"

Gaara frowned sharply. "Yurasu? The man is a monster, he acts sane but his actions? He doesn't leave people alive. Nor whole. How can you say you didn't botch up the mission?"

"We lived, and are whole. I thought you weren't going to yell at me again." Hanabi groused, looking put out.

"I changed my mind." Gaara snapped at her. "The moment you recognized who he was from the BINGO book you should have taken your team away from there as fast as possible. Abort the mission."

Hanabi turned her nose up at him. "I'm not team leader."

Gaara sniffed in derision. "And don't think Michi isn't feeling the sting tonight."

The kunoichi winced. "You came down on him pretty damned hard. I've never seen him look so defeated. Rocks didn't look much better." She paused, reluctant to say more but not being able to help herself. "The boys didn't put me in danger, I'm a ninja too. Part of the team. And like you've said countless times ...you are not courting me."

"They should ..."

"Do their jobs! Like me!" Hanabi's temper flared as she turned on him, her pale eyes flashing with anger. "We have a weird non-courtship thing with half of Suna pushing me toward you every damned day! Michi and Rocks, excuse me ...Mizu and Tei and I are a team! A TEAM! We stand together or we fall together. I was as much a part of today's mission as they were. You even yelled at me the same as them. So why the hell did you call me up here for a private meeting and not them?"

"Your sister is coming for a visit." Gaara said softly, completely ignoring her temper.

Hanabi backed up a step and let her lips curve upwards slightly. "Really? We're finally getting a visit from home? Is she bringing the twins? Katashi? Who?" She smiled slyly at him. "Someone with fangs perhaps?"

"Not Kiba." The red-head stated baldly. "My brother and your sister. That's it."

"Oh." Hanabi ignored Kiba's name. She was long over her crush on the dog-ninja, but she kept up the appearance of it just to annoy Gaara. "I distinctly remember you telling me that you'd make sure Kiba knew I was still alive." She couldn't help poking at him with the Inuzuka.

Gaara shrugged and didn't let his irritation with her crush show. "The Hokage did not comply with my request." He looked at her in the dim light shining from the office behind him. His office. Suddenly he frowned. "Only half of Suna is pushing you towards me? What of the other half?"

Choking back a laugh, Hanabi shook her head. "Fangirls that start crying whenever I'm around or try to say mean things to me."

Sighing, Gaara shook his head. "Half of Suna is not made up of my fangirls."

"You'd be surprised." She muttered and stretched as she yawned, throwing out her arms wide.

The red-head watched quietly as her low-riding pants lowered and her top inched upwards, baring even more of her midriff. She'd changed. In the two years she'd been in Suna, Hanabi had grown up. Gaara suddenly felt uncomfortable.

He was used to a non-courtship, dancing around each other with verbal jibes and pranks. What did he do with a grown up Hanabi? Maybe Baki was right, maybe he needed to let her go.

"Gaaaara-coon?"

Turning, he widened his eyes at Hanabi as she cooed at him. Cooing from her was an indication of danger, not flirting.

"I have a daaate tomorrow night."

Like hell he was letting her go. His eyes narrowed on her wickedly gleaming eyes. "Oh?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"A representative from the Village Hidden in the Mist has arrived with letters of introductions and demands couched as 'requests' to be allowed in as part of our endeavors here." Ibiki said, steepling his fingertips as he sat behind his desk.

Rakuai growled and objected strongly. "Grass is opposed."

Junzo of the Village Hidden in the Rocks shrugged. "We've all been here two years with little progress." He said, trying to see how much progress the other groups had been making while revealing nothing of what advances their team had discovered.

"Did you invite Mist?" Ibiki asked the Rock shinobi point blank.

"No. Not me personally and not anyone from my village or country of which I am aware." Junzo said straight out. "It could be a ploy by Leaf to limit our access and time to the library and coded scrolls. And to the whereabouts of our stolen jinchuuriki."

"Mist never had a jinchuuriki." Rakuai of the Grass snarled. "And we don't want that to change."

"Neither did Grass." Junzo pointed out coolly. "And we don't want THAT to change either. But it seems we don't always get what we want now does it?"

"Stop." Ibiki stood, glaring at the two men with frigid disdain. "Our agreements here are that the Rock village get back the jinchuuriki that was taken from them by the Akatsuki. And that Grass gets the one stolen from Cloud, so that they no longer have two. Cloud keeps the Eight Tails though, since the Akatsuki never got their hands on it."

"As long as no one offers up either of the two stolen from Iwagakure." Junzo stated outright. "And who is laying claim to the Three Tails? That one was free and not affiliated with a village."

Rakuai shrugged. "Perhaps Mist is wanting to put in a claim?"

"Or perhaps Grass is trying to take two of the demons for themselves. Or maybe more." Junzo sneered. "I don't see the representatives of the Village Hidden in the Waterfall here. They had the Seven Tailed demon. Not that they told anyone, but the Akatsuki records make that quite clear."

"It is NOT clear!" Rakuai stood and glowered at the other man. "Everything is in code, and we have not yet found any reference to the Seven Tails. Waterfall is not a part of this group!"

"Either your team sucks wind and is dumb as dirt or you're lying!" Junzo stood up, glaring right back at the Grass shinobi.

"ENOUGH!" Ibiki roared and the other two men simmered down, but only barely. "If you'll remember your history lessons, it was Konoha's first Hokage who caught each and every one of the tailed beasts and gave them out to the other villages. It was you and yours who could not control them and they began to run amok once more."

"And you want them all back, is that it?" Junzo hissed.

Ibiki shook his head. "I'm just saying don't bite off more than you can control."

Rakuai sat back down and shook his head. "The point is moot right now. We've only explored roughly half of this fortress, running into nasty traps all over the place. Good men and women have died trying to uncover all that this place has hidden."

Junzo rolled his shoulders, but he too settled down. "We're off topic. What do we do about Mist?"

Ibiki nodded as he sat down once more. "Let me show you the letter that Mist had delivered to us, then we can discuss response."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"There's a new movie I want to see, it opens tonight." Hanabi pursed her lips and cocked her head just so as she smiled at Gaara. "Lot's of things blowing up, it's supposed to be good."

"Tonight? I have a dinner with the head of Suna's Elder Council tonight."

Hanabi smirked. "Booooring."

Gaara silently agreed. "Who's your date. Michi? Or Rokuro?"

"Aihara Razan." Hanabi's smirk turned into a full out grin.

"Razan?" Gaara's chest seized, then he let out a long breath. "Have fun."

The kunoichi's smile dimmed slightly. "You might want to watch it, that almost sounded sincere."

The red-head let the ghost of a smile cross his face then disappear almost like it had never existed. "I am sincere. Have fun with Razan. He's a good man. Strong, capable, and an excellent shinobi. You know he's a nephew of Baki's right? Good family."

"Hot too. Did I mention that he was hot? With abs like you wouldn't believe?" Hanabi threw that out there, waiting to see the response.

"Razan took off his shirt for you?" Gaara's voice warmed up slightly. "Let me guess. Sparring match, in public. He likes to do that. A bit vain, but he's a good shinobi."

Hanabi frowned. This wasn't the kind of response she was expecting. "When the chuunin asked me out to dinner three months ago, you had him sent on a long extended mission. Now a totally hot jounin is sniffing around and you're fine with it?"

"That chuunin was sent on his mission regardless of any feelings he might have expressed toward you. His team was right for the job. That's all." Gaara's tone was bland and without inflection.

"Yeah right." Hanabi sneered. "And you didn't answer my question. You're alright with my date tonight? Not that it matters, it's not like we're a couple. So tonight is okay, riiiiight?" She poked the beast deliberately.

With Razan? Sure." Gaara walked by her, pausing to whisper in her ear. "But, and I'm only guessing here, he made it a double date with you and ...still a guess ...Michi and whomever he's seeing?"

Hanabi jerked her head, how had he known that?

"Don't get too upset when your date is too busy flirting with our water user to buy you popcorn." Gaara's ghost of a smile returned as he headed back into his office, leaving a fuming Hanabi behind. "Have fun!"

"It's still better than your boring dinner!" She called back after him, refusing to let him have the last word.

o.O.o.O.o.O

In a safe cavern, Yurasu disposed of the body of his former employer. No one could be witness to him being ...not defeated ...no ...but not a victory either. No witnesses.

Blood spattered as he whistled, chopping up the body to leave out for the wildlife in the area. Gore splashed on his bare forearm and he paused. He'd had to rip off his sleeve. Because of an exploding tag. A tag that someone had gotten close enough to him to place.

Yurasu smiled. That kunoichi had guts, he'd have to hand it to her on that point. Still. Kaji. A mystery woman. A puzzle. And he did so love a good puzzle. Hopefully she'd be worth it. If not, Yurasu hacked off another gruesome piece of his former employer.

If Kaji wasn't worth it, there was always more wildlife to feed.

Yurasu smiled beatifically and pulled out the man's heart, holding it up with a satisfied smile. He did so enjoy his work.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	36. Social Graces

Face scrubbed clean, his hair still damp from the shower, Michi dipped the brush into the colored nail enamel. "I still think this is a mistake."

Hanabi shrugged, not bothering to look at her friend as she wiggled her toes. "Red. Definitely red."

"The violet looks better." Michi pursed his lips.

"Red is more eye-catching." Hanabi protested and blindly pointed down at her toes as she kept her head back and let the cleansing mask do it's work. "RED!"

Michi sighed and painted her smallest toe nail red, then the next toe.

Rocks walked into the room and sighed as he sunk down into the futon. "Red? Are you giving up and declaring victory for the Kazekage by wearing his personal color?"

Hanabi's head popped up comically as Michi laughed outright and reached automatically for the nail enamel remover. "Told you violet would look better on you."

The kunoichi's pale eyed-gaze pinned Rokuro. "That was mean!"

"I feel mean." Rocks snarled.

The other two stilled and then shot each other a telling glance, subsiding back into what they were doing before. Michi began removing the red polish and Hanabi settled back down, hoping her cleansing mask hadn't cracked.

Rocks pouted as the silence extended, finally he sighed. "Shoobu canceled our date tonight."

Michi nodded mutely, keeping his eyes off their teammate as he whistled tunelessly and picked up the violet nail enamel. "I don't have a date tonight either. I'm stuck playing nurse maid to Kaji here."

Hanabi kicked the water user with her other foot, striking his shoulder without much strength since she was laying back anyway.

The blue-haired shinobi grimaced. "You don't have a date because both the guys you've been seeing are out on missions." He paused and shook his head. "You shouldn't play them against each other like that, it's mean."

"Rude." Hanabi muttered and wiggled her toes demandingly.

"Fun." Michi responded with a grin. "And they are both great in their own ways."

"I like Razan." Hanabi said pointedly. "You should choose him."

The water ninja slapped her knee in retaliation. "Only because he flirts outrageously with you and buys you anything you want at the movies."

"Your point?" The kunoichi mused with a purr in her voice.

"My point is that Shoobu is a stupid name and Rocks is better off without her." Michi changed the subject from his love life back over to his teammate's.

"Shameless." Rocks muttered, but didn't argue with the directional change in the conversation. "She's named after the Japanese Iris. It's a pretty flower."

"Suna is a desert." Michi finished with one of Hanabi's feet and turned his attention to the other. "It's a whimsical name at best in a place that finds value only in the practical. Besides, she's an idiot."

Rocks waggled his head to show he wasn't arguing the point. "Dumped me tonight because a friend of a friend of hers MIGHT be able to get her a choice spot in the restaurant where the Kazekage is hosting some foreign delegates."

Hanabi winced.

Michi shook his head and spoke without pity. "You knew she was a fangirl when you asked her out. Rocks, you knew she'd jump at the chance to date you so she could get close to Hanabi and might accidentally run into Gaara."

The air ninjutsu specialist shrugged and gave a rueful grin. "Yeeeah." He admitted. "And it worked, for a while. But Hanabi, you could have been nicer to her."

"No I couldn't. She mispronounced 'Kaji' when we were first introduced. As a slam, it reeked and was pathetic at best. If that's the best she can offer as a rival? No, I could not be nicer to her. She's a flake and not worth my ...or your ...time. " The kunoichi frowned, then gave a small 'eep' as she felt the mask crack. Reaching up, she poked at the hardened goop on her face. "I think I'm done."

"Oh, she was worth it." Rocks whistled, tucking his arms behind his head and grinning. "And luckily there are plenty more Gaara fangirls out there just waiting for a chance to get close to you, Hanabi. And they can use me all they want."

"You're a pig." The kunoichi snarled, balling up a towel and beaning her teammate in the head with it. "Now toss that back, I need it to wash off my face."

Michi laughed as he watched his teammate's antics just as there was a sharp knock at the door. Still chuckling he went to answer and then paused, making sure that Hanabi's uncovered face could not be seen from the hallway. Satisfied, he opened the door, his eyes widening at the delicate arrangement of flowers sitting on their doorstep unattended.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho was frowning as she juggled the scrolls of meticulously taken notes she was carrying back to her quarters. Three fell as she reached for the handle on the door. She shot a hard look over at Sai, who only gave her one of his fake smiles. "Someone who can manage a real smile, would pick those up for me."

"As you told me not five minutes ago, my smile is still less than real. What was the word you used? Strained? Insincere? No, those were yesterday. Today you called my smile ..."

"Ersatz." She muttered. "At least you could do is open the door. It would not lower your ...what did you call it? Oh yes, 'operational readiness' to open the door, now would it?"

"Just as I had to look up 'ersatz' to find out it means the same thing as 'fake', then you clearly need to look up 'operational readiness'." Sai fake smiled her again. "If my hands are occupied, then they are not free to defend you. Therefore it would affect my operational readiness to pick up scrolls or open a door."

"It would take half a second to turn the door handle!" Shiho snarled.

Sai's expression didn't change. "That's half a second too long considering that there is someone in your room."

Shiho's snarl froze on her face as she turned wide eyes on her closed door. Then her look turned speculative. Her mind raced. She looked at Sai and then back to the door, then back to Sai again.

"Not Shino or Temari." She muttered, thinking out loud. "She's out on a sweep of the various guard posts and we passed him in the hallway on the way here."

Sai nodded.

"You haven't drawn your weapons, so not a foreigner." Shiho pursed her lips. "Ibiki would call me to him, rather than visit my room. Besides, we met to go over my progress deciphering scrolls only this morning."

The artist ninja nodded, waiting for her to try and figure it out.

"You're still trying to fake a smile, so someone that you at least have met before. Not a friend, as you've told me you have none."

"Correct." Sai said plainly. "Go on."

"You haven't put yourself between me and the door, so ... Kakashi? Naruto? Sakura?"

"No, no and no."

Shiho frowned, then smiled. "Ah! Shizune must have arrived early! I didn't think she'd be here until next week."

"No." Sai let the fake smile fall from his lips.

"No?" Shiho sounded disappointed that her guess was wrong.

The door opened suddenly and a scowling dog ninja leaned against the open doorway looking very put out. He glared at Shiho as her blue eyes widened in alarm. "No. It's not Shizune. And apparently I don't even qualify a guess."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara looked up as they entered his office. He didn't smile, but his expression lightened considerably. His jade-green gaze lingered a moment on the two, noting that they looked happy and well. "You're early." Was all he said though.

Kankuro, reading between the lines, smiled. "Hinata was anxious to get here."

"The puppeteer corps have been hounding me about budgets for supplies. I signed off on the wood and metal, but what do I care about paint?" Gaara muttered with mock darkness.

Kankuro shrugged. "At least let me settle in, shake the sand from my boots before starting in on me."

Both brothers nodded, knowing that they had just said 'I missed you' without actually having said a single word on the subject. And no such word would be offered, but it was understood just the same.

Hinata looked back and forth between the two brothers, trying to hide her disappointment.

Gaara flicked a look her way. "You arrived early. And she is not one to wait around, especially in my presence. But don't worry I'll send a message and ..."

There was the sound of a high pitched squeal, some mysterious crunching noises, and then the distinct sound of breaking wood.

Gaara stood as Kankuro turned to frown at the closed office door. Hinata activated her Byakugan, and smiled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba actually growled as he looked down at Shiho's feet, and picked up the dropped scrolls. He turned and tossed them negligently onto her rumpled bed. "Don't you rate someone to clean your room once or twice a year or something?" He sneered. "I've seen animal pens better kept."

The kunoichi flushed red, then narrowed her blue eyes on him. Her uncovered blue eyes. Kiba frowned, who was she wearing contacts for out here? He glanced menacingly up at Sai.

"The few servants we have out here aren't allowed in Nezumi's room. Too sensitive. Too much spying going on." Sai said with unflappable calm.

Kiba went still for a moment, his eyes widening. "Rat? You call her rat?"

Shiho drew up to her full height, which did not equal Kiba's. "Rats are considered creative, honest and generous."

"Quick tempered too." Kiba muttered under his breath.

"Did you need something?" Shiho tried to sound haughty, but she wasn't sure she was any more successful than Sai was at smiling.

Kiba sighed and ran one hand wearily through his hair.

"OH!" Shiho exclaimed, dropping her scrolls on the bed as she smiled happily.

Kiba relaxed a bit, she'd probably just realized that he'd ...his thought processes stalled as Shiho pushed him aside to drop down and hug a panting Akamaru.

"You look thinner!" Shiho ran her hands over the nin-dog's ears. She turned her head to frown up at Kiba. "You're not taking care of him right!"

Akamaru 'woofed' happily and licked the side of Shiho's face as his tail swept across the floor dislodging some ink quills from beneath the futon.

Kiba groaned and rolled his eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara had half a second to register that Hinata had smiled and relaxed, letting him know this wasn't an attack ...but it had to be a certain kunoichi instead.

Kankuro was the only one who startled even slightly when the door swung open with so much force it slammed shut again. He raised an eyebrow at the quick look he'd had of the young female ninja before the door swung open more carefully this time.

Then the puppeteer ducked as a bunch of flowers went sailing over his head toward the Kazekage of Suna.

Gaara didn't even blink as sand whipped up and caught the flowers at least six inches in front of his desk, not even close to his head.

Kankuro sniffed derisively as he ran his hand over his neck where the water from the vase had dripped as it had passed over him toward his younger brother. He looked over at the strange young woman and then back at a smiling and happy Hinata.

He sighed happily. "Well, you look different, Mushroom."

The kunoichi, both masks in place, stopped cold and dropped her jaw. "You're early!" She crowed and she swung her head toward Hinata as she took a running leap for her sister.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba glared at Sai. Sai's expression changed not one iota. Kiba sighed, apparently the artist nin wasn't leaving anytime soon. "I've been cleared and debriefed by Ibiki." He said, hoping this would send the other man away.

Sai blinked and in no other away acknowledged the dog-ninja's words.

Shiho finally finished petting Akamaru and stood, one hand still in the canine's fur. She looked at Kiba with a soft smile. Kiba swallowed wrong all of a sudden and started choking, sputtering and coughing.

"You alright?" Shiho asked, her smile fading a bit.

Kiba nodded and waved one hand at her to indicate he was fine.

Shiho looked at Sai. "Well?"

Sai slid his eyes to her. "What?"

"Do something?" She asked, unsure. "Whack him on the back or something."

Kiba growled, sputtered and held up one hand to fend off any move from Sai. The artist shinobi never moved. "I ...I'm fine." Kiba managed finally.

"You didn't help." Shiho crossed her arms and looked at Sai. "I thought you were going to work on appearing more like everyone else. To help you with your covert work."

Sai shrugged. "If he needs help breathing, there's little I can do for him."

"But the same kind of person who would smile, would have helped." Shiho explained as if to a child.

Sai thought about it a moment, then shrugged. "You didn't help." He pointed out.

Shiho flushed a bit red, knowing that she hadn't rushed to help Kiba either. But ...but she felt awkward around the Inuzuka, and the thought of touching him made her stomach feel funny. Even after all this time. In fact her stomach sort of felt like it used to when Shikamaru would come to visit her office. Shiho gulped hard as soon as the thought formed and she pushed it firmly away.

Kiba and Shikamaru were as different as day from night. No comparison.

Ignoring the comment, Shiho pasted a fake smile on her own face and turned to Kiba. "Do you have a message for me or something?"

"No." Kiba mumbled, half under his breath. Frankly he wasn't sure why he'd stopped by to see her. Yet ...yet now that he had, he had a bad feeling that he wouldn't be able to simply banish her from his thoughts. No. Not the way his body was responding even though they weren't even flirting with each other! Damned piece of his anatomy was pressing against his pants and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it!

"Surely you have something to show me." Shiho persisted. It kind of hurt that he'd need a reason to visit her, rather than just stopping by. But then, she wasn't the type of girl that drew men to her for no reason and she knew it. "Something to deliver?"

Sai looked over at Kiba, his eyes missing nothing. He pointed down below the dog-nin's midriff to a certain bulge. "Maybe he just wanted to show you his penis."

One beat. Two beats. Explosion.

Shiho backed away with a confused looking Akamaru as the two Leaf shinobi proceeded to tear each other, and her room, apart.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi and Rocks got the the Kazekage's door just in time to see Hanabi jump into her sister's arms. Relaxing a bit, they grinned. Michi looked behind him at Gaara's staff and waved them off then he and Rocks headed into the office and shut the door firmly behind them.

Kankuro reached over and grabbed the bone mask of the mountain lion and tugged, pulling it free. Then the second mask. He leaned in and grinned. "It really IS you under all this!"

Hinata laughed and held Hanabi tightly as the two kunoichi grinned wildly.

All the men in the room stopped a moment, stunned by what they saw. Two of the most gorgeous women that any of them knew. Side by side, though not mirror images.

Hinata was still the taller, but by only a very narrow margin. She was also the softer looking of the two women, gentler. Hinata's movements were all grace and gentility. Hanabi's held grace as well, but also held a lot of restrained power.

Kankuro wasn't fooled, he knew Hinata to be a powerful fighter. But her looks often belied that, making many underestimate her. Hanabi? Hanabi looked like what she was, a barely contained explosion of possibilities. Energy fairly radiated off the younger sister.

Hanabi was more slender, not as well endowed. But then she was younger and had not had two children. Still, going for sheer beauty, Hinata still won. Going for a purely magnetic draw? Hanabi, hand's down.

Michi and Rocks shared a look, both surprised. They'd been with Hanabi all this time, the changes in her had been subtle over the last two years and closeness breeds contempt. Or at least a blindness to the fact that Hanabi was not longer a child ...either technically nor physically.

Gaara stood still, his unblinking gaze never leaving a certain Leaf kunoichi. Kankuro grinned, it wasn't Hinata holding the red-head's rapt attention.

Hinata looked her sister up and down, clearly approving of what she saw. Then a look of confusion as she asked, "Hanabi? Why do you have only eight toe nails painted?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki glowered at all three of them from across his desk.

"I can explain." Shiho started, then stopped. She frowned. "Well, actually maybe not."

Kiba's voice was muffled as his lip was swollen and grossly purplish. "He started it."

"That sounds childish." Shiho snapped, turning on the dog ninja.

Dark brown eyes narrowed. "Well, he did!"

Ibiki remained silent, the vein beside his left eye twitching as he glared at them all equally.

"Sai's duty is to stay with me, protect me while I'm here. He and some others take rotations." Shiho sounded snotty now. "You? I still don't know why you came. You haven't delivered your message."

That's because there was no message! Kiba fumed, unwilling to give her that piece of embarrassing information. "His job is also to kill you if the need should arise!" He countered, shifting the argument away from the nonexistent message she seemed to think he was holding for her. At least his traitorous body was back under control, thanks to his brawl with Sai.

"Of course." Shiho said with way too much calm for Kiba's frayed mood.

"Of course?! Of course!" Kiba rounded on her, backing her up three steps as he went red in the face. A drop of blood formed on his split lip. "How can you be so cavalier about your own life? He's here to KILL you!"

Shiho blinked, her back up against a file cabinet as she stared into the face of Kiba's anger. Just what was he so upset about anyway? "But ...but that's only if he can't protect me. I ..."

"IF?! IF?" Kiba pointed his finger in her face and Ibiki sighed.

"Back off, now." Ibiki stated firmly. Then raised his voice when the dog-ninja didn't move as quickly as he would have liked. "NOW!"

As suddenly as he'd pushed his way into her personal space, he was gone. Shiho drew in a shaky breath, feeling that trembling in her stomach again, only worse.

Sai looked at Kiba and smiled again, still looking less than sincere. He pointed down at Kiba's body. "He's doing it again."

Kiba went cold still and sent a murderous look Sai's way, all the angrier because the art ninja was right. His body was reacting to the closeness with Shiho. "Say it again and I'll kill you this time." He snapped his fingers at Akamaru and swept from the office with his head held high, he was about to make a clean get away when the ANBU torture division leader's voice stopped him cold.

Ibiki sighed. Heaven save him. "This is about sex?"

Shiho looked confused as she shook her head.

"You destroyed a room, caused no end of problems for me personally, and nearly destroyed nearly two years of notes ..."

"Actually, I saved the scrolls." Shiho interrupted helpfully.

Ibiki ignored her. "This is because you want to screw around." He jabbed his finger in Kiba's direction.

"You have no filter on your mouth and don't know when to shut the fuck up." Ibiki turned his fury on Sai. "And you!" He pointed at Shiho next.

"What did I do?" She mouthed, the words not coming out as her brain had stalled on the very idea that Kiba wanted to fool around. With her? No. Not possible.

"Too naive by half!" Ibiki raised his voice, making Shiho blush wildly and lean against the far wall.

"Leave her alone!" Kiba had turned back and was now glaring at the scarred jounin with pure malice.

"No. YOU leave her alone!" Ibiki snarled back. "Take your hormones and go back to your mission. You've delivered your message and it's on the way to Konoha now. I want you gone."

Wait. Shiho's mind was having trouble following, something she was NOT used to at all. Kiba's message wasn't for her? Then why had he shown up in her room? The words 'screw around' kept repeating over and over in her head like a litany.

"Bye." Sai said simply.

Kiba's faced looked like he was about to explode.

Ibiki coughed and shook his head. "Sai? Do you want a third cracked rib to add to your collection today? Kiba has already tap danced on your body once."

Shiho looked between the faces of each of the three men. She could decipher all sorts of codes with ease. She was an expert in all areas of cryptology including ciphers and algorithms as well as frequency datum, letter combinations, and universal patterns. She'd been a master with cryptolinguistics since she was nearly twelve years old! But this byplay ...this situation ... "What is going on?" The words slipped from her before she could even think about it.

Ibiki sighed and stood. "What is going on is that you are caught in a love triangle."

"Don't make fun of me." Shiho drew back, looking stunned.

"Kiba has no business seeking you out after he completed his mission. Unless you are friends?"

Shiho shook her head. "I haven't seen him in two years, and we were ...we never ..."

"We're friends." Kiba said loudly, looking furious.

The cryptologist was speechless as she turned huge blue eyes on the dog ninja.

"And Sai is jealous over his one friend having other friends." Ibiki continued.

Sai drew up, looking tense all of a sudden. "I have no friends." He said matter-of-factly.

Ibiki spread his hands toward Shiho and gave a quick laugh. "See. One claims you are only his friend, nothing more. The other claims that you're not his friend at all. What is interesting? They're both lying."

Sai looked like he was undecided about what to do or say. Kiba looked ready to tear something apart. "You boys want to leave now?" Ibiki said smoothly.

They were gone in under three seconds.

Shiho stared at the door they'd closed behind them, feeling like she might keel over at any moment.

Ibiki poured a cup of sake. "Glad you could save your scrolls, by the way. Otherwise I'd have had to string them both up by pieces of their anatomy that they've been thinking with other than their brains."

"Huh?" Shiho took the cup of sake without even registering what she was holding. The first sip made her cough and wheeze as she hadn't been ready for it at all.

"So. What do you think of my analytical skills?" He mused.

Shiho shook her head and handed back the still full sake cup. "Kiba doesn't want me that way ...he, he just doesn't. I've seen the kind of girl he's attracted to, and that's not me."

Ibiki shrugged.

"And Sai? Sai's not jealous. He can't even smile properly, trust me ...jealousy isn't something he knows anything about." Shiho said more firmly, finally starting to relax now that the two boys were gone from the room.

"And here I thought you were smart, Nezumi." Ibiki laughed and pointed towards his door. "Come on, I'll take you over to the supply rooms and you can choose some new things to go in your room."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi looked down at her toes, scowling. The unfinished job made her remember why she'd stormed over here in the first place. She turned on Gaara, glaring.

Michi and Rocks tensed up. "Uh oh."

"How DARE you!"

Gaara stood his ground and cocked his head slightly to one side. "I dare a lot. You'll have to be more specific."

"Flowers." Fumed Hanabi, crossing her arms and frowning sharply. "My doorstep."

Kankuro and Hinata were looking a bit confused. The older sister ran one hand down Hanabi's back. "Flowers are a nice gesture."

"Not when they're flying over head to be delivered." Kankuro muttered.

Gaara shrugged. "I don't much care for flowers. Didn't know that you did. Although I've heard they're a part of traditional courtship." He slid his pale-jade eyes over to the discarded bouquet. "I didn't think throwing them at a person showed any romantic feeling though. Then again. Since it's you that we're talking about ..." His voice trailed off.

"Idiot!" Hanabi yelled, stalking right up to the Kazekage with a fearlessness that few in the world could claim. "I'm not bringing you flowers, you sent them to me! And I don't like it!"

Gaara frowned and leaned in over his desk to within a few inches of her face. "I didn't send them to you, you threw them at me." He said, breathing in the spicy mixture of her own personal scent.

"You didn't send them?" Hanabi drew back, her temper leeching away as she stared at Gaara's open expression. "Well damn."

Rocks cracked a smile. "Oops."

Michi hit Rokuro on the back of the head to make him shut up. It didn't work.

"Well now. Perhaps those flowers were meant for either Michi or myself. Our team leader DID say there was no card. And I did say that you were leaping to conclusions by saying ...I mean screaming ...that Gaara must have sent them." Rocks smirked over at the kunoichi with the flaming red face. "So, I say again ...Oops."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai and Kiba stood at the end of the main hallway. Neither looked at each other. Kiba turned to head toward the outside, intent on leaving. But then he turned, catching the other shinobi's eyes. "You did that on purpose."

"It wasn't me your body was reacting to, now was it." Sai said blandly. "Or was it?"

"Shut up." Kiba said without much heat. "I know that you know not to say things like that aloud. I've heard Naruto, Sakura and even Kakashi lecture you on it before. Hell, even Anko slapped you once a few years ago. You're not stupid. Why did you do that? What did you gain?"

Sai shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Whatever. I'm out of here. Tell Shiho ...no, never mind." Kiba grumbled and whistled for Akamaru to follow as he headed off to collect his travel gear.

Sai continued to stand there for a long moment. Outwardly he looked still. Unmoved. On the inside? He was wondering why the hell he'd said what he'd said too. Shiho, a friend? No. Friendship denoted emotions that he simply did not possess. So ...why?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You really didn't send me flowers?" Hanabi asked almost glumly.

Gaara shook his head negatively. "Did you want me to send you some?" He asked with genuine curiousity.

Hanabi shook her head as well. "No."

The red-head nodded, feeling slightly disappointed. Then again, he didn't care much for flowers, so it should be a plus that she didn't either.

"One of you boys has an admirer." Hinata said, moving to scoop up the discarded flowers to hand to Rokuro.

Rocks cocked his head toward Michi. "Not me. Mine has the hots for the Kazekage, and she dumped me anyway." He said without heat or any hint of jealousy.

Kankuro nodded. "I remember what that's like. All the girls you want, as long was you take them around the object of their TRUE desire. Sucked."

Hinata frowned over at her husband. "I'm sure that not all the girls were after Gaara."

"Pretty much." Rocks and Kankuro both muttered.

The Hyuuga shook her head sadly at them both, then smiled. "Rokuro? Your family sends their love and your mother sent us with some baked goods for you all."

Rocks perked up at that, his mouth already watering. "Two years! Two years without homemade pie! It's just not the same out here."

"Not homemade, anyway." Michi teased. "Any word from my family?"

Hinata nodded. "Your mother's last check-up went very well, she'll be ready to have your new brother any time now."

Michi shook his head in mock despair. "I begged for years for a sibling, but nooooo ...they only wanted one. Me. Now I'm 'dead' and they have two more? Why do I feel like I'm being replaced?"

Kankuro laughed and clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "Cheer up, when you do go home you'll have missed all the sleepless nights and potty training. You'll have two little brothers all ready to idolize you."

Perking up, the water jutsu specialist smiled. "True, very true."

"Speaking of babies, where are the twins?" Hanabi pouted, wrapping her hand around Hinata's hand. "I ...I really ..."

"She's homesick." Gaara said for her.

"Am not!" Hanabi countered, biting off the words with a glare for the red-head.

Kankuro grinned. "I see that the courtship is still in the 'non' phase?"

Michi and Rocks nodded. "Oh yeah."

Gaara grunted and looked at the clock on the wall. "There's a dinner for the Earth Country delegation tonight. I didn't know you'd be here today, but I think we can squeeze you in."

Hinata's hand tightened on Hanabi's. "I'd rather stay and catch up with my sister."

Kankuro frowned. "It'll look odd. A foreign ninja hanging around with someone she's not supposed to have ever met before?"

Hinata's face fell and she looked so sad.

Michi stepped up. "You could say that Hinata isn't feeling well. Hint that she might be expecting or something. She'd could stay here and rest. With all the assassination attempts on the Hyuuga, it would be nothing for the Kazekage to order guards for his sister-by-marriage. Kaji would be a good choice for that."

"Kaji?" Hinata protested, not wanting a stranger around her when she was visiting with Hanabi.

But the younger Hyuuga grinned widely. "I'm Kaji." She explained.

"Oh?" Hinata smiled, and it was like the sun coming out after a long wet rain. Everyone smiled with her, they couldn't help it. Except for Gaara, though he did look like he was relieved by the plan.

"Good." The Kazekage said. "That's settled. Kankuro, you'll have to attend with me. Kaji can 'guard' Hinata, though it does throw the dinner numbers off."

"I'll just go as your 'date'." Kankuro teased his younger brother.

Gaara shrugged and turned to gather his cloak, his back to Hanabi when he answered the puppeteer. "Won't work, I already have a companion for dinner tonight."

"Baki?" Kankuro nodded.

"No, but he and his wife will be attending. You can catch up with him." Gaara said quietly.

Beside Hinata, the younger kunoichi slowly stiffened, tensing up. Just who was Gaara's 'companion'? Her eyes narrowed on the Kazekage's back dangerously.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba felt like a coward, sneaking out without saying goodbye. But a guy's pride could only take so much bruising in one day.

First, Shiho hadn't even considered that he would visit her. Never even crossed her supposedly-brilliant mind. Then having his attraction to her pointed out when it was so obviously not reciprocated by her. Damn that Sai! Next there was Ibiki. Calling him on everything! Right in front of her! AND SHE STILL DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE WANTED HER!

Kiba groaned and stopped cold in his tracks. He wanted her? He glared around him, but there was no one. He was alone with Akamaru. But ...did he want her? Shiho? He glanced down at himself and winced. His body had certainly thought so. He'd reacted to her, and only her ...twice.

And ...he HAD called out her name during sex with another woman. But. BUT! He'd not seen her in two years! Then again, he hadn't felt his usual self while dating in about that long too. But Shiho? She wasn't even beautiful! Or easy!

Kiba chuckled to himself. There was nothing about Shiho that was easy. Nothing.

"I'm a coward." He muttered and turned to stare back at the way he'd come.

Akamaru barked in agreement, making Kiba sigh.

"Fine. We're going back." He sniffed the air, feeling refreshed now that he'd come to a decision. He looked over at Akamaru and grinned, his fangs showing. "I want Shiho and I'll be damned if I let her go that easily!"

Akamaru barked more emphatically this time, wagging his tail.

Kiba grinned and took a deep breath, then frowned sharply. His senses were keener than even that of a canine these days, especially when he was on alert. And a good shinobi was always on alert when traveling. He sniffed again, then frowned. They weren't alone.

There was someone approaching the Akatsuki fortress from about a mile away. Who was it? Kiba grinned. He now had the perfect excuse to return to the fortress. "Come on, boy!" He called quietly to Akamaru. "Let's find out something interesting and take it back to Ibiki. Then we'll stop by and seduce a sharp-tongued librarian. And if artist-boy objects, he's got more ribs that I can break!"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	37. Gesshirui

"Am I boring you?" Hinata asked quietly from her seat in the large, if plainly decorated, guest room. Kankuro had given up his apartment in Suna long ago, but she'd only found out about it today. Why it gave her a shiver of happiness when she'd found out, she really couldn't say.

"Mm?" Hanabi tapped the table top distractedly as she only half-way listened.

"Nowaki has learned to fly now, and it's making Ryusei so jealous." Hinata continued in her soft voice. "And Katashi ran away to join the circus."

Hanabi nodded absently. "Jealousy isn't good between twins." She commented absently.

The elder sister sat back in her chair and fell silent, watching. Waiting. But it seemed that Hanabi was content to look out the window in quiet. Finally Hinata sat forward and reached for the bread and cheese plate that had been sent up earlier, along with some fruit. This reunion just wasn't striking the right ...

"Hungry?" Hanabi jumped up and grabbed her sister's hand. "Good idea. Let's go eat!"

"Hmfph?" Hinata protested plainly as she was dragged from her comfy seat.

"I know JUST the restaurant!" Hanabi's eyes gleamed for a moment, then she pulled her mask back into place. As the bone skull mask was pulled on as well, Hinata wondered if there was anything left of the young girl she knew inside this strange Suna kunoichi.

As Hanabi gave a tug on her sister's arm, Hinata planted her feet. "What are you up too?" She asked in her usual soft voice, but her chin was poking out. She wasn't going anywhere without an explanation. "You're distracted, you're being rude, and you've been ignoring me for nearly an hour now. Hanabi?"

"Kaji." The younger sister said with a small smirk. "Father let them kill Hanabi off. I'm still her, but I'm also Kaji now. And yes, I am distracted. Rude? Maybe. And I've not been ignoring you at all. Like I really believe that Nowaki learned to fly."

Hinata stepped back, running her Hyuuga eyes up and down her little sister. Where had the polite if mischievous girl gone? Gone was the pretty and polished look of a proper Hyuuga heiress. Instead, there was a dangerous, bone-masked kunoichi that dripped with disdain, sharp humor, and thrumming with pure energy.

Suddenly, the smirk faded and an outright laugh formed. Hinata's eyes rounded slightly as she watched her sister throw back her head and laugh outrageously in a way that, well before Anko, just wasn't done in the Hyuuga household. Too loud, too undignified. "Who are you?" She whispered.

Hanabi shrugged and grabbed again for her sister's hand. "I'm me. Killing me off was the best thing that could have happened. I'm free, completely free!" Her smile drooped slightly. "I'm sorry, I do miss you, I really do. But here in Suna I have no expectations. No one looking at my behavior and comparing it to what the ideal of how a Hyuuga should behave. Sure, I miss everyone, but I'll never be THAT Hanabi again."

"You've completely changed." Hinata sighed and nodded with a soft look.

"No." Hanabi mused, tugging Hinata forward. "I'm me, just plain me. All this move did was strip away the false veneer of being a Hyuuga heiress. All that I was underneath? Now it's out front and center!"

"Heaven help us all." Hinata smiled and let herself be led out of the guest rooms. "Now, where are we going? I thought I was pretending to rest?"

Hanabi whipped around and her smirk was back in full force. "We are going to ruin Gaara's date."

Hinata was three steps down the hallway when she stalled and sputtered. "We're going to what?"

"Ruin his date for tonight." Hanabi pulled her sister along almost by sheer force of personality and not a little tugging. "He ruined mine, now I'm going to ruin his!" She quibbled. Like it had been Gaara's fault that she hadn't caught on to the fact that Razan was looking to get closer to Michi, rather than her. Still, it rankled that he'd been the one to point it out to her. "Payback has my name all over it!"

"I thought the saying was that 'payback is a b ...' well, you know." Hinata protested even as she let her sister drag her out a side entrance to the street level.

"Exactly!" Hanabi crowed. "Now let's move! Dinner will be served soon, and I need to be there!"

Hinata sighed and gave in to the inevitable. She just hoped Gaara wouldn't hold it against her!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari turned her nose up in disgust, passing on the barely palatable travel stew. The young chuunin flushed slightly and nodded curtly before walking away.

The blonde kunoichi sighed and mentally shrugged the moment off. Let the youngster think that she was too good for his cooking. Better than trying to explain her nausea and clanging nerves. Heaven was merciful when it turned out she was on duty for making the rounds of the guard posts. She'd needed to get out of that damned fortress.

And away from Shino.

Casting her teal-colored gaze around the horizon, she sent a mental and silent apology to her husband. But he saw too much from behind those damned tinted glasses of his. After nearly two years of peace, her world had shattered once more. Another damn miscarriage not even two months ago. And every glance, every touch with Shino being supportive and sympathetic had rubbed her the wrong way.

She didn't want sympathy. Temari wanted to draw blood. She wanted to fight tooth and nail and tear something apart. She was too fucking angry for sympathy!

A slight shift in the wind had her turning, looking toward the left. Had there been ...no, no it was fine. Temari searched with her senses and frowned. She could not sense a living soul. And yet ...

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's obvious!" The representative from the Earth Country spat out, his eyes nearly bulging with temper.

Ibiki frowned and crossed his arms. "It only looks obvious." He said calmly, trying not to wipe his desk as he sure the other man was nearly spitting in his rage. It took a lot not to let his own temper slip out of control. Something about this man rubbed him the wrong way.

"Leaf is trying to take back all the tailed beasts, aren't you? Aren't you!" Korin's face was mottled and red at the same time, waving his arms for emphasis.

Sighing, Rakuai from the Grass Village slid his eyes to meet those of Ibiki. The two men were not friends, but after two years they'd come to a sort of mutual bond in their distaste for the shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Rocks. Not for the first time both men regretted that the first delegate from Earth Country, Junzo, had been injured while attempting to defuse yet another Akatsuki trap.

Still, Junzo had survived and had even managed to open up a whole new cavern system. An important one at that. Still, it had meant that Korin had stepped up from Junzo's assistant to take over his responsibilities for a while.

Shino spoke quietly but firmly. "It has been a majority decision that though it appears as if we've found the caverns in which the tailed beasts are incarcerated ..."

"APPEARS?" Korin's breathing was getting ragged. "The names of the tailed beasts are outlined clearly in front of each cavern shooting off from the main cavern space we've uncovered! And it was Earth that found the caves, not Leaf or Grass!"

"Uncovered only a month ago." Ibiki said stoically, determined not to let the fool get a rise out of him. "And without all the traps the Akatsuki were so fond of placing."

Korin reined in his temper and managed to retake his seat. "There were traps ..." He began.

"Not enough." Shino interrupted, though not raising his voice. "Not enough traps. The Akatsuki put traps on everything. Everything, including their closets as we've found out the hard way. But this new cavern? Only cursory traps were there."

Korin shook his head, his scalp nearly gleaming underneath the buzzed hairstyle he wore. "Over two years we've gotten good at defusing and spotting these traps, that's all. This is it! The find we've all been sent here to find. And you will NOT hog it all for Konoha! The Rock Village will be a part of this!"

"No one is denying you access." Ibiki tried to defuse the tension in the room. "We only advise strong caution in trying to free and take control of any of the tailed beasts. All of the scrolls the Akatsuki hoarded? We're barely close to half-way through them. And none we have managed to decipher so far describe the method of incarcerating the demons, much less how to safely release them."

"None you care to share." Korin muttered under his breath, his tone nasty.

Ibiki drew in a sharp breath and prayed for patience.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"But the entrance is ...oh, okay ...fine ..." Hinata followed along after her sister as Hanabi avoided the front of the restaurant and headed for the kitchens in the back. It was there she was met with a huge surprise.

"Miss Kaji!" All of the kitchen staff smiled and bowed respectfully, and kept offering tea and tidbits to the young kunoichi until she waved them off.

"They seem to like you." Hinata whispered as the two girls sat down at a small table.

"Everyone except Gaara's fangirls love me." Hanabi said absently, activating her Byakugan.

Second shock. Hinata watched as Hanabi added three hand seals to the family bloodline limit, and then didn't say a single word to activate the Byakugan. "How did you do that?"

"Practice." Hanabi muttered, then her eyes narrowed. "Companion? Bull. I knew it was a date!" She glared through the walls at a pretty young woman clearly accompanied by her parents. The young kunoichi smirked as the 'date' for the evening stood a beat or two too long before Gaara remembered and pulled out a chair for her. "Thinks she's seeing a gentleman? Hah! He's a Kazekage, you idiot! Strength over manners!"

Hinata watched with awe as she activated her family ability, the old way. Almost embarrassed as she spoke. "Byakugan". She studied the body language a moment, then shook her head. "It looks like any other political meeting, I don't think it's a date."

But the words didn't put a dent in Hanabi's growing temper and glee as her mind raced to try and come up with the perfect retaliation.

One of the kitchen boys arrived just then, putting a plate of scrumptious looking dumplings on the table in front of the two kunoichi. His smile wouldn't stop as he bowed and started to back away. Hanabi turned and smiled at him, making the boy freeze in place and blush hideously. "I need a dozen sets of good chopsticks and the hottest chili oil that you have. Make sure it's a clear oil too!"

The boy nearly stumbled to obey as Hinata watched in horrified amusement. "Why do they all love you so?"

"They think I'm going to marry their Kazekage." Hanabi muttered, glaring through the walls at a certain red-head.

"And you're not?"

Hanabi shook her head. "I keep telling everyone that, but they won't believe me. And it's not all fun and games. This village is always on my case. 'Oh you shouldn't swear' and 'oh you shouldn't call the Kazekage names' and 'oh you have to prepare to be his bride' and 'oh you shouldn't get a tattoo'. Oh, look the bitch smiled at him."

Hinata paused in the middle of picking up a dumpling with her own chopsticks. "Tattoo? You wouldn't, you couldn't. Father would die of apoplexy. After killing you of course."

Hanabi turned back and smiled darkly. "I'm dead? Remember? Father has no say." She frowned a bit at that. "But Suna thinks it has a say! Three tattoo artists have refused me! Three! I'm over the age of consent! Trust me ...I'll find a way to get my tattoo!"

Hinata put her dumpling back down and shook her head in awe. She'd come out to Suna to find her baby sister. But Kaji was more than she'd bargained for. Oh, poor father! Hinata smiled almost wistfully and hoped that she was there to see father's face when he found out Hanabi had gotten a tattoo.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba snuck in close to the two men who'd split off from the main group. His breath caught as he recognized the Cloud Village symbol on their headband protectors. He studied them a moment, taking in their obvious youth and inexpert way they travelled. They were leaving a trail. It was a subtle one, but these were not battle-tried shinobi. Not yet.

"I don't see why we have to run the messages." One young man growled. "We're both chuunin now."

The other shrugged. "Barely. And I think they only passed you on the tests because they're desperate to build their numbers up."

The first boy took in a sharp breath and hit the other one.

Kiba fought the urge to roll his eyes. They were both idiots and unworthy of their titles. Fighting like that? Letting him sneak in this close without being noticed? Idiots.

"Stop! Stop! We can't waste our time like this." The second boy said even as he landed a fist on the chin of the first boy. "Our message is too important!"

The first boy pulled back and shrugged, wincing. "Our message is for shit. It's nonsense."

"I'm sure the jounin will know what it means."

Kiba cocked his head to one side, listening intently.

"Knock out the wind until it dies down, then poison the pests. Release the three and the gesshirui will then fall." The first boy scoffed. "It's not even in code."

Kiba stiffened from where he was, then didn't even bother knocking out the two hapless chuunin as he headed back to get Akamaru. Wind? Temari of course! And poison the pests? Possibly referring to Shino. He thought about his options, and decided that Temari's group was closer and besides. Shino could take care of himself. Kiba hoped so, anyway. But what about the rest of the code?

Something tickled at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The Hokage sat back, reading and re-reading the missive from Naruto. She looked at Shizune, but knew that the decision would be left up to her. She was the leader of Konoha after all.

"Who's guarding our guest?"

Shizune didn't even blink as she answered. "Lee and TenTen took over yesterday."

"Go sit with her and send Lee and TenTen to me." Tsunade said, making her decision and praying it was the right way to go.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara was bored. He was hard pressed not to yawn as his dinner companion, Haniko, told yet another story about shopping for silks.

Kankuro watched with amusement, though he too was bored. He'd forgotten how tedious these dinners could be, entertaining foreign delegates and all. The puppeteer suddenly realized that he didn't really miss being in Suna. Single. Dating women who only wanted to get closer to Gaara. Now he had Hinata at home. Beautiful, shy, sweet and loving Hinata. The only good thing his father had ever done for him was arrange his marriage when he was three years old. Damn, he still hated that man. Still, he was suprised at how little Suna called to him now. Home now meant Hinata and the twins. Not a place. Weird.

Gaara was not listening as companion prattled on and on about nothing. But he was very relieved when the first course on the menu was served. The girl would have to quiet down to eat at least.

One bite, two, and then Gaara paused. His pale jade eyes sliding over reluctantly to Miss Haniko. The little blonde was smiling rather awkwardly as she stared at her stew bowl. "Is something wrong?" He asked bluntly.

"No, no ..." The blonde girl twittered. "I'm just not used to such spicy food."

Kankuro frowned from his seat farther down the table. The stew wasn't that spicy, actually.

Gaara shrugged as the girl's father called over a waiter and asked him to bring out something a little less spicy for his daughter. The waiter did a good job of keeping the surprise off his face. The stew wasn't known for being that hot. It was a savory dish meant to tempt the palate and set up the next course, which was more spicy than this one.

The Kazekage grunted as within moments, another dish was placed in front of the young lady. Everyone watched as she reached for fresh chopsticks and took a bite. Her face froze and she whimpered. The waiter looked distressed as a tear leaked out from the blonde's cornflower blue eyes.

Back in the kitchen, Hanabi was soaking three more sets of chopsticks in clear chili oil as Hinata shook her head in vain. "You're not going to substitute those in for each course, are you?"

Hanabi smiled evilly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho opened her door and frowned out at the man standing there. "I'm not speaking to you." She informed Sai. "My reasons are because of your atrocious behavior earlier." With that she turned away.

Sai nodded and walked in, putting down her dinner tray and setting out his own dishes. The two ate in silence. Sai covertly watched Shiho and mentally nodded. Sakura had told him a time or two she wasn't going to speak to him. But she always did. Sakura couldn't keep her mouth shut. Ino was worse, though not as bad as Naruto. But Shiho could remain silent, and did.

On the one hand, he was pleased to see that Shiho kept her word and didn't go on and on lecturing him about things he didn't really care about. But on the other hand, it meant she was angry at him. He pondered that for two seconds and dismissed the thought entirely. It didn't matter.

And yet...Sai ate slowly as he recalled the day's events. Why had he pointed out Kiba's condition? He knew the words were wrong and he knew they'd cause a reaction. But what bothered Sai was not Kiba's anger, or even Shiho's. No, what bothered him was the fact that he'd said what he had without thinking about it first.

Why?

In silence the two ate, both lost in thought. Both wondering what the hell had happened earlier.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari plucked the sleeve of one of the passing guards. When he looked at her, she flashed him two signs covertly. The man nodded and walked leisurely back toward the main group of shinobi. No one watching would be able to tell that the man had just gone from relaxed to full alert.

Aoba walked over to the blonde kunoichi casually and handed her a cup of water. She took it. "How many?" He asked.

Temari shook her head and sipped the water. "Not sure. But they're waiting to ambush us on our way back. I can feel it. But I have nothing else to go on. Just a feeling."

The man nodded. They all had gut instincts. And living shinobi listened to their guts. The dead ones didn't.

Suddenly there was a crashing sound from the trees on their left and a body came flying through the air to land on the ground about a hundred feet away. All pretense was gone now as the Leaf ninja leaped into action and ...and found that the ambushers had themselves been ambushed.

Temari grinned as she fought, seeing Kiba and Akamaru fight their way toward her. She could already guess what happened. Kiba had been on his way back out when he'd spied the ambush and decided to crash the party. "We noticed them. We didn't need you to expose your presence."

"Shino would have killed me." Kiba growled and tore off the Mist headband protector. "Besides, they're out of uniform. The two I saw break off from them were Cloud."

Temari and Aoba both stiffened even as the fighting waned around them as the rest of the guards dispatched the combatants. "Oh?"

"And their code? 'Knock out the wind until it dies down, then poison the pests'. You'll need to warn Shino." Kiba growled.

Temari stiffened and Aoba shooed her off. "We'll handle this, get back to the fortress!"

"Anything else you found out?" Temari closed her fan weapon and prepared to head out.

Kiba turned to head out in the opposite direction, back toward his primary mission. "Didn't make sense. Release the three and the ..." He stopped, his tongue nearly choking him. "Rodent. They used the word 'gesshirui' for rodent. Rats! Rats are rodents ...DAMN IT!"

Temari watched with her mouth open as Kiba whistled for Akamaru and headed back toward the fortress at top speed. She was hard pressed to catch back up to him, left staring at his back in wonder. What was it? Why was he heading back toward the fortress, rather than toward wherever the Hokage had him stationed. "Tell me! I'll take the message back!" She called out to him, only to be ignored.

Kiba was kicking himself. He should have figured it out sooner. SHE would have! But then, Shiho was smarter than he was. Release the three and the rodent will then fall. He didn't know what three people needed releasing, but the rodent could only refer to Nezumi. Rat. Shiho.

He sped up even more, fear nipping at his heels as his heart beat raced. Behind him, Temari cursed and tried to keep up.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara frowned, annoyed. Haniko waved a hand in front of her face making distressed noises like a kitten.

Kankuro sighed as he watched. They were on their dessert course of all things. And this was too spicy for the little blonde too? Damn, but she was a light weight. He watched as a bead of sweat formed on her top lip as she ate the pastry with her chopsticks.

The puppeteer frowned as he noticed a slight sheen to the dark wood chopsticks, but then dismissed the thought altogether as he bit into his own dessert. It was really good. He called the waiter over and ordered a small box of the pastries to take back to Hinata and her sister. At the thought of Hanabi, though, Kankuro paused. He looked back at the distressed blonde and wondered if Hanabi was behind all of this somehow.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Time to go!" Hanabi stood, stretching as she led the way to the exit, intending to head back to the Kazekage tower.

Hinata followed behind, bemused by the whole evening. "That wasn't very nice." She chided gently.

Hanabi shrugged. "Don't care. Besides, you didn't try and stop me." She grinned and stuck out her tongue.

"Stop you? Why would she try the impossible?"

Hanabi spun and stared as Gaara walked into the kitchen. Alone. She watched as all the kitchen staff bowed and made way for him as he made his way over to the girls.

The red-head looked down at the table and at the chopsticks still soaking in clear chili sauce. He picked a set up out of the sauce and tasted it. No expression. He shrugged. "Makes sense now."

Hinata smiled nervously and blushed slightly. Hanabi crossed her arms and tapped one foot as she waited, looking far too pleased with herself.

"Why?" Gaara asked.

"She's a twit." Hanabi told him succinctly. "Besides, I owed you for the popcorn crack you made about Razan. Though you were wrong, he did buy me the popcorn after all." And then spent all night ignoring her and telling amusing things to Michi, but she didn't tell him that part of it.

Gaara nodded. "She wasn't my date, you know. The daughter of a delegate here without her husband, she just needed to be escorted."

Hanabi's mouth dropped. "Husband?"

Hinata closed her eyes, groaning as her face flushed even hotter.

Gaara's eyes traced the line of Hanabi's throat as he shrugged lightly. "Though it's good to see that you're jealous of whom I go out with."

"Jealous?" Hanabi screeched, and Hinata whipped around as every kitchen worker took cover. She watched with horror as her little sister grabbed a carving knife. Quickly Hinata performed a substitution jutsu and the knife 'poofed' out as Hanabi glared down at the carrot she was now holding.

Fuming, Hanabi held up the carrot suggestively. "You're a carrot-top, aren't you Gaara-coon?" She crooned. Smiling she traced one finger up and down the length of the carrot, making Gaara's eyes narrow dangerously on her. Seeing she had his full attention, she bit off the end of the carrot viciously and spit it out.

With that, Hinata watched her beautiful, perfect little sister spin on her heels and march out. When had Hanabi become such a ...oh ...oh ...father was NOT going to like this change in his daughter!

Gaara looked at Hinata and then turned to leave out of the opposite door, back into the restaurant. There was no expression on his face. But no anger either. He seemed, almost pleased? No, that couldn't be right, could it?

Hinata and the kichen staff were left looking at each other as they came out of hiding. Hinata swallowed hard and blushed as she stepped over the maimed carrot on the floor and hurried to the exit.

She and Hanabi needed to talk. And not just to catch up!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino rolled his shoulders in exhaustion as he sat down to pull off his boots just before someone knocked on his door. He grunted a 'thank you' as the servant came to deliver the tea he usually drank as he wrote out his daily reports.

The Earth representative was an idiot, an annoying one at that. Shino shook his head, not liking the man one bit. He sat down and reached for his pen as he let the tea cool off slightly before pouring a cup.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	38. Firsts

"That will be all." The voice was as stoic and cold as the man looked.

Ani nodded and ran her hand over Nowaki's hair in a vain attempt to make it lay flat. Both the twin boys had they're father's untamed hair. Even as she fussed with the older twin's hair, Ryusei slipped away from her side to giggle and run to climb in the big chair, bouncing up and down with glee.

Hiashi watched as the nanny pulled Ryusei off of the chair, only to make a grab at Nowaki's hand before the other boy could get away.

"You are dismissed, that will be all. Wait in the nursery for word to return." This from a Hyuuga elder the nanny was not familiar with. The old man sat on the couch looking sternly at the two little boys, who paid him no mind whatsoever as they squealed, trying to get loose of Ani's hold.

Ani nodded, but looked torn as she pulled both of the two-year old terrors firmly in front of her. "They're usually really well behaved, it's just ...I let them have some extra treats today, the sugar it winds them up. But they're missing their parents. I can get them settled down in just a moment, I ...I was just getting them ready for bed." She peered out at the darkness outside, wincing that she'd allowed the boys to stay up this late. But then the summons had arrived.

"They're fine." Hiashi stated coolly and waved one arm imperiously toward the door. "You will be informed when you are to return for them."

"Yes sir." Ani snapped to attention, hearing the voice of power. She was half-way through the door when she paused and turned worried eyes back on the twin boys. "They're usually quite behaved ..." She tried once more, but one last look at Hiashi's stern face had her hurrying from the room while looking upset.

The door closed firmly behind her.

Once alone with elder Hyuuga Hanshiro though, Hiashi paused. Unsure, though he didn't want to show it. His pale-eyes followed the twin boys as Ryusei discovered that he could push the foot rest across the floor and Nowaki decided that he wanted to hug his grandfather's leg. Hiashi hesitated as he looked down into the grinning face of his eldest grandson as the boy ruined the perfect folds of his austere robes.

"They'll be fine." Elder Hanshiro said, not unkindly.

Hiashi grunted as Nowaki's little fists clenched in the fabric of his clothing, leaving behind smears of whatever the boy had been eating when summoned to the study. "Perhaps this can wait until they calm."

The elder laughed and shook his head. "Your little Jishin wasn't any better behaved when she was tested. She did well."

Hiashi nodded as he looked down into the eyes of his grandson. Eyes that weren't strictly Hyuuga. Their light gray eyes hadn't darkened all that much over the last two years, but the brown and white flecks were more prevalent now.

"Neji's Katsuro was well behaved." Hiashi commented as from across the room Ryusei found he couldn't push the footstool any farther as he'd come up against a chair that was too heavy for him to move. The boy grunted and straightened his arms, growling as he vainly tried to push both the chair and the footstool at the same time, not realizing that his efforts were doomed to fail.

"Katsuro? He passed, but I know you worried about him as well as he was the last to talk, the last to walk, and yes he was well behaved. Too well behaved." Hanshiro commented. "But he is the more calculating of all the children, gets what he wants with the least amount of effort and the most amount of planning. Sharp."

Hiashi grunted. "While Katsuro would push the stool around the immovable object, Ryusei keeps pushing straight forward despite the hopelessness of his efforts. He's a lot like his father."

Both men watched as Nowaki let go of Hiashi's robes and ran over to his brother, and leaned in to add his own weight to the effort. Surprisingly, the chair moved about two inches and made both boys laugh gleefully.

Hanshiro grinned at the small victory. "Shall we start?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino was heading to bed early as he set his empty tea pot and cup aside, and rolling up the scrolled reports he'd been going over. Temari was out inspecting the guard posts and would not be back tonight and he had to be up before dawn tomorrow.

He yawned as he got ready for bed, rubbing absently at the bridge of his nose. He could feel the incipient headache coming on and he hoped a good night's sleep would get rid of it. Stress being the most likely culprit.

As Shino pulled back the sheets of his bed linen, he wished he'd had more of a chance to catch up with Kiba of all people. He frowned as he recalled the dust up earlier that the dog ninja had with Sai. He never would have thought he'd have missed the brash and loud Inuzuka, but he found that he had indeed. Too bad he and Kiba were on different missions this time.

Though, to be honest, Shino was rather glad Kiba wasn't stationed here at the Akatsuki fortress. Diplomacy was a huge part of this mission. A skill that the dog ninja lacked completely. Shino allowed a small smile as he thought of Kiba's reaction to the demands that the Mist shinobi were making. Calm, reasonable and measured were the touchstones of the negotiations. None of which described his former teammate.

Shino settled down into bed, his smile fading as he set aside his dark glasses and rubbed at his eyes a bit. The headache was getting a bit more persistent. Perhaps it was eyestrain from reading too many reports.

o.O.o.O.o.O

There were many differences in each of the Hidden ninja villages. And Yurasu, S-class criminal that he was, took advantage where and when he could.

Slipping into Suna had been easy. Much easier than it would have been if this were the Village Hidden in the Mist or even Konoha. The Mist village was truly hidden, the location speculated at, but not known. Konoha's location was fairly well known, but getting in past the elaborate security parameters was a bitch. And they'd tightened their security after that battle with Pein several years ago.

But Suna was different.

Konoha had a port town where supplies were shipped in by water or land, then vetted. Supplies were brought in very securely.

In Suna, however, it was a different story. Suna was a desert village. The environment kept them isolated and was in itself a form of protection. The walls surrounding Suna were well manned and formidable. But it was limited by the very thing that helped define it. The desert itself.

Suna was a trading outpost as well as a ninja village. They didn't have a port town to vet things through. Strangers came and went all the time. So the alarm systems at work in Konoha were useless out here in the desert.

Still, the desert ninja had their own forms of security that were very effective. Yurasu smiled grimly as he escorted the Earth Country delegates back to their guest rooms, disguised as a hired ninja from the Village Hidden in the Rocks.

Effective? Yes. But not impenetrable.

He'd been on guard at the dinner tonight, thinking he'd be bored senseless. But the dinner had proven to be far more informative than he'd have imagined. Kaji had been there. Close. Unseen, but very close. He'd recognized her chakra signature quite easily.

Then the whole thing with the Earth darling getting upset that her food was too spicy. It had taken him a few moments to piece it all together, and then he'd been watching the girl put down her chopsticks between courses and had actually seen them 'poof' out and back in again.

Kaji. Without a doubt. The little bone-masked kunoichi was a master with the substitution jutsu. Unless you were watching, which he'd been, then the replacement would have gone unnoticed.

So. What did tonight's events tell him? Yurasu didn't think it was a vendetta against the Earth girl. By her own chattering admission she'd never visited outside of her own country before.

Maybe an effort to embarrass the Earth Country delegates? But then why only the little blonde and not the other members of the delegation? Yurasu shook his head, that wasn't it, not yet.

Silently he cataloged all that he knew of the mysterious Kaji. Several points stuck out at him. First being that 'Kaji' wasn't her real name. The three teammates were named for the elements they used or were familiar with. Air, Water, Fire. Interesting that Kaji was named for the destructive nature of fire rather than for the element itself. Perfect for someone working in the demolition specialty.

During the fight Kaji had called the air ninja 'Rocks'. Rocks, you're stuck in rocks! She'd called out as they'd been fighting. A nickname having little to do with air, so ...a fact to be set aside for the moment. But interesting.

Another interesting fact. Kaji had a 'boyfriend' more interested in her than she in him. One who'd named their team. Something else he'd learned by listening to the three talk before the fight. And who would name a team hyakunan anyway? It meant literally 'all kinds of trouble'. A leader might, if the team was troublesome in some way.

A Kazekage perhaps? A young, unmarried Kazekage? Yurasu's eyes widened slightly as the idea occurred to him. He turned it round and round in his mind, finding it fit better than he was comfortable with. The same Kazekage had been at tonight's dinner, acting as an escort to the little blonde chit. The same chit that was the focus of all of Kaji's manipulations during the meal.

The girl was the target to humiliate her and make her look foolish ...in front of the Kazekage? Yurasu grunted, sure he was on the right track now.

Hmm. This complicated matters. Yurasu knew that he was not an equal to the Suna Kazekage and that in a fight, he'd lose to the shorter red-head. Yet, Kaji had denied having a boyfriend. So ...it wasn't set in stone yet. She had ties here, but not necessarily to the young Kazekage.

Mizu and Tei. Water and air. Teammates. Friends. Connections. Yurasu smiled again. Now. He had a decision to make. Which tie to sever first?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade sighed as she shuffled through stacks and stacks of paper. "We have too many missions and not enough personnel." She growled, showing her teeth.

Shizune ignored the Hokage's temper as she reached into the piles of dislodged papers and plucked out the one that Tsunade needed. Without a word she handed to her boss.

Snarling at Shizune's efficiency and unflappable manner, Tsunade grabbed the paper and scowled down at it. "Damn it! I need him to go with Lee and TenTen."

"You already sent him on a mission. Near the edges of Earth Country, as I recall he also has some messages we don't trust to the usual communications. For Suna. He should be about a day away from Suna about now." Shizune told her irascible superior, referring to Tenzo.

Tsunade sighed and dropped the paper she'd been reading back onto the stacks covering her overloaded desk. "I've just sent our Cloud asset out of our control. And while I trust Lee and TenTen ..."

"Kakashi will be there. Sakura. Naruto. Kiba. Tsume." Shizune listed the personnel they already had committed. "We are stretched thin for missions, do you really want to send Tenzo as well?"

"Yamoto." Tsunade corrected absently. "He's still using that name. And I'd feel better if he were with them."

"You don't trust Rinako? She risked a lot to bring us the messages, and the hostage." Shizune cocked her head to one side, considering. "I don't think the odds are very high that she'd betray us. She'd have more to lose than we would in that situation." She said, referring to the fact that the lives of Rinako's family would be in danger if it came to light that the Cloud kunoichi wasn't really dead.

Tsunade shook her head and drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair in irritation. "No. I'm more worried about one of the other Cloud ninja working both sides. When, not if, it comes out that Rinako is still alive her family will be killed. How will that affect Rinako? Will she continue to support us?"

Shizune's mouth formed an 'O'. "I ...I'll admit that I hadn't considered that."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The very thought of Shino being poisoned goaded Temari onward, despite the early evening darkening around them. She had no intention of stopping. But she had personal reasons for wanting ...no, needing to get back. This was her husband that was in danger.

And Kiba was close with Shino, she knew. Still. Her teal-colored eyes narrowed on Kiba's back as he pushed through the forest leading to the Akatsuki mountain fortress. He'd not slowed down. Not one bit. No breaks, no words, nothing. She could fairly smell the fear coming off of him in waves.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Temari to warn Shino. So. What was pushing the Inuzuka so hard? Shino was well capable of taking care of himself. Also, he had the kikai bugs. They'd warn him of any poisons. Right?

Suddenly Temari saw Kiba's hands move and then he tossed something to her over his shoulder. A canteen and some jerky. The blonde gritted her teeth and nodded. Seems the Inuzuka wasn't any more fond of stopping for a break than she was.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The door opened without ceremony or announcement. Neji walked in as if he owned the study and shut the door behind him. The new leader of the Hyuuga clan frowned sharply at the two men. "Hinata will not be pleased that you did this behind her back."

Hiashi dismissed the thought with a wave of one hand. "It's better this way, not having her hanging over the boys and worrying."

"I'd remember that she did break Ibiki's nose. You know, ANBU torture division leader and a very tough man." Neji commented caustically. "Just because she forgave you for ...before." He paused and edited his words in front of Elder Hanshiro. "Doesn't mean that she'll forgive you for this."

"They're of the age of testing for young Hyuuga." Hiashi told him coolly. "It is necessary to see if they carry the Byakugan."

Neji nodded and sighed. "I know, that's why I'm not here to stop you."

"Shall we proceed then?" Elder Hanshiro held out a hand with a toy and Nowaki grinned and reached for it. The elder, gently took the boy to sit in his lap and laid his fingers along the toddler's temple.

The old man's fingers, with not a bit of arthritis to hamper him, ran through a series of finger movements and seals against the boy's head. Finally he murmured, "Takken Byakugan".

Hiashi watched, tense. Knowing that the specially trained elder was activating the chakra channels externally. Every young Hyuuga was tested this way. It was noninvasive and not harmful to the child. Nowaki grinned and tried to pull his toy apart.

Hanshiro nodded and shrugged. "The channels exist and are active. We shall see."

Neji walked over to a small screen set off to the side. "Nowaki? Do you want a cookie?"

The boy grinned and nodded. Ryusei wriggled on the couch, clearly wanting a cookie too. "Me! Me!" Hiashi pinned the boy with one stern look and Ryusuei's bottom lip poked out though he did settle down.

"Nowaki?" Elder Hanshiro asked gently. "Where's the cookie?"

The boy looked around eagerly, then looked back at the elder. "Cookie?"

"Look for it." The elder told him softly, then held him as the boy moved to get up. "Look for it with just your eyes."

From his vantage point by the screen, Neji could see the plate of cookies hidden from Nowaki's view. Would the boy see them through the simple screen? Did he have the Byakugan?

Nowaki looked around eagerly, then shaking his head. "Where cookie?"

Hiashi felt his heart seize for a moment before he started to breathe again, disappointment bitter on his tongue. "Ryusei? Come here."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho's hand shook a bit as she finished the first crack at the new scroll. Eagerly she bent down to go over it again. This looked really promising!

"Time."

"No!" Shiho sighed and rolled her shoulders, having giving up fighting against the time constraints. She glanced over at her guard for the night, not Sai this time. He was motioning for her to hurry up.

Shiho sighed and re-rolled the scroll, putting it back on the shelves where she'd found it. Then she went back to straighten up her notes, packing them away carefully so she could look them over back in her own room.

This time-share process with the main Akatsuki library/study sucked. She thought mutinously. But she'd be back tomorrow, and none of the other code-breakers had appeared to touch the unimpressive looking scroll. Mostly they seemed to be going after the big, fancy parchments with traps and seals all over them.

Shiho cast one last look around the room and nodded to herself that she'd left none of her notes behind. No use giving any of the other village's code-breakers more information than they already had been able to find for themselves.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi slipped from the room out onto the balcony overlooking Suna. Breathing deep she smiled as she relaxed and waited.

"You like playing the little bitch, don't you?"

Hanabi didn't even turn as she nodded. "Happily."

Gaara moved from his own silent spot along the balcony. "You knew I was out here."

The kunoichi didn't bother to deny it. She had known he was out here before she'd headed this way.

"Don't you want to catch up with your sister?"

Hanabi shrugged and turned at last to look at the red-head beside her. Her pale-Hyuuga eyes were uncovered as they were in private and high enough that no one could see her. The hood of her top was down and the wind toyed with her long hair.

Gaara nodded to himself at the 'rightness' of the sight. He wasn't sure what it was individually about her that called to him. But it just felt ...right. Sure, he had other ladies and kunoichi around him that could be called more beautiful, some were more graceful, and all were generally nicer. But it was this one that called to him somehow.

It hadn't been at first sight though. No. At first she'd been pretty and young and far too polite. Then he'd discovered her true nature and ...that's when he'd caught a glimmer of what she might become. And now here she was.

Gaara's eyes traced the line of her throat where the light from inside the Kazekage tower caught the creaminess of her skin.

"Frankly, I'm not sure that Hinata is too sure of the new and improved me." Hanabi shrugged. "I don't even think I realized how much I've changed until I saw her."

"What you did tonight was petty." Gaara chided her, though his voice lacked a certain coldness that others were used to hearing from him.

Hanabi pursed her lips and shrugged. "Clever though."

"Do you think Kiba will like the changes in you? Or will he be unsure?"

Pretending to think about it, Hanabi smiled on the inside. She'd long since given up her childhood crush on the Inuzuka. But there was no sense letting Gaara know about it. "He'll like the new me. A lot. He can be a prankster too."

Gaara nodded and silence fell over the duo as they stood on the balcony and looked out over the village.

"I'm sixteen now." Hanabi said quietly, looking everywhere but at Gaara.

The red-head nodded, but waited for her to make her point before responding.

"A chuunin." The slender kunoichi continued, finally turning to him. "Over the age of consent."

Gaara's throat dried up. He was so used to her pushing away, that he suddenly felt unsettled. Where was she going with this?

Hanabi slid a fraction closer to him, then another little bit closer. Slowly she tilted her head up to look him in the eye. His jade-pale eyes met hers, unable to do otherwise. Her scent teased his nostrils, which flared slightly.

A soft smile played around her lips as she rose up slightly on her toes, leaning a bit further into his personal space. Pleased when he didn't call in his sand armor.

Gaara couldn't have moved if he'd tried. He knew it to be a trick. He knew she was playing with him, this was Hanabi after all. But her closeness was pulling at him. She was getting far too bold, too manipulating. He needed to slap her down a bit, but ...but he just had to see how far she was willing to take this moment. He had too.

Hanabi placed one delicate hand on the Kazekage's shoulder and leaned in so that her breath teased his ear. Gaara fought the shiver that threatened him. "You're a powerful man." She whispered.

Gaara waited for it. She wanted something, and she'd get it too. Within reason. But something fierce stirred within him and his fingers tingled. She was also going to learn a lesson of her own, one she might not be anticipating. He was a powerful man, and it was time that she realized that he was more than just her nemesis.

"I have a legal right. I can make my own decisions." She continued, her lips brushing his ear. This time he couldn't stop the shiver that ran through him.

"Hm?" He offered noncommittally.

Hanabi leaned back and smiled up at him. "Tell your people to stop blocking me. Don't make my decisions for me. If I want a tattoo, I can get one."

Gaara nodded, having been unaware that anyone had been blocking her attempts to get a tattoo. "Of course."

The kunoichi smiled and started to step back, when he caught her hand. Hanabi's eyes flew up to meet his heated gaze. "You are over the age of consent. You can make your own decisions."

Hanabi nodded, suddenly feeling a bit off balance. Her pale eyes nearly crossed as this time he leaned into her personal space. Then her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed, waiting, her lips slightly parted.

Gaara smiled and let her go.

Hanabi nearly fell as his support disappeared. Frowning up at him, she scowled deeper at the amusement in his eyes. "What?" He asked her. "I just agreed with your request. Was there something else?"

Something else? Yes! Hadn't he been about to kiss her?! Hanabi's frown turned into a sneer. "No. Nothing else." She nearly threw the words at him as she spun around, temper rising as she tried to escape. But a sound of stirring sand and then a wild jerk as she was spun around to face him once more.

"You look disappointed." Gaara told her, looking far too relaxed for her tastes. "Are you sure that there wasn't something else you wanted? Adult that you are?"

Hanabi's blood fired up, then froze. He knew. He fucking knew! He'd teased her on purpose, turning her own manipulation back on her! She'd been teasing him to get her way, but when had the trap been sprung on her instead?!

Not one to let the other person get the upper hand, she stalked toward him even though she wasn't sure what she'd do when she got there. All too soon she was right in front of Gaara, looking up into his far to amused with her face.

Mutinously she grabbed his ears and yanked his head down, buzzing his lips with her own.

Gaara's amusement fled as his hands rose up to capture her head between his palms. He held her back, wide pale eyes staring at wide jade eyes. Her hands were fisted in his shirt, his still framed her face. Neither moved for a long moment.

"What was that?" Gaara's voice was less than forceful.

Hanabi struggled to catch her equilibrium, a bit shocked she'd done that. She tried to act cool about it and forced a shrug. "If you don't know, then it's your loss."

A growl escaped from Gaara, making Hanabi swallow hard. "Maybe I don't know because you didn't do it right." He threw back at her.

Hanabi's mouth opened to protest as Gaara's lips descended. Instead of a retort, she moaned and accepted the kiss. Her hands clenched tighter in his shirt, pulling him closer. He complied as he sank into the kiss with a low rumble of a growl.

Suddenly Hanabi's hands flattened and she shoved him away. Panting they stared at each other a long moment, both feeling unsettled. Finally she pointed a less than steady finger at him. "I thought you said you were going to wait until I was seventeen."

Gaara stared back at her. "I thought you claimed to be an adult."

Feeling like she was losing, and seeing no way out but retreat. Hanabi turned toward the Kazekage tower. "I need to catch up with Hinata. Her visit isn't going to be a long one. I ...I haven't seen her in two years."

Gaara stared at her back and waited until she had the door open. "Coward."

The kunoichi's back stiffened at the insult. But having no barriers against him right now, she slipped inside the room to escape. Confusion making her steps faster than she'd intended.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee looked over at Rinako and her nin-dog, Kirohu. The canine whined, but the kunoichi only absently reached out to fondle the dog's ears.

TenTen watched Lee's face and moved to lay a hand on his shoulder before he headed over toward the other kunoichi. "Let her be."

Lee's face clouded, he looked up at his long-time friend, confusion evident on his face. "You heard the Hokage. This mission could cost Miss Rinako her entire family."

TenTen swallowed hard and nodded, remembering the shock of the information herself. Guilt eating at her as she recalled all the verbal slights she'd given their Cloud visitor over the past two years. There had been much of the situation that she'd been unaware of, which the Hokage had just outlined for them.

Still, as much guilt as she felt, TenTen didn't want Lee to get any more attached to Rinako than he already was. The other girl was in a rough spot. And a missing-nin as well. This just didn't look like it was going to end well no matter what happened. And the brunette didn't want her teammate and long-time friend to be hurt.

"Sakura will be there."

TenTen's words had Lee's face brightening. "You're right!" He pumped a fist.

Good, he was focusing on his crush now, and not Rinako. TenTen smiled.

"Sakura will know how to help Miss Rinako feel better! Sakura is so much better at understanding these things!" Lee crowed happily. "You're brilliant, TenTen!"

TenTen closed her eyes in exasperation, and not a little surprise. Lee was looking forward to seeing Sakura ...for her ADVICE? What was the world coming to now? She watched as Lee approached Rinako with some of the provisions for supper, the vein next to her temple starting to throb.

This wasn't going to end well, she just knew it.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi fought to keep the sharp disappointment from his face as he politely thanked Elder Hanshiro for testing the twin boys. Neither of which had been able to see the cookie plate behind the shield of the simple screen.

"You knew it was a possibility, just from the appearance of their eyes." Neji said slowly as he watched the twin boys laugh and chase each other around the study. He pulled the screen away and took two cookies from the plate. "Nowaki? Ryusei?"

The twins crowed happily and came running, hands outstretched for the proffered treat.

The elder though, just looked confused. "They have the chakra channels, they're intact and I was able to activate them easily."

Hiashi nodded. "They inherited the structure, but not the ability. It's not unknown." But usually not in the main family, only on the branch family side. "At least Jishin and Katsuro are true Hyuuga." He said, referring to his youngest daughter and Neji's son. Both of whom had already passed this test and were going to start training on how to activate the Byakugan without assistance.

"There was something there." The elder continued, gathering himself up to leave for the evening.

Neji knelt down next to the twins, watching as they devoured their cookie treats. He held up one hand and called chakra to it, focusing the chakra easily in first one finger, then another, transferring the power from point to point in his palm. "Perhaps they're going to be puppet shinobi like their father."

"Perhaps." Hiashi allowed.

Nowaki chattered and pointed at Neji's finger, giggling. Ryusei grinned and nodded.

"It's too bad that they will not see out of Hyuuga eyes." Hanshiro mourned, turning to look at the play of chakra Neji was using in his palm. "It is an amazing sight, watching chakra move within the body."

Hiashi grunted. The Byakugan was a weapon to him, not a ...his musings were stopped as Elder Hanshiro sucked in a shocked breath. The old man's Hyuuga pale eyes widening almost comically. "What?" He spun to see only his twin grandsons playing with Neji's fingers. Neji's eyes looked a bit wide as well. "What?"

"Call chakra. Pool it somewhere in your body." Neji whispered the order.

Hiashi opened his mouth to argue, but saw the elder Hyuuga nod. Cautiously he called chakra into the bottoms of his feet. He watched as Neji whispered to the two boys.

Both Ryusei and Nowaki turned eagerly to their grandfather. Ryusei pointed down at Hiashi's feet and the older man lost his ability to breathe. Hiashi let the chakra ease from his feet and pooled instead to his left hand. Nowaki giggled and ran up to slap his grandfather's left hand.

Hanshiro held out his palms and called chakra to his two index fingers. Ryusei spun and pointed, yelling out in victory as he ran over to catch the older man's finger in his small grasp.

Neji put his hand behind the screen and called a moderate amount of chakra to his palm. He called to the boys. They spun, but didn't seem to notice the chakra, hidden as it was behind the screen.

Hiashi's face fell into lines of utter confusion. "They can see chakra, something that without proper training even a Byakugan user can't do for a few years ...but they can't see through a screen?"

Neji intensified the chakra until it was nearly glowing. Finally Nowaki pointed and grinned as Ryusei grabbed the screen, pulling it down.

"It's not the Byakugan." The Hyuuga elder whispered. "Not really."

"But it IS something." Neji let the chakra slowly dissipate as the twin boys danced around him happily, Ryusei grabbing his hand and holding on with a wide grin.

"Yes, something. But what?" Hiashi muttered.

"No idea." Neji shook his head and sat down in a nearby chair. "It's going to be exciting to find out though."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	39. Release the Three

It was late as Hanabi walked through Suna toward the residence she shared with her teammates. Wild thoughts raced through her head so fast it surprised her that she wasn't dizzy.

"Coward."

Gaara's parting taunt echoed in her ears as she passed the closed vendor stands, the shutters and boards in place in vain efforts to keep out the ever present sand. Vaguely it occurred to her that she was glad no one was around to see her right now. Hanabi raised one hand slowly to her lips and blushed hotter than Hinata on her worst day.

Man, had that backfired!

Hanabi's shoulders hunched slightly as she ruefully wondered why she'd done it anyway. Had she been so sure that she would blow him away with surprise? How had she missed the fact that Gaara wasn't some young chuunin, like her? Oh, intellectually she knew he was the Kazekage. And older. And stronger ...well, shit. She'd been thinking of him as her personal verbal sparring partner for so long that she'd forgotten that they weren't equals.

And she'd kissed him. She'd kissed him! Worse? He'd taken control and spun her world upside down by kissing her back! It occurred to her, to her mortification, that he had been giving her space and time to grow up. She'd not been holding him back at all, no, not even close. And it hadn't been him that had elevated their ...non-courtship. No. She'd been stupid and had thought she could handle him.

Hanabi snorted. Handle Gaara? Not likely! But with the word 'handle' she flashed back to the dizzying kiss they'd shared. She shivered, her body tightening in ...in what? Surely not anticipation? Maybe. She thought about the heat she'd seen shining out of his pale-jade eyes and she shivered even harder, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned down the lane toward home.

Home?

Since when had she started thinking of this place as home? She was so lost in her thoughts that Hanabi didn't even bother paying attention to the familiar. Or the unfamiliar. Like the rock sitting next to the wall surrounding their neighbor's gate. Suna was full of rocks, it never even crossed her mind that she'd seen this one before. Only not in Suna. She passed it without qualm or even an itch of awareness.

Hidden deep in his disguise, Yurasu waited for her to reach five steps past him before ...

"Kaji!"

Cold fury swept through the hidden S-class shinobi as he watched the air-jutsu ninja run up behind Kaji, grinning ear to ear.

"Didn't expect to see you tonight. Thought you'd stay at the Kazekage tower all night, talking or something. Catching up." Rocks caught up to his kunoichi teammate as they headed toward their own gate.

Hanabi flushed slightly. Truthfully she'd fled, unable to sit and talk to Hinata or Kankuro, much less Gaara. She'd made some excuse or another about being tired, but that she'd be back tomorrow. Not willing to tell Rocks about her naive attempt at manipulating Gaara, she shrugged and grabbed the movies he was holding out of his hands. "Deathgate V? Terror Festival? What is this, horror night?" Hanabi laughed and managed to hold on to the last movie as Rocks grabbed at it. "And this one is ... Star Maiden's Hero."

Rocks blushed.

Hanabi fought her smile and shook her head. "Who's the chick flick for?"

Rocks shrugged, sticking his hands in his pocket. "The kunoichi from Hano's team? She said she's been wanting to see that one."

Hanabi thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "She's not a fangirl of Gaara's. I like her. Nice weapon kata movement as well."

The young shinobi shrugged and nodded with a cheeky grin. "Pretty hot too."

"Good for you." Hanabi handed him the movie, but kept the other two. "I vote for 'Terror Festival' first though. We got popcorn in the house?"

"Our leader is on it." Rocks nodded as the two headed inside, closing the door behind them.

Nothing moved outside the residence for over half and hour. Then there was a man standing where a rock had once been sitting. He scowled at the residence. Yurasu felt the palms of his hands tingle from being so close to his prey, but these things needed to be done carefully.

He wondered if she'd understood his gift. Flowers. The still lovely dead corpses of once living plants. Team Corpse. Her words and her choice of team name Yurasu recalled with pleasure. No. She'd probably not made that connection, not yet. But wouldn't it be lovely if she had?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki yawned, and stretched his arms as he headed into the mess area to find something edible. He'd missed dinner. Again. The tea he'd had delivered earlier had gone stone cold before he'd even gotten a single cup. Stupid delegates. Why were political moves always so tedious? Not to mention long winded.

And they weren't done. The single Mist shinobi they'd allowed inside to meet with him was under heavy guard right now, but Ibiki had called a break. The scarred shinobi smiled cruelly as he grabbed an apple, then grabbed a second one for good measure. He'd not taken a break in the negotiations for food, no ...it was to frustrate the Mist ninja just as the man was getting into the meat of his argument. Mental torture. Nothing else quite like it. Ibiki smiled and bit into the crunchy apple as Shino opened the door and walked inside.

Ibiki's eyebrows raised. He pointed at the younger shinobi. "Thought you went to bed. Early day tomorrow." He said, his words muffled around his full mouth. A move he'd have not been able to get away with at home, the thought giving him a pang of longing to see his wife soon. She'd managed a trip out here just a month or so ago, and was expected back soon. But still, he missed Shizune.

"Headache." Shino murmured quietly, holding up a packet of pain blocker. "Just needed some fresh water."

Ibiki nodded. "I'm surprised I don't have one too. Stupid Mist Village."

Shino nodded, then his hand paused as his bugs quivered under his skin. The sensitive kikai bugs feeling the disturbance before anyone else.

"What?" Ibiki stiffened as Shino turned to stare out the door.

"Don't know yet." The Aburame took two steps forward before a huge crash sounded followed by several shouts to halt, and a snarling scream for everyone to move the fuck out of the way.

Ibiki moved quickly to join Shino as they headed toward the main corridor. "Sounded like Temari, but she's not due back yet." Both shinobi stopped in stunned silence as a fierce looking Kiba raced by them, Akamaru at his heels. The Inuzuka was pale, dirty, and looked furious as he took the corner, not even slowing. "What the hell? I thought I sent him back?"

Temari raced up, looking no better than Kiba had. Out of breath she ran to Shino, clutching his coat as she knocked off his dark glasses in a move that shocked both men. She stared into the eyes of her husband, out of breath and panting.

"Temari?" Ibiki asked, holding up one hand to hold back the guards who'd come running.

"A...am...ambush!" Temari choked out, shaking her head, her blonde hair dripping with sweat. Her hands fisted in Shino's robes. "Kiba doubled b...back ..." She gulped in some air.

Ibiki and Shino both stiffened. Ibiki motioned for half the guards to follow Kiba, with instructions to support the Inuzuka in whatever he needed.

"He heard a code. 'Knock out the wind until it dies down, then poison t... poison the pests." Here she slapped Shino's chest. "I'm the wind, and there was an attempted ambush. P ...poison the pests!"

"I'm fine." Shino lied, making Ibiki's eyes narrow sharply. "What's the rest?"

Temari shrugged. "Kiba has that, he started to say it then went crazy and headed here and never stopped." She said, now that she was standing still her legs felt like noodles. Shino pushed her into a nearby chair. "Are you sure you feel fine? I think we need a medic to check you out."

"He has a headache."

Shino's head rose sharply to impale Ibiki with a glare just as he reached for his dark glasses.

Temari's harsh intake of breath was the only sound in the room for about half a second.

The Aburame shook his head. "I'm fine, and I'll find a medic, but Kiba's message wasn't done and he flashed by here like nothing I've seen before. We need to ..."

"I'll do it." Ibiki ordered. He turned to Temari. "You go pack your things, you're going to Suna, it's closer. Take your husband out of here, knock him out if you have to do it."

"I have a duty ..." Shino began, only to have Ibiki cut him off as the older man clapped him on the shoulder.

"You do have a duty. To serve Konoha, and you can't do that dead. The enemy wants you dead, let's not oblige them. Go. That's a direct order, ninja." Ibiki's voice and face brooked no disagreement. "Temari? He's all yours."

"What if it's just a headache?" Shino said irritably as Temari dragged him toward the door. "The kikai would warn me if there was poison. You can't get anything past them."

Temari yanked on his arm, shaking with exhaustion and fear. "You can if you know about them and have planned well enough. There is always a way. Now come on, I have no desire to be a widow so move your fucking Aburame-prideful ass!"

Ibiki smirked as Shino clamped his mouth shut and followed his wife not quite docilely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

One moment Shiho was walking toward her bed, reading a book frowning at the incorrect translation of the author, and the next her door exploded. Literally exploded into sharp pieces of kindling.

Her first thought was she was about to die. Shiho's eyes were wide with dismay as she was grabbed and held, her ribs creaking as she was squeezed so hard she thought her lungs would burst. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her poor arms were caught down next to her side, her book falling from numb fingers.

Something big rubbed against her back, but she could hear nothing over the sound of her own racing heartbeat and a roaring in her ears.

It took a moment or two, quite long moments actually, before she realized that she wasn't dead and that while breathing hurt, she didn't seem to be dying either.

Someone shouted something unintelligible and the crushing pressure lessened slightly, at least enough for a sharp rush of air into her starving lungs. The person holding her shifted and seemed to run his cheek next to hers for a second before lifting. Wait, no ...that wasn't right, was it?

With that thought her brain kicked back in, as did her senses. Including smell. And someone stank. Sweat, dirt and fear.

More shouting, but she seemed stuck where she was because she wasn't being released. Shiho struggled slightly, but could find no leverage whatsoever. Then something huge leaned in against the backs of her legs all the way up to her waist. She truly wasn't going anywhere soon.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi burped, making Rocks grin and burp louder. Michi groaned and threw popcorn at them both. Hanabi giggled and sighed happily as she looked at the two constants in her life. Slowly she sobered as she continued to stare at them as they watched the movie.

Rocks shot her a wary glance. "What?"

Hanabi shrugged and turned back to the movie, but now she was unable to concentrate on the gore fest they were watching. She turned back to watch her two teammates instead.

Michi was sitting bare foot and bare chested on the floor, his back against the futon with the popcorn bowl in his lap. His hair was freshly washed and without his eye make-up he looked younger than his age. Rocks was lounging on the futon, his lanky build making him too tall for that but he did it anyway, one foot hanging over the arm rest and one on the floor. He had his own popcorn bowl, but it was empty and every so often he'd use an air jutsu to snitch a handful from Michi.

Rocks sighed and cast her an irritated look. "What?" He demanded.

Hanabi shrugged. "Have I ever told you guys I love you?"

Rocks choked on his popcorn, coughing and sputtering until his eyes watered. His movements knocked his empty popcorn bowl on the floor as Michi just blinked at her.

"Guess not." Hanabi muttered with a grin, satisfied with their reactions as she turned back to the movie.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki stared into the doorway, a thousand possibilities going through his head. He'd found his guards standing in the corridor outside the code-breaker's room. He'd pushed through them to find ...

"Inuzuka!" He shouted, to no effect.

The dog ninja stood in the middle of the room, his arms wrapped around poor Shiho. There he stood, unmoving except his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. What had Temari said? They'd not stopped after Kiba went 'crazy' and headed back here to the Akatsuki fortress.

Akamaru growled at everyone in the doorway and walked around to Shiho's back, leaning into her protectively. The large nin-dog's bared teeth keeping basically everyone at bay.

Ibiki nodded respectfully to Akamaru, but called out to Kiba once more. There was more to this than simple infatuation, the Inuzuka was too good a ninja to have ignored orders except for a very, very good reason.

He still not no response. Ibiki took a step into the room, making Akamaru's hackles rise as his growl turned deadly earnest. Ibiki stopped. "Kiba?" He tried again.

This time, the dog-ninja responded. Though he didn't let go of Shiho. "On the way I overhead a coded message. From Cloud ninja, who'd left a group who attacked Temari."

"I've gotten that much." Ibiki nodded, willing the young man to continue.

"The group was wearing Mist headbands, but I don't think they're actually Mist ninja." Kiba said coldly, this time turning his head to flash furious eyes at Ibiki. "The two I ran into were Cloud."

Ibiki stiffened and called a shinobi over sending him to warn the guards in his office about the Mist delegate still sitting there. The man nodded and took off without a word.

"Knock out the wind until it dies down. Temari. Then poison the pests. Shino." Kiba growled out the words.

"The Aburame has a headache, I've sent him to Suna with Temari at top speed. I would have let her stay here to rest after her trek here, but she would have only disobeyed me anyway." Ibiki said gruffly. "What else to the code?"

"Release the three and the gesshirui will then fall." Kiba's arm tightened involuntarily around Shiho once more, making her groan.

"She'll definitely die if you don't let her breathe." Ibiki commented dryly, though his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. "Gesshirui. Rodent. Rats are rodents, and here is Nezumi." He nodded, now understanding Kiba's mad race back here. "Release the three? Not good, not good at all." Ibiki growled as he continued. "I think they mean to release the three tailed beast, as it was the only one not affiliated with a village or country when it was captured. Cloud or Mist, it doesn't matter yet. Later we'll sort through who did what, but for right now we have a lot to do."

Ibiki stared at the dog-ninja and thought about his options. He could send the guy back to his nominal mission, but the threat here was real. And Kiba had done the right thing by running back to warn them. However, he'd not stopped to talk to Ibiki but had rushed to Shiho to protect her specifically. That was telling to say the least.

Just as he couldn't have ordered Temari to stay behind, as she would have disobeyed him. Ibiki had a feeling that Kiba would do his job as ordered, but his mind would be torn. And he was a more effective weapon when focused, they all were.

"Sai?" Ibiki waited until the other young man moved up next to him. "You heard?"

Sai simply nodded, his hands on his pen and sketchpad, ready for anything.

"I need you to ..." But the words were left unspoken as the man he'd sent off to the office came racing back. "Hai?"

"The guards are dead, all of them. The Mist shinobi is missing."

Sai's face remained impassive, but his eyes cut to Shiho speculatively as Ibiki swore roundly. Finally the torture master nodded. "Sai, change of plans. Take Nezumi to safety. Suna is closer, but it is still foreign land. Push to Konoha instead. Take Kiba and Akamaru. Your only goal is to get her and her information to the Hokage."

Sai nodded without comment.

Ibiki turned to Kiba. "In order for me to allow you to guard her, you have to swear that you can kill her if the need arises. She can NOT be captured or allowed to be interrogated. Do you understand?"

Kiba nodded reluctantly.

Ibiki scowled. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

The Inuzuka cleared his throat. "Hai. I understand completely."

The torture master wasn't through with him though. "And can you do it?"

Kiba's arms tightened around Shiho once more, but he nodded resolutely. "I know my duty."

Ibiki nodded as he motioned to the other guards to follow him as he took off for the caverns holding the tailed beasts. He prayed they'd be in time to avert a disaster.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara sipped his tea and watched the night sky through the open window.

Kankuro leaned back in his chair sipping his sake and watching his brother. "If I tried to tell you a story about your nephews being little hellions, would you listen?"

The red-head nodded absently.

The puppeteer nodded and fell into a comfortable silence as the two men just enjoyed being in the same room at the same time. Long moments passed before Gaara put down his cup and slowly turned his head to pin his brother with a look. "I thought you were going to tell me about the twins?"

Kankuro shrugged. "Only if you wanted to listen, you look lost in your own thoughts. Political problems?"

Gaara shook his head, an almost puzzled look on his face. "The Earth Country delegates have given me everything I've asked for. Without much in the way of arguing either."

Understanding the implications immediately, Kankuro sat up. "Do you think they're planning something?"

The Kazekage shrugged. "I don't know yet. We'll see. I got more of the impression that they're courting me."

The puppeteer sneered. "Time was they spat on the ground whenever your name was mentioned."

Gaara blinked slowly and nodded. "They admit that, which makes me wonder to their goals. They say that was only while I was still a demon vessel."

Kankuro whistled. "So, they knew about Shikaku? Thought that was a closely guarded secret. But then again, after that battle in Konoha ..."

"No." Gaara shook his head. "I got the feeling that they learned about the One-Tail sometime after that period. I can't quite grasp why they're courting my goodwill now though."

"They'll get to the point eventually. They're not known for beating around the bush long." Kankuro shrugged. "And speaking of being courted, how's your courtship of ...er, Kaji. Yes, that's her name. Kaji?" He asked, referring to the now in disguise Hanabi.

Gaara never said a word. His face never changed, in fact he didn't even blink. But something had Kankuro's nerves jangling and the puppeteer sat up suddenly, his boots hitting the floor with a solid 'thunk'. "Gaara?"

Again, no response. No change in expression.

Kankuro grinned and whistled, sitting back in his chair to take a sip of sake. "Good luck, little brother. You look like you might need it. About time though, don't know why you'd decided on next year anyway. She's over the age of consent now as it is."

Finally, Gaara blinked as he turned back to look out the window as Kankuro chuckled to himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

It took awhile for the conversation to pierce through her shock. Shiho stood still, well aware that was because she literally had no choice, held as she was. Small things finally started to clue her in to what was going on, and it helped when Kiba's arms relaxed enough for her to catch her breath.

Kiba's arms.

That still stunned her even as she listened to his conversation with Ibiki. She'd even started to relax a bit into the warmth of his hold, amazed that his heart was racing so fast. It dawned on her that Kiba had raced back to protect her, then she'd dismissed that as a flight of fancy. He'd raced back to protect her information, her station, not her as a person. He was a ninja, a shinobi of the Leaf, of course he'd rushed back to protect the code-breaker.

Still, a secret part of her wished he'd raced back to look after her. Shiho, not Nezumi the cryptologist. Taking advantage of the moment, and feeling small and protected in his arms with what had to be Akamaru at her back, she relaxed. She leaned her head in and put her ear against his chest and sighed, hearing his heart pounding. He must of pushed hard to get back here like he had. She smiled, relishing the moment.

Then stiffened when she heard the news of the dead guards. Kiba didn't like it either as he'd squeezed her again, but then he loosened up and breathing was possible once more.

Now her mind sharpened on what was going on, embarrassed that she'd been distracted by the fact that Kiba was holding her. Ibiki's earlier words that Kiba had an interest in her socially, as a woman, still didn't ring true to her.

Then again. Ibiki had lied to her many, many times during her training. Tricking her, humiliating her, and in generally strengthening her for her job. Giving her the tools necessary to be able to resist torture long enough to kill herself if captured. She'd forgiven him a long time ago, as it was his job. But that didn't mean she trusted him. Not completely.

She tried to move away, but Kiba held her still so easily she might not have even been trying. Starting to fume, she opened her mouth to blast them when she heard Ibiki make Kiba promise to kill her if the need should arise. Was it her imagination, but had his slowing heart rate pick right back up again?

With half an ear, she listened as Kiba and Sai discussed the routes back to Konoha and the safest to take. Belatedly she realized that the stupid dog-ninja still hadn't let her go. Only able to move a bit, she kicked him. But her bare toes protested painfully when they made contact with his immovable shin. Gritting her teeth she tried to pinch his thigh, the only part she could reach, but her arms were still restrained.

Sai watched her struggle a moment, then met Kiba's gaze once more. "What is she doing?"

Kiba shrugged and grinned. "Trying to get away."

Shiho turned her head up to stare at the underside of Kiba's chin. "You knew I wanted you to let go?"

The Inuzuka laughed and squeezed her hard for a moment, making her squeak in outrage before releasing her. "Pack what you'll need. We leave now."

Shiho opened her mouth to argue, but then heard the sound of fighting coming from deeper in the cavern system. She scowled and grabbed an empty backpack, shoving papers and scrolls and various notes inside. Then she gave a small wail of distress and climbed on a chair to grab some more rolled up tubes of papers and thrust them into her bag.

Kiba sighed and eyed her. There she was in her nightgown that reached nearly to her bare feet and what did she think to pack? Papers. He bent down and grabbed a pair of boots. "These would be better ...hey! Where do you think you're going!" His eyes widened as she slipped out of the ruined door and took off down the hallway muttering to herself. "You need shoes! Hell, you need clothes!"

Sai took off after her with Kiba hot on their heels.

The two caught up to her immediately, but she was pulling to get away. "The scroll! I need to get it back to Konoha! It's more important than I am! The other code-breakers will need it if I don't get back!" She yelled at them.

Sai and Kiba looked at her, then looked at each other. Both torn. Shiho took advantage and slipped between them and ran toward the door of the main library.

"Wait! It's not safe!" Kiba yelled as Sai pulled out some kunai. But the weapons were needless as they watched her throw open the doors and saw the dead bodies inside. A blade whistled as it flew at her guards, which Sai deflected easily as Akamaru launched himself at the attacker, ripping at the man's throat with lethal intent.

Kiba's blades ended the man's screams as hastily drawn lions sprang to life to surround them protectively. Sai looked around the room. "The scrolls are gone." He said pointlessly, nodding toward the empty desk and ransacked shelves.

"Not this one!" Shiho crowed in victory, grabbing the nondescript looking scroll without a single hint of gilt or decoration. She shoved it into her pack hurriedly.

"Great. Now put on your shoes and we need to go grab you some clothes." Kiba started lecturing her, only stopping as the entire room moved. Shaking as someone, or more importantly, something let out a humongous roar. Kiba gritted his teeth. "They must have released the tailed beast."

Alarms suddenly deafened them as hidden Akatsuki warning tags went off all at once, obviously to alert their masters of what had transpired. Shiho clapped her hands over her ears, her eyes wide as Kiba grabbed her and sat her down to force on her shoes. He then grabbed her arm hard enough to bruise and pulled her forcefully from the room.

He stopped and sniffed the hallway back toward her room. "I don't recognize anyone in that direction, and they're moving fast." Sai nodded and led them around a different hallway, cutting through someone's empty bedroom through to another long hallway.

Shiho balked as she caught sight of the chalk markings to her left. "This way hasn't been cleared of traps!" She went pale as she peered into the darkness leading down instead of up and out.

Sai pointed down a dimly lit hall. "That way has though, and it leads to the surface."

Kiba nodded and pulled Shiho with him as they sped forward, only to grind to a halt as the walls around them shook once more, as if under great impact. Shiho winced as rubble fell around them and she barked her shin painfully, ripping her gown.

"I need my clothes!"

"No time!" Sai grabbed her, carrying her as they moved toward the distant tunnel.

Behind them came a slight whisper and then Kiba was at Sai's back, blocking the sudden and savage attack from the three shinobi with the light of battle in their eyes. They were all wearing Mist headband protectors. "Go!" Kiba ordered. "I'll hold off Cloud!"

Sai didn't hesitate as he ran for the exit, a screaming Shiho over his shoulder.

"So. You know us? You won't live long enough to talk." One man laughed evilly.

The other let his hands fly in an unknown jutsu. Suddenly the hallway that Sai was running for was closed, huge spikes of solid clouds springing up out of nowhere to close off the exit. No weapon he used seemed to even scratch the surface.

"She's the target. Alive." The third man roared. "We will soon have the Three-Tail and ..."

"Fools!" Shiho yelled, oblivious to personal danger. "The caves were marked! But this is the Akatsuki we're talking about! They had deadly traps in their closets for heaven's sake! Just because the cave was marked, doesn't mean it's the right demon!"

The man stumbled but scowled. "We're prepared!"

"Prepared for the Three-Tail, maybe! But who knows what you actually released!" Shiho screamed then as the light in the hallway was obscured by weapons thrown at her three protectors.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara was just sitting down to finish up some paperwork, everyone else having already retired. He reached for his pen when the container cracked. He watched without expression as ink spread slowly over his desk. The Kazekage only moved himself to rescue a few scrolls as he watched the stain spread.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rocks was putting movies back in their cases as Hanabi cleaned up the scattered drink cans. "Loved the bad guy, he was really cool."

Hanabi nodded, giving a saucy grin. "You want to be just like him, don't you?"

Rocks shrugged and gave a rueful little laugh. "I have air jutsu. Sure, it would be cool to fly, but unrealistic. Do you know how much chakra that would burn? Baki would have a fit if I even suggested it to him. He can glide, but then he has wind jutsu, not just air."

"Baki." Hanabi murmured and let her smile slip away. "Rocks? Do you regret it? Coming to Suna I mean? It wasn't supposed to be for this long."

Michi poked his head around the corner carrying trash bag. "Is that what your mood has been about all night? Damn."

Rocks paused and stared at her a long moment. "You're a spoiled brat. But you're my spoiled brat of a teammate. Would you have done it for one of us, if the positions had been reversed?"

Hanabi didn't even have to think it through. "In a heartbeat, though I might have had to kill father first before he'd have allowed it. But you're my thick-headed bully of an idiot."

"Aw!" Michi pretended to wipe away a non-existant tear. "Maybe we should have watched the chick flick instead." He then casually reached up and caught the empty can Hanabi had chucked at his head and grinned as he dropped it in the trash bag.

"And we won't be here forever." Rocks chuckled. "Sure it's lasted longer than we thought, but we'll go home eventually. Unless ..." He shot a mischievous look at Hanabi, "unless one of us gets maaarried and stays in Suna."

Michi ducked and Rocks formed an air protection barrier around himself. Hanabi just blinked at them. The boys looked at each other and Michi pointed at Rocks who shook his head, he wasn't asking.

The water ninja sighed and reluctantly took the lead. "Just what has changed since we left you at the Kazekage tower earlier? You two are always fighting, or at least you are. It's not like you and he kissed and made up. Right?"

Hanabi flushed slightly and Rocks dropped the movies on the floor in shock. "You didn't!"

Michi closed his mouth and ran his hand through his loose hair. "Damn!"

Rocks took a moment then spread his hands out in surrender. "He's still alive I take it?"

"Very funny." Hanabi snapped before turning to Michi. "Anything snarky you have to say on the subject?"

Michi shook his head and blew out a long breath. "Only that I'm completely jealous. Tell me he's a good kisser." He moaned.

With that, Michi had to duck a barrage of thrown items from Hanabi, some of which were actual weapons as Rocks laughed his fool head off.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai put Shiho behind him as he whipped out his sketchbook, whipping up several large lions and even three bears.

But that was what the Cloud ninja seemed to be waiting for. The cloud barrier came to life, wrapping around a startled Shiho and pulled her away from Sai and Kiba.

Sai attacked the cloud tendrils, but couldn't seem to pierce them at all. Kiba went on the offensive, trying to kill the ninja who'd created the tendrils. His reasoning was clear, kill the ninja to get rid of the jutsu effects.

Sai's bears and lions fought off the other two ninja effectively enough to allow Kiba room to maneuver as he went into one of his clan's jutsu, the Piercing Fang maneuver. Inwardly he regretted that there wasn't room inside the cavern where they were for he and Akamaru to transform together into the huge two-headed wolf.

He and Akamaru pushed and pushed though, moving the man back on the retreat. If he couldn't kill him, at least distance might make his binding jutsu lessen.

Sai grunted as the cloud tendrils started to weaken. "Keep him going back, it's working!"

Kiba and Akamaru growled as one and pushed their advantage. Then suddenly a group from Earth Country appeared in the hallway they'd come form origninally, led by their new representative. Korin smiled and he and his men jumped into the fray and quickly helped kill the three Cloud shinobi.

Kiba grinned as he watched the cloud tendrils holding Shiho dissipate completely. "My thanks ..."

The word was lost as he blocked the sudden thrust of multiple blades. Sai watched and moved Shiho away from the fighting back toward where they'd come in as the two groups circled each other. "Korin?" He questioned.

The Rock Village shinobi laughed. "We didn't set this in motion, but we won't deny the opportunity. It's such a shame that we arrived to help you three out too late. You two already dead, and your precious code-breaker gone. To Cloud of all things. No one will suspect that she is actually with us."

With that, his own hands flew in an unknown jutsu. Shiho sighed. "Not again." She whispered, just as the rocks in front of her shot upwards out of the floor, blocking her from Sai and Kiba.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari paused as she turned back to stare at the fortress behind them. Her eyes widened in shock and horror.

Shino winced at his headache, but stepped forward. "We need to go back. If they've released the 'three' from the code you told me it most likely means the Three Tailed beast. We'll need to help."

Temari grabbed his hand and shook her head. "I know that chakra signature. That's not the Three. That's Shukaku, the one-tail! And he's angry, very, very angry!"

Shino nodded. "All the more reason to help."

His wife shook her head reluctantly. "I want to help, but if he's been released there's not much we can do to help at this point. Unless you have a jutsu to restrain a tailed demon." She said sarcastically. "No, we have to move and warn Suna immediately."

Shino shook his head at her. "You're just trying to get me to a medic,. I'm telling you that I've not been poisoned. The kikai would have warned me."

Temari grabbed his hand and took off running. "You need a medic and I'll knock you down and drag you to Suna to prove it. But this ...Shukaku will head for the desert. He'll go to Suna and he'll destroy it out of revenge for binding him in the first place. Trust me, we need to warn Suna!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho ran her own hands in hand seals, and quick as a snake, the leader of the Earth ninja was up to his knees in thick mud.

Korin sneered. "Do you think this more than a nuisance?"

Suddenly the walls around them cracked, the floor splitting beneath them as one pissed off tailed demon took apart his former cage.

Korin looked up in shock as he fell into the now gaping pit created by the destruction, unable to leap away due to the thick mud still impeding his movements. Kiba jumped clear away in time along with Akamaru. Sai looked over at where the rocks let go of Shiho, but now there was a hole with no visible bottom in front of him, and the enemy ninja still were on the other side with their captured code-breaker.

Sai weighed his options and the situation. He pulled out some poisoned blades and took careful aim as the enemy shinobi grabbed and pulled Shiho into the uncleared Akatsuki passageway. He looked at her and remembered all the times she'd mocked his attempts at smiling. His fingers tightened on his weapons. He ordered his arm to throw, but the muscles hesitated.

One second. Two seconds. Three.

Kiba turned and saw Sai taking aim. He screamed in denial and made a running leap, forming his jutsu mid-air to a Double Piercing Fang. Sai let out a breath he didn't know he had as Kiba landed safely on the other side and dispatched the two enemy shinobi quickly. He turned back to Sai just as more ninja of unknown loyalty ran into the room.

Sai waved him off. "Go!" He ordered, and then tossed his travel pack toward them. "Go now!" He turned and faced the oncoming shinobi with an open sketchbook and a sneer.

Kiba nodded, caught the pack and grabbed Shiho as they ran into the unknown corridor.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	40. Lighting the Fuse

"Keep him away!"

No one needed to hear whom the order originated from, the need to keep the rampaging One-Tailed demon from freeing the other captured beasts was all too clear. They were losing the battle to Shukaku already, the world would probably end if the rampaging tailed beast released the other six beasts.

Bravery wasn't the issue. Ibiki himself awoke from unconsciousness buried under a huge boulder crushing down on him as two of his men tried to free him. The pain in his chest told him he'd more than likely broken more than one rib. And he'd be damned lucky if that was the extent of the damage.

"Not me." He croaked as soon as most of the weight was lifted off of him. He coughed, not even wincing as he saw the blood he brought up. "Go!" The word had little power behind it as he was barely able to get the word out, but the two men nodded and leaped back into the fray.

The scarred ANBU torture master looked up at the roaring of Shukaku as he literally ripped one man to shreds, a Grass shinobi by the looks of him. Ibiki didn't have time for pity as he managed to pull himself upright, and with bloody but steady hands began to form more hand seals.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi turned over, punching her pillow to fluff it up in a vain effort to blame her linens on the fact that she couldn't sleep. But deep inside, she knew better.

Gaara.

A vision of the look on his face right after she pulled away from his kiss haunted her. She could still feel her lips tingling, though she knew it was all in her mind. And not even she could find a way to put the blame on him for this disaster. She'd kissed him first. And what a monumentally bad strategy that had turned out to be! She snorted into her pillow and sighed.

Sitting up she wrapped her arms loosely around her drawn up knees. She wasn't going to do it. She wasn't ...she wasn't ...

She did it anyway. The bloodline limit within her activated as she ran through the hand seals before she could stop herself. A bitter smile touched her lips as she saw that despite it being past two in the morning, Gaara was still up and working at his desk. He barely got enough rest. She should know, it had become habit to look in on him before she went to sleep at night. And since she'd used the Byakugan, no one would ever know.

"Coward." She whispered aloud, recalling the last word Gaara had called out to her as she'd fled from his kiss.

Hanabi threw back the covers and scrambled to get dressed. If she wasn't going to be able to sleep and she couldn't bring herself to corner the lion in his den, then she needed to destroy something. She wasn't due at the training fields until later, much later. But she was going now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Did we wake you?" TenTen asked as she handed Tsume the scrolls that the Hokage had sent with them. Her eyes taking in the unkempt hair and unsubtle yawn.

Tsume grinned and shook her head. "No, I always look like this." She lied just to see the younger kunoichi squirm.

TenTen's eyes dropped and she looked away, squirming just a bit in spite of herself. Rinako smiled slightly despite being tired. They'd decided as a group not to stop on the last night to camp, thinking they needed to push on through. So they were getting in during the early morning hours, but were arriving early by about half a day's travel.

Tsume looked at the three of them and shook her head. "Kiba's not with you?"

Lee shook his head, looking not the slightest bit tired or wilted. "He sent the message off to the Hokage as she explained to us, but he did not come to Konoha."

The Inuzuka clan leader nodded, not letting her slight unease show. Her only son should have been back by now. And while she had the utmost faith in him, she was surprised to find a small kernel of motherly worry buried deep within her. "He must have been kept back by our people at the fortress." She said, believing it completely. And yet ...and yet.

Tsume brutally pushed those weaker thoughts away and broke the seal on the scroll, getting down to business.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba had no idea how it was done, and the fact that is was still working even after the Atkatsuki were long gone did not set well. He growled as yet another set of lights came on in the tunnel, triggered by their presence or their motion, he didn't care which. Darkness was the ally of the ninja.

He looked around and sniffed cautiously. No one seemed to be following, but you just couldn't tell. And he couldn't afford to take chances. There was another stream of cold cave water up ahead, he could smell and hear it, but that was about all.

Shiho stopped when Kiba stopped, her hands on her knees as she took in huge gulps of air. She was still shaking like a leaf, and the deeper they went, the colder it seemed to get too. It didn't help that all she was wearing was her thick night gown and a pair of shoes. "You ...you couldn't have grabbed some socks too?" She whimpered, wiggling her bare feet in her boots and winced at the twinge of soreness.

The dog ninja ignored her as he pooled chakra in his feet and walked up the wall toward one of the lights. One of the lights that was showing their escape route to anyone following. He scowled as he pulled out a kunai.

The kunoichi looked up at Kiba, still trying to catch her breath, just in time to see him start to prod one of the light sockets. "No! Don't do ..." It was too late, she smelled the tell-tale scent of something sulfurous and then a whiff of ozone. "DROP! Kiba! Drop!"

Akamaru yelped in alarm as the flames ignited Kiba's clothing and singed him. Shiho rapidly formed her hand seals and instead of landing on the ground, the Inuzuka fell into a deep pit of mud. Mud that immediately smothered the flames from the Akatsuki trap.

In her desperate attempt to keep Kiba from going up like a fireworks display, Shiho had made the biggest puddle of mud in her entire life. So big, that the ground beneath her own feet liquefied into the mass of ooze. Only Akamaru jumped clear to solid ground as he growled at the floor beneath him that had suddenly melted.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ibiki moaned, barely conscious as he held onto the cliff face with his one unbroken hand. Suddenly there was a tugging on the back of his tunic and he was pulled up from the sudden chasm that had opened up thanks to a glancing blow from Shukaku's tail.

"Thanks." Ibiki muttered to Rakuai of the Village Hidden in the Grass. The equally beat-up man nodded even while his grossly swollen eyes turned toward their mutual nemesis.

Both men had nothing left inside them, and yet both leaped forward anyway as Shukaku once more turned toward the caverns holding the other tailed beasts.

There was a sudden crash as Shukaku brought his fisted paw down hard on top of the cave marking the residence of the seven-tailed beast. Ibiki winced and tried to move faster, when without warning Rakuai grabbed him and pulled him aside just as there was an explosion and a roar of rage.

Both men stopped, watching in shock. Rakuai cleared his throat. Ibiki nodded. Both men then quickly signaled the rest of their remaining forces to back off. It seems they didn't need to protect the caverns from Shukaku. The Akatsuki had done it for them.

Shukaku roared in pain and rage, cradling his singed limb and tried to knock the cavern down with his tail. More light, more explosions and more screeching in pain from the frustrated demon. Shukaku backed off, opening his mouth and tried blasting the area with a blow of tons of sand.

All the ninja who'd pulled back watched in awe as places they'd been moments before was now completely buried in sand. But the holding caverns didn't break, didn't move and outside of Shukaku's roaring anger, there was no sound except for the calls of the severely wounded.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The slow clap of applause seemed mocking as Hanabi whipped around with a frown which eased slightly as she saw Bokkai and Saeko watching her. Two of the Suna jounin she'd become close to in the last two years.

"You're a master at the substitution jutsu." Saeko smiled benignly. "I do believe that you could substitute ink from one tag to another."

Bokkai stilled as if intrigued by the very thought. "Would that even work?" Offensive possibilities just suddenly blossomed in his head.

"Tried it." Hanabi quirked a half-smile. "To many variables. The ink in the calligraphy strokes as well as the ink itself has to be perfectly even. And if the writing has chakra infused in it, even worse."

The jounin nodded ruefully. "Of course you've tried it."

"What are you doing out here so early?" The older kunoichi asked blandly. "We came out to prepare a test for some genin."

Hanabi shrugged and looked away, gathering up her weapons. "Just couldn't sleep."

Bokkai nodded. "Heard you had guard duty with Kankuro's wife. The Leaf kunoichi. You were probably just bored to death."

Hanabi stiffened slightly, then forced her muscles to relax. The jounin had no idea he was talking about her sister. "She's alright." She muttered.

"That marriage robbed Suna of a perfectly fine puppet shinobi." Saeko frowned. "And now he's got two boys? And they're Leaf, not Sand. It's just not right."

The young and in-disguise Leaf kunoichi smiled, letting the slight go. She understood pride in your village and didn't take the others words too close to heart. "Like I said, she's alright." Hanabi said mildly, preparing to vacate the training area.

"She's better than alright." Bokkai sighed, making a vague gesture with his hand to indicate a woman's curves. "Sweet may be boring, true. But Kankuro got off luckier than many men deserve. We lost him, but he doesn't look too unhappy."

"Pig." Saeko smiled as she shook her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips. "Though, to be honest, from what I heard ...Kaji, you would have had some competition with the Leaf girl. For the Kazekage that is."

Bokkai whistled long and low. "I was with the guards when we went to question the Lady Hinata. There she was, standing on the bed yelling at Kankuro in a barely there piece of lace women like to call clothing." Bokkai smiled wickedly in remembrance. "She looks so shy most of the time, but I've got to tell you ..." He shivered and winked at Kaji. "And I wasn't the only one not able to take my eyes off of her."

Hanabi felt her mouth dry up and heard a strange buzzing in her ears. "Gaara?"

Saeko shrugged as a sudden idea occurred to her, maybe ...just maybe. "It was long before you came to Suna, Kaji. And she's married to Kankuro. She's no competition to you." She said, baiting the hook.

"I don't want him." Hanabi muttered more from reflex and habit than anything else, her mind was racing in other directions. "Gaara saw Hinata undressed?"

"Lingerie." Bokkai grinned wider. "Very pretty, though I have to admit it wasn't the lace I was looking at."

Saeko smiled herself. This might work, Kaji was trying hard to keep a blank face but there was jealousy there. Definitely. "I was here the day the Leaf girl gave the Kazekage a nosebleed too." The older kunoichi upped the ante. "Tried to cover it up, but the guards were upset to see blood and Baki had to give us a reason the Kazkekage was bleeding."

Bokkai sighed and shook his head. "I missed that one. What was she wearing that time he walked in on her? Man. Kaji, you should be glad that you don't have to compete against the Lady Hinata. Not when Gaara kept reacting like that."

Saeko nodded, her shrewd eyes not casual as she saw the hints of jealousy bloom even more within Kaji. Good. The girl was more than old enough now. These stupid denials needed to stop. A push here, a shove there ...

The buzzing in Hanabi's ears got louder as she made some weak excuse and fled the field.

Bokkai watched the younger kunoichi flee and scratched his chin.

"Mission accomplished. Nice job helping to make her jealous by the way." Saeko smiled, pleased with herself.

"Make her jealous? Is that what we were doing?" Bokkai turned to look at his own former teammate.

Saeko's grin slipped as she blew out a frustrated breath. "That's what I was doing. Turns out you were just being a pig, as usual."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Akamaru whimpered as Kiba ordered the large canine to stay back and to guard the tunnel. Kiba groaned as he struggled hard to wade through the deep, deep mud that came up to his chest. He almost smiled as he saw Shiho struggling and falling back into the mire with a small shriek as the girl barely managed to keep her face from going under.

Step, by agonizing step, the Inuzuka pulled himself free and then reached out to yank Shiho clear of the mud as well.

Shiho shivered and nearly cried as she grabbed her pack, plucking at the ties. "The scrolls!"

Kiba put his muddy hand over hers. "The packs are water proof, standard ninja supplies. The scrolls will be fine." He hoped. "We need to get moving."

"But ...but ..." Shiho sputtered as Kiba took her pack and pushed her forward through the cave. "You nearly burned to death! Aren't you hurt?"

"Singed." Kiba said, ignoring the small aches and pains. "But I'm good."

"The Akatsuki warded everything. I assume that they didn't want their light sources tampered with and guarded them appropriately. Several people got really burned at first." Shiho rambled, then spun. "Akamaru! He's on the wrong side of the mud!"

"No he's not." Kiba grinned, flashing fangs as he looked at her, his face caked with mud. He whistled.

"But he's ..." Shiho pointed out what was obvious to her just as Akamaru took a leisurely jump and landed just beyond them. "Oh."

Laughing, Kiba urged his little librarian forward. "There's water ahead, we can take a short break and get cleaned up."

o.O.o.O.o.O

TenTen yawned as she got ready for the meeting. Surreptitiously she cut her dark eyes toward Rinako and mentally sighed. The other kunoichi had guts, more than TenTen would have liked to admit. This upcoming meeting with Cloud ninja had to be hard.

Any slip, any word of this getting out meant that Rinako's family would be killed. And yet, here the dog kunoichi was, willing to risk it all to save her Village. Despite having to betray her Raikage in order to do so.

Guilt didn't sit well with TenTen, and her stomach churned not to simply apologize and be done with it. But there was another matter to consider.

"Miss Rinako! They have some delicious melons over here! I'll bring you some!"

Lee. TenTen sighed and unhappily watched her eager teammate pile a plate high with foods as Rinako protested that she wasn't that hungry.

Rinako's future was murky at best. And Lee was a straightforward person. But did TenTen really have any right to interfere? She bit her lip slightly as she struggled with the thought. Lee was like a beloved brother to her. She could not simply sit by and watch him get hurt.

"Morning!"

TenTen looked up to see Sakura slip into the room. Her eyes cut immediately to Lee as he put the plate down in front of Rinako.

"Sakura! Dearest Blossom on the tree that is life, you are a sight too lovely for words!" Lee crowed happily. "And Naruto! Good to see you again my fine friend!" With that, Lee headed over to greet his friends.

TenTen alone saw the arrested look on Rinako's face as she looked at the woman who held Lee's heart.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara looked up from his desk as Hanabi pushed past his guards. He signaled to them that he was fine and to shut the door behind them. The guards nodded and left as instructed.

The Kazekage leaned back in his chair, his pale-jade eyes calm as they watched Hanabi march back and forth in front of his desk looking furious. Her face was flushed and energy simply roiled off of her. But she didn't speak.

Finally, Gaara broke the silence. "No flowers to throw at me?" He prodded, waiting for her reaction. It was when she didn't react, but kept pacing that he sat forward in his chair. "Hanabi?"

The kunoichi pulled off her dual masks and tossed them on a nearby side table. "I hate you. And I'm going home." She said with utmost calm.

Alarmed, Gaara stood, his sand rushing to block the door.

Hanabi turned to look at him, her pale Hyuuga eyes wide and distressed. Gaara swallowed hard. Their kiss. This had to be about the kiss.

"Let me go, Gaara. There are other places Michi, Rocks and I can play dead. I ...I'm leaving."

Gaara came out from behind his desk and quicker than a snake strike he was blocking her path, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes narrowing dangerously on her. "It was just a kiss, Hanabi. One you yourself initiated."

Hanabi sighed and shook her head. "I liked the kiss." The words tumbled forth. "The kiss was hot and I liked it. Not so much big on the fact you had the upper hand, but ...whatever."

He eyed her carefully, completely at a loss as to what was wrong. "I liked the kiss too. A lot." He admitted slowly.

The kunoichi smiled bitterly, and then the smile completely disappeared. "It didn't make your nose bleed."

"What?"

"You heard me." Hanabi pushed his shoulder lightly, then again with more strength. And then she got mad. How dare he be attracted to her sister first! She punched him in the shoulder with a chakra reinforced fist.

Gaara winced and backed up two steps, but made no further move. "If you were aiming to make my nose bleed, you should hit my nose and not the shoulder."

Hanabi growled and pulled her hair just before she swung at him. Hitting his nose square on. The sand armor that he'd called in didn't even dent. "Hanabi?"

"YOU SAW MY SISTER NAKED!"

Gaara's eyes went very, very round. "Oh."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako's appetite fled as she eyed the pretty pink-haired kunoichi. Pretty. Not spectacular, but pretty enough. Cattily she wondered if the hair color was real, but pushed the thought away as Lee smiled so brightly at the other kunoichi. He looked so damned happy to see her!

The bitch.

But then Rinaki tore herself from those thoughts and nodded to Naruto. She eyed the door. She had no business being jealous of Lee when her life expectancy wasn't so great. Who was here? From Cloud. Who was on their side? Would anyone she'd see today surprise her?

Karui was the first from Cloud to enter and she stopped cold when she saw Rinako, then her face darkened. "What is this?" She'd been told that someone capable of following the Daimyo Lord's trail to his current location had been found. Not someone from Leaf, but from Cloud.

Omoi was the next inside, he looked back and forth between the two kunoichi and shrugged. "I don't know you." He said by way of introduction.

"She's dead. All our current information says that she's being hailed as a hero by the Raikage and is now dead." Karui muttered while crossing her arms.

Samui watched everyone quietly then shrugged. "Obviously we don't have the most current of information."

Rinako held her head up high, not sure how things would play out. In the background she could hear someone else approaching. Her eyes widened. That someone was talking, in rhyme. Bad rhyme. "Kirabi? He's here?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can't just wash up!" Shiho whined.

Kiba glanced at her as he pulled off his mud encrusted shirt. "All the traps have been deactivated. By me." He grinned at her and she gulped to see him bare chested. The muddy streaks made her want to reach out and wash the dirt away. Touch him. She shivered as he continued talking. "I know the water's cold, but we are in a cave system."

She pointed at his pack, through sheer force of will looking away from his muscular chest. Mouthwatering and ...Shiho coughed to clear her throat. "You have clean clothing to change into. I don't." She pointed out the obvious.

Kiba frowned and nodded. "Your fault. You grabbed all those papers instead of anything ...I don't know ...useful. Couldn't you have grabbed a change of clothing AND the scrolls?"

Shiho picked at an itch along her arm, frowning as the mud flaked off. She itched all over, actually. "Those papers and scrolls are important. Very. Everything I grabbed is more important than me, I guarantee you."

The Inuzuka nodded. He did understand duty, even if he was teasing her. "Don't worry. Sai managed to toss us his pack, I'm sure that he has something in here we can use."

Licking her lips, Shiho nodded and looked around. There was no privacy, none. She looked up at the lights overhead. Kiba snickered behind her.

"Come on little librarian. I can't dim the lights for your modesty, that's how we got into the muddy mess in the first place." He chuckled and rummaged through Sai's pack. "Here." He tossed some clean things her way.

"I am not a librarian. I'm a cryptologist." She said snootily, feeling very off kilter. She eyed the stream of very cold water, and then looked back at Kiba. "Turn your back. Akamaru can watch over me."

The canine 'woofed' in assent.

"Spoilsport." Kiba grinned at his dog, but turned his back on her to let her have some semblence of privacy.

Quickly Shiho shed the torn and mud caked night gown and nearly screamed as she rinsed it out in the harshly frigid water. "So cold!" Trembling, she swiped the mud from her body with the ruins of her gown.

She eyed Sai's clothing with a grimace. There were no underpants at all. She grabbed the pants first and wriggled and strained. She managed to get them up and fastened, though they were too tight. "Sai has no hips." She complained.

The shirt was another problem. She wasn't wearing a bra, and his top was midriff baring. Luckily Sai was broader through the chest and the top covered most of her midriff, showing off only a thin swath of skin at the very bottom. And her chest wasn't huge, she thought ruefully, so nothing was hanging. She may not be large, but damned if her breasts weren't perky! Perky was good. Ise would probably have her chest hanging down to her knees when she got older. So there! She sneered and yanked on the too long sleeves.

"Kiba?"

"Mm?" He turned around and felt the blood drain from his face and pool in another more inappropriate part of his body. Shiho wasn't looking at him, which was a small blessing. His mouth went dry as he eyed the skin-tight pants that outlined an ass that made his palms itch to touch. It appeared his little librarian had been hiding a fine body beneath those long skirts and jackets.

"Kiba?" Shiho frowned and flapped the sleeves. "I need you to cut these, they won't roll."

"Uh huh." Kiba trailed his eyes over the very feminine curve of her body in appreciation. He'd always been a boob-man. But the look of Shiho's ass and legs had him reconsidering.

"Kiba?"

Startled, the shinobi snapped to attention and nodded. He grabbed a kunai and ruthlessly slashed the sleeves and then again at the bottoms of the pants which were far too long. Then he sliced some of the heavy fabric into long strips and handed her one.

"What's this for?" Shiho asked, puzzled.

"Tie back your hair." He muttered and turned to drop to all fours and dunked his whole head in the frigid water to regain control. They were on the run and he had a duty to perform. Ogling his companion wasn't part of his mission.

Startled by the sudden move, Shiho walked away and tied back her difficult hair. She eyed Akamaru. "He's going to catch a bad cold doing that."

The canine barked, equally as puzzled as the kunoichi.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rakuai eyed the devastation and turned to Ibiki, who was having his ribs wrapped tightly. "The One-Tail left without destroying us completely."

Gritting his teeth, Ibiki nodded. "He couldn't release the other demons, so he decided to leave them. I don't think they're all pals or anything."

The Grass shinobi nodded, wincing as the movement hurt all the way down to his toes. "The demon was heading for the desert."

"Suna, you mean."

Rakuai blinked and agreed. "As you say. Revenge?"

"That would be my guess." Ibiki gasped as the medic finished with the ribs and started poking at his shoulder that they'd only just popped back into place less than fifteen minutes ago. "It was the Leaf's First Hokage who captured and imprisoned him, but it was Suna that held him. It wouldn't surprise me if the demon wanted revenge on both villages."

The Grass ninja turned to look at the way the demon had left. There was no doubt about where he'd gone. The path of destruction and rubble made it quite clear. "He's on a rampage." He paused. "Suna should be warned." He said, breaking the protocol of insular behavior between the ninja villages.

Ibiki eyed his Grass counterpart coolly. "We have no more message birds. Their cages were broken and the birds that didn't die have fled. And we can't spare anyone, we have to guard the other tailed beasts from Cloud. Or Mist. Or both."

Rakuai nodded, having been brought up to date. He looked at the young man who was relatively unscathed. "They were wearing Mist headband protectors."

Sai shrugged as he checked his weapons. "I don't know who they were, but the dog boy got some to admit to being Cloud."

"Temari is on her way to Suna. I don't imagine that either she or her husband could miss the huge chakra signature following them. Suna will get its warning." Ibiki hissed as the medic hit a particularly sore part.

Sai nodded and looked into the distance, wondering just where the Inuzuka was right about now. Ibiki had warned him to say nothing of their code-breaker being alive, or missing. The Grass delegation had helped, but that meant nothing. Trust was a precious commodity right now, and they had none left to spare. For the moment he had to focus solely on keeping enemies away from the other tailed beasts.

Fine. He tossed up a kunai and caught it neatly. Sai frowned at his hand. His muscles appeared to be working well now. So what had happened earlier? His frown deepened.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara blinked twice, never looking away from her face. He opened his mouth, but then closed it. He didn't know how to respond.

"Well?" Hanabi crossed her arms, staring him straight in the face.

"Hm." The red-head vocalized, then nodded slightly. "She wasn't naked."

Gaara didn't even duck as the lamp from his desk was grabbed and thrown at his head with deadly accuracy. He let the sand armor take the blow for him.

"I HATE YOU!' Hanabi screamed, marching toward the door.

Gaara moved quickly and grabbed her masks, turning he tossed them to her.

The kunoichi paused, her hand on the doorknob, his sand not stopping her. "See? You don't even want me enough to fight for me." The words were barely out of her mouth when a tendril of sand wrapped around her waist and yanked her back toward him.

Gaara glared at her. Furious. Which only made her burn more. What right did HE have to be mad?!

o.O.o.O.o.O


	41. Blue

"He's not going to be pleased." Came the understatement as Genma looked up from the desk where he sat with Sai and the Grass shinobi delegate.

Sai's expression didn't change, but Rakuai nodded briefly in agreement. "Indeed."

Shizune frowned and crossed her arms, looking tired and worn out. "We were supposed to bringing in some supplies and collecting information to take back to Konoha. Not staging an emergency rescue with just two people." She pointed out ruthlessly.

"We weren't in need of rescue." Sai said quietly.

Rakuai held his tongue while Genma shrugged. Shizune pointed her finger back at the room where she'd just left her sedated-against-his-will husband. "Ibiki thinks his ribs are just cracked. If I or another medic hadn't arrived when we did, he'd be dead from internal bleeding." He could still die, she didn't add. Shizune then turned her frown on the Grass ninja. "And you're next."

Rakuai stilled. This strange kunoichi whom he knew to be Ibiki's wife was staring directly at him. His grossly swollen eyes slightly widened and he pointed to the headband protector clearly showing him to be from Grass, and not the Leaf village. It was unwritten policy that villages took care of their own ninja, and no others.

Genma chuckled mirthlessly. "Don't bother explaining how she can't do that, she has the authority to make these kind of decisions."

The Grass shinobi blinked, not realizing that the medic was placed so highly in the Konoha hierarchy. Still, he shook his head. "If you knock me out, my people may not believe your explanation that it is for medical purposes. There would be ...difficulties."

"You can barely see right now, and I want to check you for internal injuries as well." Shizune told him plainly. "I won't knock you out."

Still, Rakuai hesitated. Trust was not the shinobi way.

Shizune held the silence a moment more, then quietly spoke again. "Ibiki said you saved his life. I owe you."

Finally, a long moment later, the proud Grass jounin nodded his assent. Besides, he thought, the two shinobi from his own village with any kind of medical training had died in the fracas with the one-tailed beast. Still, he kept his horribly swollen eyes on her, not fully trusting that she wouldn't knock him out like she had Ibiki.

Genma watched Shizune drag off the other man and then turned to Sai. "We were already on our way here. Still, once we felt the huge chakra expenditures we came at full speed. We were too far out to be of much help."

Sai nodded very slightly.

"Shizune and I will take over here with Ibiki down for however long. And we have no message birds. I'm going to send you to Konoha immediately."

"Would not some of the injured be better off delivering a message?" Sai questioned bluntly. "You may need me here."

"Too slow." Genma shook his head curtly. "I'm sending you because it's dangerous out there, I need someone uninjured and ready to fight. We do not know if Cloud is the enemy in this instance, or Mist. Possibly both. The one-tail is heading toward Suna. But there are too many unknowns right now. I need to send you at all haste."

"Nezumi?" Sai asked, mentioning Shiho by her nick-name.

Genma shook his head. "Kiba has her. They'll survive or they won't. Bigger picture, you need to get the information of the one-tail's release to the Hokage. Oh, and the part about the possibility of Mist joining up with Cloud to attack us. Not to mention your information about the Rock jounin who attacked you for the code-breaker. We don't know if he was working on orders, or plain taking advantage of an opportunity." He paused and stared directly into the younger shinobi's unblinking gaze. "Get to Konoha no matter what."

Sai stood quickly and would have left immediately if Genma hadn't put out his hand to stop him.

"I didn't mean right this second." The senbon-sporting shinobi said wryly. "Wait for me to finish writing the messages first."

Sai nodded as he proceeded to wait, his mind focused on the task ahead. Though in the back of his head he wondered if Shiho and her guard had managed to survive. The moment the thought formed, however, he pushed it away wondering where it had come from in the first place.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The struggle had been brief, and one-sided. Hanabi found that the sand wrapped around her middle had effectively trapped her hands and she was unable to form hand seals. But she'd tried anyway. And Gaara was holding her right up close to him, nearly breathing on her. So she took advantage and kicked him in the shin. Several times.

Gaara stood still, letting his sand armor absorb all the impacts as he stared furiously at his captive, letting her come to the conclusion that she wasn't going anywhere just yet.

Red in the face and madder than she'd ever been in her life, Hanabi screamed at the top of her lungs.

Footsteps sounded outside the Kazekage's private office and two of his guards burst in, then ground to a screeching halt. They looked at each other, one shrugged. Kaji and the Kazekage had a prickly relationship, it was well known, but they'd not seen anything like this before. And what was the kunoichi doing here in the middle of the night anyway?

Gaara cut his eyes toward his guards. "Leave." His voice brooked no argument.

One guard pointed to the fallen masks that Kaji normally wore, raising an eyebrow as the other guard grabbed his arm and hustled them both out of the office, shutting the door behind them. Both were disappointed that Kaji's back had been to them, but there was no arguing with the Kazekage when he sounded that harsh.

Both men looked up as Kankuro rushed into the outer offices, clearly having just been awoken as he was pulling on a shirt over his bare chest. "What was the screaming?" His wife Hinata was behind him, belting her own robe.

The guards looked at each other, clearly debating what to say or not to say.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino looked worried as he signaled to Temari for a rest break. The blonde pulled up and nodded, sweat running down her throat, the front of her clothing clinging to her from perspiration.

"Your headache worse?" Temari asked nervously, handing him the water container before taking a drink herself.

"No." Shino said briefly.

"Are you lying?" She pointed her finger at him.

"No." He took the water bottle and took a drink, handing it back to her.

"Was that a lie too?" Temari asked point-blank before taking a drink herself.

"You look exhausted." He knew she'd fought off an ambush and had rushed back without a rest break to warn them. Then they'd been sent off immediately toward Suna.

The wind kunoichi sighed and recapped the water container, slinging it over her pack. "You sweet talking seducer, such compliments won't get you laid."

"Pale." He commented in his gruff voice.

"Me and you both. And if you don't die from the poison, maybe Shukaku will end your life for you if you don't move your fucking ass toward Suna. Pick it up bug-man." With that, Temari took off again.

Shino caught up to her three steps later. He didn't need the agitation of the kikai bugs within him to let him know that Shukaku was indeed on their trail, maybe a day and a half or two behind them. Ibiki and the others had probably delayed the demon for as long as possible. The chakra signature was off the scale entirely, and held a menacing tinge to it that brooked no good. Shino wondered if there was anyone left at the former Akatsuki fortress at all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"The spacing between the lights is getting wider." Shiho commented from her place between Kiba and Akamaru. "Leaving dim areas. Deliberate? Or are some of the lights not working do you think?"

Kiba grunted as he led the way down the hallway. He'd put Akamaru on the end of their little line up for a couple of reasons. The nin-dog could effectively protect their flank, while Kiba could go first, detecting any hidden traps and hopefully deactivate them.

"Kiba?"

The Inuzuka growled and forced his attention off the woman behind him. He'd put her in the middle for protection. No one would question the move, it made perfect logistical sense. It also kept him from staring at her ass as they walked. Frowning, Kiba held up a hand to stop them as he sniffed the air cautiously. "Another trap, I can smell the poison."

Shiho nodded and kept quiet as she stood nervously still. She made sure her hands were free in case she needed to do something. Anything. Though her jutsu knowledge was pitiful in comparison to Kiba's. Mud. She could make mud. Pitiful, she thought to herself.

Her palms started to sweat as she watched him drop down slowly to the ground, nearly belly-crawling toward one side of the tunnel. She squinted but could see nothing out of the ordinary. This cavern system was closing in on her. The tunnel was wide enough, but the tension of their slow escape was driving her crazy. Shiho wasn't sure if they'd ever see the light of day again.

"Got it." Kiba grumbled, inserting a lone senbon into a seam in the wall that just hadn't been there a moment ago. He called chakra to his fingertips and then sent it pulsing down through the sharp needle-like weapon into the rock face. There was a sizzling sound and then a series of hidden tags started smoking as they became visible on the wall. Along with a series of small holes that held the poisoned projectiles designed to take down any intruders.

Shiho let out the breath she'd not even realized she'd been holding. "Good." She stepped forward, one step, then two.

Kiba heard the softest of 'snicks' and launched himself from the ground at Shiho just as Akamaru bit her ankle to stop her movement.

The cryptologist cried out in surprise and pain as she tumbled at an odd angle thanks to her two rescuers. Her ankle twisted and pain shot up her entire leg. It took a moment for her vision to clear as she turned her head toward Kiba who was breathing hard. His concerned gaze was nearly an inch from her own. In fact, she could feel him pressed up against her as he nearly held her down.

"You hit?"

Shiho looked down at herself, then at where she'd been standing. The ground was littered with sharp needles embedded into the ground. They glistened wetly. "Poison." She stated. It wasn't a question.

Kiba nodded, his heart still racing.

Slowly Shiho took stock. Her ankle throbbed, but at least wasn't pierced by any of the poisoned weapons. It was disconcerting to see a cluster of the needle sharp implements only a half an inch from her foot. Kiba's heat radiated off of him and she shivered, though not from any chill. Her thinking muddled as she tried to focus on their situation, and not his closeness. Could Ibiki have been right? Was Kiba interested in her personally?

Shiho took a deep breath, her chest rising automatically. It was then that she felt his hand. He'd grabbed her and knocked her back for safety reasons. But his hand ...it had caught her around the middle. An area she usually kept well covered, but she'd been forced to put on some of Sai's clothing and ... and ... "Y...your h ...".

"Are you hurt?" Kiba's dark eyes narrowed in concern.

"No, no ...but ...your h ...h ...". Shiho tried again, but every breath she took made his hand move on her and she could feel her skin prickle. His touch was burning hot on her skin. "Hand." She finally managed.

Kiba's eyebrows snapped together. What did she mean by his hand? He'd not been hit. Kiba looked down and caught his breath. His hand had inadvertently slipped under the material of Sai's cropped shirt. His hand was currently resting on her ribcage just below her right breast, his thumb nearly right between her cleavage. Her bare ribcage. Kiba's body went into hyperdrive. Her bare breast. His fingers nearly spasmed.

Shiho sighed with relief, and also a lot of regret as Kiba snatched back his hand with a murmured apology. "Next time, wait for me to triple check. The Akatsuki like redundancy, and apparently didn't like relying on one trap when two or three would work just fine."

The kunoichi nodded, blushing hotly as he stood. She nearly cried at the loss of his closeness, but took the hand he offered to help stand. The moment that she put weight on her left ankle, though, she bit back an oath.

Kiba scowled. "How bad is it?"

Shiho bit her lip and tried to put weight on it again. It hurt, but she could stand it. "Not too bad."

"It'll slow us down." The dog ninja stated.

"I'm sorry." Shiho felt like she was about to cry. "I'm so sorry."

Kiba sighed and jerked his mind out of the gutter, reading the misery in her eyes. "Hey, hey. It's alright. We're still fine and in one piece. Minor set back, that's all."

Akamaru sniffed at her ankle and gave a soft 'woof' and a whine.

Kiba translated for her. "He's sorry that he had to stop you."

"Oh!" Shiho dropped down to hug the large canine around the neck. "Akamaru! You didn't hurt me, I wasn't thinking and it was all my fault!"

The ninja dog barked that it was indeed all her fault, then gave her a big canine kiss on the side of her face to tell her that all was forgiven.

Shiho grinned, her nerves settling some as she tried unsuccessfully to fend off the large dog as he licked the side of her face.

Kiba watched the byplay with a half-smile, knowing down bone deep that he'd better not fail in this mission. Because if Shiho got captured, he knew he'd not be able to kill her. Because he'd be dead long before anyone laid a single hand on her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi had not deactivated her Byakugan when she'd stormed over here to the Kazekage tower, used to needing to use it to see through her masks. Therefore it took no handseals to look for help. "KANKURO! HINATA!"

She saw them both pause outside the inner office and turn to face the wall. Hinata took a step forward, but Kankuro's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"HELP ME!" Hanabi screamed.

The puppeteer looked conflicted, then he yelled out. "Kaji? Are you in danger?"

"YES!"

Kankuro held on to his wife as he shook his head. "If he's letting you yell, then no ...you're not. Sorry!"

"HE SAW HINATA NAKED!" Hanabi screamed this time, furious with both brothers now.

Hinata went deep red in the face as she covered her mouth in horror. Kankuro, on the other hand, simply smiled clear as day.

Hanabi tried again. "HE HAD A NOSEBLEED!"

Kankuro and the two guards shared a laugh as Hinata pressed her palms to her cheeks.

"HINATA?! PLEASE!"

The elder sister pulled away from her husband, heading toward the door. A second later three men were blocking the door as Kankuro whispered urgently to his wife as he led her toward the exit. They were met in the hallway as someone else came running. Well, maybe not running as he was an old man that Hanabi didn't know very well, having met him only a few times. Nosy old bugger too.

"HELP!" She screamed again, then fumed as Kankuro put his hand on the old man's shoulder and led him away. A moment or two later she could clearly see through several walls as the three sat down to share a pot of tea someone had brought.

Hinata activated her own Byakugan and turned worried eyes on Hanabi. The younger sister was about to yell out again when Gaara's chilly voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Ready to deal with me?"

Hanabi's head whipped around and she gulped as she looked into Gaara's own furious gaze. Her temper dimmed a moment, then surged forward again. "Why are YOU angry? You hurt me!"

Gaara let the sand slip down and release her as he stared at her. "How?"

Sputtering, Hanabi grabbed a paperweight off of his desk and bounced it off the sand armor covering his chest. The red-head merely crossed his arms. "I repeat. How did I hurt you?"

"You. Saw. My. Sister. Naked!" Hanabi nearly spat at him as she grabbed something else off of his desk, ready to make it into a missile as well.

Gaara's sand wrapped around her ankles suddenly and jerked, dropping Hanabi unceremoniously in a chair. A second later Gaara was looming over her, one hand on either arm rest as he effectively trapped her. His jade-pale eyes bored into her own gaze. Hanabi swallowed hard in spite of herself, leaning back as far as her chair would allow.

"I didn't know you then." He paused a moment. "And she wasn't naked."

She opened her mouth, but stopped as he shook his head at her.

Gaara's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "So how the hell did I hurt you?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can't just leave her in there." Hinata's voice was faint with worry.

Kankuro kept his hand on her knee as he smiled at the old man across from him. "It is good to see you again Ebizou-Jiisama."

The wrinkled old man shook his head. "I have lived too long. Which one are you again?"

"The Fourth's son, Kankuro." The puppeteer told him. "And don't play those games old man, I've known you too long for that."

"I don't know you." The old man harrumphed. "You're wearing the insignia of a Leaf shinobi. My enemy you must be."

Hinata turned her worried eyes away from the scene playing out in the Kazekage's office. "My husband is no enemy to Suna." She said, her voice still soft but with an underlying strength.

"My Lady wife, formerly Hyuuga Hinata may I make known to you ...an old fart."

"Baka!" The old man reached out and struck Kankuro in the back of the head before settling back into his chair as if he'd not moved at all. "Never a civil tongue in your head."

Hinata blinked, not having expected such speed from someone so ancient.

"So you DO remember me then!" Kankuro grinned even as he rubbed the back of his head.

"No manners!" The old man crossed his arms in irritation. "Bad Hyuuga you must make, marrying beneath you so." He looked pointedly at Hinata.

The kunochi flushed slightly and offered to pour the tea.

Kankuro pointed a finger at the old man and closed one eye. "I'll bet you knew about my marriage all this time. When I was three and she was only one. I'll bet you knew nearly my whole life and never said a word."

Ebizou grunted slightly, but didn't answer as he accepted the tea from Hinata. But he sniffed it first, cautious and untrusting.

"Oh drink it jiisama." Kankuro took the tea cup and sipped from it himself. "We're not here to poison you. Though it's long past time you died."

Hinata caught her breath at such rudeness, but then began breathing again as the old man began to chuckle and then to laugh outright. It took her a moment as the two men began catching up on the news, but it finally dawned on her that this is the way they showed affection.

No longer concerned that the two males would start an actual fight, she turned her Byakugan back onto the Kazekage's office. Suddenly there was a pain at the back of her head and she turned to see Ebizou settling back into his chair once more.

"Rude to spy, little girl."

Kankuro snickered, but didn't intervene.

"But ...but ...what if she needs help?" Hinata protested.

"Kaji?" The old man chuckled roughly. "You don't know her, but she's made of stern stuff. Stern Suna stuff. She can stand up for herself. Oh don't think I didn't meet up with the little chit after I heard the rumors about the Kazekage-sama going courting." He winked. "She's got a spine, which she'll need to marry him."

"Oh." Hinata said weakly, not sure how to respond to that exactly.

"Besides." The old man leaned forward. "What business is it of yours what happens to one of our own? Leaf girl."

Kankuro put his hand on Hinata's knee once more. "Don't ever strike my wife again, or I'll put you in your grave next to your exalted sister and I'll spell your name wrong on the memorial. Don't think I won't."

The old man mumbled something under his breath and then meekly asked for more tea.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai was well on his way to Konoha moving at a very quick pace. He stopped every so often and cast out his senses, looking for chakra signatures. And he only partially convinced himself that he was only looking for possible enemies.

He found nothing. A few traders. A hunting party. Even a few brigands. No one else. Not a trace of a dog shinobi nor a cryptologist.

Suddenly Sai felt something was odd, different. Mentally he stopped to consider. His face. He reached up and touched his lips. They were turned downward.

Maybe he was ill after all. A muscle weakness. First his arm, and now his face. He'd need to check with the medics once he reached Konoha.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Dead end." Kiba stared at the blank rock face and grimaced.

Shiho, tired and in pain leaned against the side of the tunnel, Akamaru sitting down next to her. "Now what? Do we go back?"

"No." Kiba said plainly, running his hands along the rocks. "We're being followed."

Stiffening, Shiho looked behind her but could see nothing.

"No one I know or recognize." The Inuzuka continued. "They're about an hour back. Unfortunately I couldn't take the risk to reactivate the traps after we passed them. Too dangerous." And if something happened to him, what would become of her? No. He'd had to bypass the temptation to rig the traps back up again.

"So what do we do?" Shiho asked, swallowing nervously.

"Whatever we have to do." Kiba said slowly as he checked for hidden switches. "This tunnel couldn't simply lead no where. Right?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi stared into the deadly serious eyes of her nemesis and shook her head. "You saw my sister and got a nosebleed." She accused, at least not screaming now.

"She has an admirable form."

Fire erupted once more in Hanabi's veins as her mouth dropped open in shock. "You don't want me, you want her?! But you can't have her. So what? I'm a poor copy? Hate to break it to you but it doesn't look like I'm going to be like her at all!"

Gaara nodded. "It has not escaped my notice that you are not soft spoken, sweet natured, empathetic, sympathetic, nurturing, or even just plain kind."

"Bastard!" She hissed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Good thing I don't like or want any of those things." Gaara said coldly and then closed the gap between their lips to steal a kiss. A kiss that unlike his words wasn't cold at all.

Temper turned to fire and fire burned like a wildfire as instead of fighting, Hanabi wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him closer. In one hand she still held the object from his desk that she'd meant to throw at him.

Her lips parted in invitation. With a groan he accepted, his tongue surging forth to meet with hers. One hand rose to grab the hair at the back of her neck, fisting there as he held her still for his kiss. But Hanabi had no intention of going anywhere.

Her fingers opened and pressed against the back of his shoulders, her earlier weapon dropping to the floor as it broke into three pieces.

Gaara's other hand blazed a trail up her side to over her collarbone and on up to cup her cheek. No sweet kiss between them though, this was openly carnal as Hanabi fairly purred and tried to pull him even closer. Harsh breathing as their lips parted and she threw back her head while he feasted on the soft skin laying between her neck and shoulder.

Her back arched as he bit her there as her fingers tried to physically dig into his skin beneath his heavy tunic. Desperate to touch his skin, she ran her hands over his shoulders to the opening at his neck. Unable to manage the fastenings, she simply grabbed and yanked. The shirt parted only a little, but Hanabi cried out in victory as her hands slipped inside to touch bare skin.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata turned off her Byakugan while blushing furiously.

Kankuro raised one eyebrow. "Does she need saving?"

Hinata blushed hotter, mutely shaking her head and refusing to make eye contact.

Ebizou and Kankuro both chuckled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara couldn't get closer, not while Hanabi was sitting in damned the chair. So he leaned back, to which she protested and dragged her with him. Both slumped to the floor as Gaara ran his hot mouth down from her now bruised neck to where her top covered her chest. He growled and used his right hand to grab and yank the offending material away as he braced the other hand on the floor.

A sharp pain had him hissing and drawing back, staring dumbly at the blood from the gash now on his hand.

Hanabi followed him up, frowning as she grabbed his hand. She looked down and saw something broken on the floor. It took her a moment to connect the broken shards of glass with what she'd dropped earlier. "Shit."

"Don't care." Gaara said hotly, leaning in toward her intently.

"Shit." Hanabi protested, holding up the pieces of her now torn shirt that bared the mesh top beneath. "I didn't mean to do that."

"I know and don't care." The Kazekage said, then frowned as she pulled back again, moving away from him by scooting on her backside. "Hanabi?"

"I mean I didn't mean to do THAT. That!" She pointed at his lips. "I'm mad at you!"

Gaara stopped and stared at her. "Your sister is lovely, but I don't want her. She's nothing compared to you."

"Don't insult my sister." Hanabi muttered, pleased with his words and the sincerity in his eyes despite herself. "You wanted her."

"No." Gaara sighed and leaned his back against his desk as he dabbed at the blood on his hand absently. "I walked in by accident and ...okay, it was ...nice."

Hanabi growled.

"Nice. Like artwork. But I don't want nice, I want fireworks. That's you." He said pointedly. "I met you and you were acting all ladylike. I had no interest. Then you showed your true colors. That I liked."

"Old pervert. I was thirteen." Hanabi teased him, a smile beginning to play at her lips.

"Eighteen is not old." He protested as he picked up the broken shards of what had once been a glass bowl. "And I wasn't lusting after your body." Gaara looked up at her then, his gaze smoldering. "Not then. Now. But not then."

Hanabi's skin prickled and burned and it was suddenly harder to breathe. "You're not still interested in Hinata though?"

"Never was." He told her truthfully.

Hanabi nodded. "Good." She looked wistfully over at him. "Sorry about the ...whatever the hell it was I broke."

Gaara held up a shard of glass. "A bowl."

"I'll clean it up." Hanabi sighed as her heart beat slowed.

"No need. It's sand." With that, all that was spilled from the broken bowl was whisked away to settle into a neat pile on his desk.

"You keep sand in a bowl?" Hanabi asked curiously. "In case of attack?"

"For remembering." Gaara gave her an odd look.

Suddenly suspicious, Hanabi stood and stared down at his desk. The pile of sand was blue. A small pile of blue sand. She pointed to it as Gaara climbed to his own feet. "Is that from when I ..."

"Hai." He stepped up next to her to stare balefully at the blue sand. "You nailed me with that ink."

"You dyed me blue too." She said absently as she turned to stare up at Gaara. He stared back.

"Yes." She breathed and leaned in to place a whisper soft kiss on the corner of his mouth before dancing backwards to grab her masks. "See you later!"

"Wait!" Gaara stared after her. "Yes? What do you mean, yes?"

Hanabi pulled on her masks and tried to straighten her torn top, it flopped back down again. She shrugged, as long as she was decent it didn't really matter. The mesh was concealing enough and the tear didn't bare everything.

Gaara stepped forward, staring at her.

She grinned at him, seeing his own shirt rumpled and open, baring his neck and upper swell of his chest. "Your lips are swollen."

"So are yours." He replied as she opened the door. "H ...Kaji?"

She turned to him and stuck out her tongue. "Take the non out of courtship, what do you get?"

Gaara's face cleared as he nodded at her. "What do I get?"

"Me." She told him saucily. "But only if you're very, very good."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	42. Mud and Sand

Heat bloomed in his mouth before the taste of a nice rolled mushroom omelet could even register. A second later, there was no taste in his mouth at all, only a burning sensation. With more calm than he felt, he reached out and stole a cup of yogurt from one of his breakfast companions.

Kankuro looked up, puzzled as his brother quickly devoured what had just been Hinata's breakfast but a second ago. Hinata looked stunned as well, her spoon still hanging in the air, half-way to her mouth.

"Something wrong with your omelet?" The puppeteer asked after Gaara signaled to an aide that he wanted more yogurt. The whole thing was strange, as Kankuro knew that his brother didn't really care about yogurt all that much.

Gaara ignored everyone, letting the yogurt cut through the heat of whatever Hanabi had done to either his food or his chopsticks. Once the aide returned with more yogurt, Gaara picked up his spoon and then paused. He sniffed cautiously at the spoon and then tossed it aside, grabbing Kankuro's unused utensil instead.

Hinata stared, unsure, while her husband picked up Gaara's discarded spoon and sniffed. His brow furrowed and he swiped one finger down the surface. "Poison?" He guessed.

"Don't touch it!" Admonished an alarmed Hinata.

Gaara sighed, finishing his second cup of yogurt, a food he normally hated. "Not poison. It's Kaji." He said, referring to the name Hanabi was using while staying here in Suna.

Hinata blushed hotly as she recalled how her little sister had used the same trick on an unsuspecting female that Hanabi had thought was Gaara's date. "Chili oil?"

"Or something of that nature." Gaara nodded, his expression didn't change, but at least the sensation in his mouth had eased from torturous to merely scorched. He wasn't sure he had any taste buds left at all as a matter of fact.

Kankuro whistled under his breath. "You must have really ticked her off."

Hinata blushed and looked away, still trying to deal with the heated kissing she'd witnessed last night between Gaara and her sister. In fact, Hanabi hadn't looked upset, though Hinata was trying hard to forget how her baby sister had looked all wrapped up in the Kazekage like that.

The red-headed Kazekage in question looked over at his sister-by-marriage. "Where is she?" He asked, though it was more a demand than a question.

Hinata hesitated, but activated her Byakugan. A moment later she spied her sister waving at her through three floors in the Kazekage tower. Reluctantly she gave a ghost of a smile. "Waiting for you in your office." She whispered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"More." Kiba hunched his shoulders as he pushed harder at the thick mud with the blade of his kunai.

Watching him struggle with the blocked passage, Shiho glanced behind her to where Akamaru was guarding the tunnel. It had been hours since they'd gotten to the end of the passageway, only to find it blocked. And with someone following them too.

"Shiho!" Snapped the grouchy Inuzuka without even looking back at her.

"Right, oh right!" Sweat dampened the back of her neck, making her already frizzed hair even more crazy and scraggly. She ran through the handseals again to turn the rock into mud. She winced as more of the thick goo formed and stuck, right where it was. Kiba didn't hesitate as he started scraping away at this layer of mud as well. "This is mad." She winced as she watched him struggle.

"Got any better ideas?" Groused the filthy Inuzuka, nearly up to his shoulders in mud and grime as he tunneled through the morass that had just a moment before been solid rock. "This is the way out. And we found the Akatsuki mechanism ...shit!" He pulled back, sputtering as he wiped away the mud that had gotten in his eyes before diving back in again.

Shiho nodded, knowing what he was saying. Yes, they'd found the mechanism. They'd also found that it was broken and of no help in opening whatever door was rigged here. They couldn't go back, not knowing who had been victorious in the battles above them. So they had to move forward. They had no choice.

She would use her only serviceable jutsu to turn the rock to mud, but it could only penetrate so deep. Kiba then scraped the mud free and she repeated the process to the next layer and so on, and so on. Shiho chewed her bottom lip, feeling horridly guilty for not keeping up with her training with ninjutsu. But who could have foreseen that she'd need to make so much mud?

Akamaru stood and snarled, making Shiho jump. "Kiba, I think someone's approaching!" She hissed in a harsh whisper.

Kiba's kunai pierced through the final layer of mud and daylight glowed through the opening. Once the breakthrough happened, widening it became his next priority.

"Kiba!" Shiho backed up toward him, her nervous eyes flitting from shadow to shadow in the too dimly lit passage. She reached down to his weapon pouch resting at his feet and drew out two kunai even as she nudged him in the back, trying to get his attention.

Shiho kicked Kiba in the back of his knee, making the dog ninja pull back to glare at her. "I'm through the mud to the other side."

Several things happened at once. Akamaru leaped forward, baring his teeth as a large flash blinded everyone in the tunnel. Shiho grabbed Kiba and knocked him down to the ground as a large blast passed mere inches over their heads.

Kiba was on his feet seconds later, grabbing his weapons and blinking away muddy debris from his eyes as he used his nose instead of his eyes to find his victim.

Light poured in through the tunnel and Shiho wanted to cry as she saw the outside world just on the other side of the now blasted-open door. More of the mountains were visible in the distance along with a wide rock ledge leading down the steep path just outside the opening. She'd have to thank their attackers for clearing the way. A moment later she winced as she heard a tortured scream from someone unknown, followed by a swift growl and a crunching noise accompanied by more yelling.

Suddenly a man 'poofed' in beside her. His arm was a bloody, mangled mess and Shiho nearly gagged to see the white of bone sticking out of his forearm. The ninja was wearing a Mist insignia on his forehead protector that was wrapped around his neck loosely.

Shiho pressed against the far wall, but the man didn't even seem to see her as he ran to the outside, looking around as he stood a mere inch or two out on the wide ledge leading to the path down the mountainside.

Another man appeared out of nowhere as he eyed the exit, then turning his dull blue eyes on her. He squinted in the dimness of the shadows she was hiding in as the light from the outside helped hide her. But not well enough.

"Leaf. Not a fighter." The first man commented, stepping back inside the cavern.

"Hostage." The second man grunted and moved to look outside the opening while the first man grabbed Shiho's arm with his one good hand.

Instinct had her swinging her other arm in a shortened arc, piercing the man's wrist with the kunai she'd stolen from Kiba's pack. The man hissed and let her go, looking more angry than hurt.

The other man laughed and pulled out a wicked blade that was too short to be a sword and too long to be a knife. Shiho gulped as her eyes rounded in panic. Whatever the blade was, it looked lethally sharp. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through the handseals of her jutsu more from muscle memory than any conscious plan.

The man closest to her let his eyebrows wing up in disgust as he suddenly sunk to his ankles in mud. "Pitiful."

The other man had jumped backwards, out the opened door and onto the wide ledge behind him in preparation for what the kunoichi had up her sleeve. He had a moment of relief, a split second really, before he screamed and disappeared from sight.

The shinobi in the mud cursed and pulled free, running to the door. He snarled and cursed the Akatsuki roundly as he ran through the procedure to dismiss a genjutsu. Shiho caught her breath as the wide ledge disappeared and only the few inches that were really there appeared.

Hearing more battle sounds behind her, and the yelp of an injured Akamaru. Shiho ran full tilt at the other man's back, intending to push him over the edge of the mountain.

The shinobi, no green genin, turned and grabbed her by the back of her hair as she ran past him. Keeping her from going over the side by accident. Panicking, Shiho kicked out at him.

The man snarled as he pulled her out onto the mere inches of a real ledge, nearly dangling her over the side. Her toes scrambling for purchase as he hissed in her ear. "We're going down. We can move slowly or I can move you faster by dropping you. Your choice."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara's mouth still felt nearly numb with the death of all of his taste buds, aching and singed. He opened the door to his office, first dismissing his guards. Closing his door behind him, he stared at the young woman sitting in his chair, her boots on his desk, and eating an iced popsicle.

"What was that for?"

Hanabi shrugged and slipped the cool flavored ice into her mouth, sucking for a moment then pulling it out and offering it to him. "Want some? It's good."

"Your tongue is blue." He commented dryly as he walked around to his seat, staring at her.

Slowly she stood and backed off, waving one hand for him to sit. Gaara ignored her gesture and continued to walk slowly toward her. Hanabi smiled and popped the popsicle back into her mouth as she backed up, matching his pace. He stopped only to loosen the straps holding his sand gourd in place, leaving it next to his desk as he continued his slow advance.

"I thought you'd said 'yes' to a courtship last night." Gaara intoned, backing her up toward one of his bookshelves.

Hanabi, able to see quite well in 359 degrees, sidestepped. He matched her, speeding up slightly as he continued to stalk her. It wasn't long before her back hit the bookshelf behind her. But she didn't look worried.

Instead, she smiled and him and sucked on her popsicle with obvious pleasure. Gaara's body tightened at the suggestiveness of the sight, but said nothing as he was sure she was doing this to him on purpose. "Why the chili oil this morning?" He asked, ignoring the blood rush to a lower part of his anatomy.

Hanabi shrugged even as Gaara reached out and removed her masks, and she let him. Calmly she removed the popsicle from her own moth and touched his lips with it. The cold felt good to him after the burning sensation of his aborted breakfast. He didn't smile, but he did open his mouth for a taste, letting the cold ice sooth his scorched tongue.

"You marked me." Hanabi whispered hoarsely, using her free hand to touch the bruises clearly showing against the creamy skin of her neck and collarbone.

Gaara nodded briefly, but felt no regret as he reached out to touch the marks with one hand. Hanabi shivered as he touched her skin, chills running throughout her as she rolled her head to give him better access. His touch firmed as he traced the line of her throat down to the notch at the base of her neck, and then lower.

Hanabi's skin prickled as his fingertip teased her, coming to a stop at the top of her shirt. He tugged slightly, baring a minuscule amount of skin and leaned in very slowly, giving her plenty of time to protest. Instead she caught her breath and arched her back slightly. His hot breath made her skin tingle just before his open mouth settled there to place a kiss.

She was breathing harder when he leaned back to look her in the eye. "I enjoyed leaving those marks." It was by no means an apology.

Hanabi let the popsicle fall to the floor, forgotten as she grabbed a hold of his tunic and pulled him in for a serious kiss. Open mouth met open mouth as tongues met, tangled and danced. A groan escaped him as his hands settled on her hips, bringing her in closer as her hands ran through his red hair.

His hands ran possessively up her body to cup her breasts through her top, Hanabi lost her breath. His thumbs found her stiffened nipples even through her shirt and the mesh top beneath it. She mewed as she arched her back even stronger, which caused her to bang her head on the bookcase behind her rather sharply.

Gaara cursed roundly as several items fell from the shelving, one porcelain box beaning him sharply on the shoulder before smashing at their feet.

Hanabi, breathing hard, managed to push a shaky hand through her hair and slid smoothly away from Gaara. "Hope that wasn't expensive." She managed to say huskily.

"Gift. I think." Gaara managed. "Some trade delegation or another." He reached out for her, but she gracefully shifted her feet and eluded his hands as she slipped by him completely.

The dark-haired girl with the pearl-like eyes grinned over at him and shook a finger at him like he was a bad puppy or something. "Getting way too hot in here. And I think you killed my popsicle."

Gaara looked down and grimaced to see the melting blue mess now coating the bottom of his boot.

"Wow." Hanabi took some file off his desk and fanned herself with it, her face flushed. "You're hard on a girl's blood pressure."

"I will ignore the obvious possibilities of suggestive remarks that comment leaves open to me." Gaara told her, his voice rough sounding, his own heartbeat not yet under control.

The kunoichi smiled and pushed herself up to sit on the edge of his desk.

Gaara's mind flashed back to a conversation he'd had years ago with Baki, about sex not being unknown to happen on desks. He closed his eyes a moment to try and corral his rampaging hormones for the moment as a visual of Hanabi splayed out on his desk, and him on her occured to his fevered mind. Then he wondered what it would take to make her mad enough to actually stand up on his desk to yell at him. It seemed to be a Hyuuga female trait. Both visuals called to him.

"Why are you smiling?" Hanabi cocked her head slightly to one side and snapped her fingers at him. "You should be trying to talk me into continuing ..." She waved her hand absently over at the bookshelf and the area they'd just vacated.

"Would it do any good?" He asked, almost hopefully.

She grinned mischievously at him. "No. Not yet anyway."

Gaara nodded, staying where he was. Unsure of how he'd act if he approached her right now with his body still aching as it was.

"I don't like your courtship presents. Do better." She said, hopping down from his desk. Turning to look at him coyly over one shoulder as she headed for his door.

Gaara admired the view even as he reached down to grab her masks, tossing them to her. "Don't forget these." He said dryly. "And I'm still not sorry that I marked your skin, though technically that's not a present."

Hanabi caught the masks effortlessly, pulling them into place. "No, I meant the flowers on my doorstep. I thought I made it plain the last time, they're not my idea of romantic. Even though the card seemed to allude to an apology for the bruises."

Gaara stiffened in sudden alarm. "Card?"

"Quoting, 'So sorry to see the marks on you'." Hanabi grinned at him, though her smile started to dim around the edges as she felt the rising pressure of his chakra. "Gaara?"

Sand pinged on the inside of his gourd, which was still resting next to his desk.

"Gaara? What?"

Hanabi flinched as the pinging of the sand turned into a roar as his gourd nearly vibrated so hard she thought it would split down the middle. But what scared her the most was the cold, deadly look in Gaara's suddenly flat eyes. It was if all semblance of humanity had just vanished, leaving only the cold fury of the ultimate weapon of Suna.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba ignored the throbbing of his own shallow wounds and shook his head, sending both sweat and blood everywhere. He dropped the man he'd just killed and ran for the entrance where he'd last seen Shiho.

Akamaru saw the shinobi taking aim at Kiba's back and vaulted to clamp down viciously on the man's arm even as the Inuzuka slid away from the thrown weapon's trajectory easily. He left the man screaming for the large canine to deal with as he ran for the light of day.

The thin ledge was nothing to his sense of balance and he ran full out down the mountainside without a single bobble, steady as a rock. He could keep track of things with his senses. He knew immediately when his nin-dog finished his fight and hurried to catch up with his master. Kiba sniffed the air once more, immediately knowing several very important things.

No one was behind them, and only one person was ahead of them outside of Shiho. And she was still alive, the acrid scent of her fear jangling his nerves harshly. Fury at her being afraid warred with the relief that she was still alive.

He rounded a large boulder and skidded to a stop, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The Mist shinobi was holding Shiho up against the edge of the path, one hand fisted cruelly around her wrist as she struggled to get closer to the safety of the small ledge. But the man was too strong and held her up close to the edge. Kiba cast his eyes down, seeing only jagged rocks and a steep fall below her.

"She dies if you come closer." The man said, stinking of fear and pain. He had only the one good arm, the other bleeding and obviously broken.

"She dies, you die." Kiba said slowly and very clearly. "You leave her with me, and you live. We'll let you go."

"That's not the way it's ...ARGH!" The man screamed as Shiho managed to get enough purchase on the ground below her to kick him in the leg right where blood had seeped through his pants.

"NO!" Kiba ran forward as the man let go of the little cryptologist. Shiho screamed and flailed as the Inuzuka threw himself down the pathway and slid forward, his arms outstretched as he managed to grab her right arm and steady her enough to keep her upright.

A moment of relief was all they got before Akamaru launched behind them straight at the Mist shinobi who deflected the attack, but lost his own footing. This time it was the foreign ninja who yelled out as he fell backwards, grabbing wildly at them.

The man caught Shiho's left wrist even as the ground beneath him crumbled as the edge of the pathway gave way beneath his weight. The man dropped straight down, dragging Shiho with him. Kiba still had a hold of her other arm, but the man was dead weight pulling her down. Kiba gritted his teeth as he braced himself, but the shock of the man dropping like that pulled a horrendous scream from Shiho as his entire weight jerked on her arm.

Akamaru ran up and put his teeth into the back of Kiba's pants and pulled as the Inuzuka used both hands just to hang on to Shiho's right arm.

The kunoichi screamed in pain even as the man's grip lost it's purchase and he fell screaming. Suddenly free of the added weight, Akamaru and Kiba dragged Shiho back up to the pathway and on to solid rock. She fell trembling into his arms as they both collapsed up against the face of the mountain.

Kiba could hear little over the harsh breathing he himself was doing, but with his chakra enhanced senses, he could smell her tears. He tried to make soothing, shooshing noises as he held her. He could feel her shaking like a leaf in his arms and he swallowed hard at the thought of how close she'd come to dying. His arms tightened around her.

Shiho threw back her head and screamed before passing out cold.

Startled, Kiba let her go as he frantically ran his hands up and ..."oh shit." Her arm. He eyed the ugly looking deformity with a sick feeling in his stomach. The arm the Mist shinobi had grabbed. The man had gone over the edge of the cliff like dead weight. Dead weight on her shoulder joint, jerking on her. Kiba grimaced as he contemplated her dislocated shoulder and what he needed to do for her.

Kiba sighed heavily and looked over at a whining Akamaru. "Maybe it's a good thing she's passed out this isn't going to be fun."

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was very late in the afternoon before Gaara returned to his office, where a fuming Kaji snarled at him as he entered with Baki, Kankuro, Mizu, Tei and Hinata along with several other Suna ninja.

Ebizou looked up from his shogi board and frowned. "About time you got back, her mind isn't on the game at all."

Gaara's left temple throbbed as he stared at the older man. "What are you doing here?" He sounded ill as a wasp and he couldn't help it. There was an angry buzzing in the back of his mind and he couldn't seem to be rid of it. It had started sometime this morning and had gotten gradually worse all day.

The elder sniffed haughtily. "You called for all available guards, and I may be old but I can still be of some use around here!" He thumped his chest, then fell into a short coughing spasm.

"Well?" Hanabi asked, irritated beyond belief. "What did you find out?"

Kankuro frowned sharply. "We found the florist, but she knows nothing. A child brought her the money for these flowers, and incidentally for the first bunch sent to you. We even managed to find the child. He's a dead end as well. The man had his face hidden, but he paid the child well enough, but not so much as to arouse suspicion."

"No one got attacked?" Hanabi sneered. "So I didn't have to stay cooped up all day? Like some little princess? I'm a chuunin! I can handle myself, and it wouldn't be like I was alone!"

Hinata pursed her lips, but kept quiet as Gaara ignored Hanabi and stalked over to his desk.

"Fine. Ignore me. See if I care!" Hanabi snapped. "Come on Tei, Mizu ...let's head home."

Rocks looked down at his feet and Michi refused to meet her eyes. Suddenly Hanabi had a really bad feeling about this. She rounded on the red-head, her hands on her hips. "What have you done, Gaara-coon?" She said with mock sweetness.

Ebizou cackled happily as he watched. "Oh, I'm so sorry my sister isn't here to see this!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba moved slowly as he prepared to reduce the shoulder dislocation. He winced as Shiho murmured and grimaced even though she wasn't conscious. He held her arm out and very, very slowly bent the elbow toward the nape of her neck in external rotation. Then he leaned over her as he pushed gently on her left arm, moving it toward her other shoulder while keeping her hand behind her head. The muscles were tight and he winced as she whimpered, but finally, just as sweat was dripping into his own eyes, he felt the shoulder give as it settled back into socket.

Shiho's breathing stopped a second and then she moaned and relaxed, her whole body going limp with relief.

Kiba felt the prick of emotion as he watched her, laying flat on the pathway like she was. He'd had to carry her nearly a quarter of a mile before he'd found a place on the pathway wide enough to treat her shoulder.

Akamaru whimpered and padded up to him, nudging his master as he licked Kiba's hand. The Inuzuka chuckled roughly. "Good boy." Akamaru 'woofed' back at him and sat down, clearly tired too.

The dog-ninja held out his hands in front of him, satisfied that they were steady despite the turmoil he was feeling on the inside. He pulled over Sai's travel pack and pulled out the torn nightgown Shiho had been wearing when they'd escaped. She'd made an attempt back when they'd washed up to clean the thing, but Kiba didn't care. He pulled out a kunai and ruthlessly ripped it to shreds.

"W...what are you doing?"

Kiba looked up into Shiho's blue eyes, which weren't bright right now, more like they were clouded with pain. "Making a sling." He grunted as she blinked at him. "Sit up."

Shiho struggled to obey, though she was moving very slowly. She hissed as she felt her left shoulder twitch, but the pain wasn't nearly as bad as before. "What did you do?"

"Set it." Kiba said and then reached out and handed her Sai's shirt without comment. She stared at it a moment. She'd just seen him pick it up from where he'd had her lying on it. But if her shirt was in her hand, what was she wearing? Just then a small breeze blew in her face and somethings became horribly clear.

"Hey!" She protested as she clutched the shirt to her chest, completely nude from the waist up.

Kiba made no comment as he reached out and snagged the shirt and without a word helped her slip the sleeve of the shirt up over her left arm with the most minimal amount of movement possible. Once she was covered again, he zipped up the shirt and began to craft a sling for her shoulder. He still hadn't said a single word. Not one.

Shiho's face burned. Embarrassment warred with shame. Kiba had undressed her! Oh, it was to treat her shoulder, fine. But ...he'd ...SEEN her! And worse ...it didn't seem to faze him at all! Shiho felt like crying. She wasn't built like his usual girlfriends, that much was way too clear.

"Here." Kiba handed her a pouch of water without even looking at her as he rummaged through his travel pack. "And take these. They'll help with the swelling."

Shiho took the small pills, mumbling her thanks as she blinked hard to keep the tears from falling.

Kiba stared at her as she sat there looking miserable, and felt no better himself. She hadn't said anything, but ...he'd almost failed her. He couldn't believe how fucking close he'd gotten to losing her.

And even if she didn't blame him, she should. Kiba turned away to begin packing up their stuff. "We need to get moving."

Shiho nodded and handed him back the water.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I am NOT moving into the Kazekage tower!" Hanabi said quietly, though temper lanced through every word. "You can forget it!"

"It's an order." Gaara intoned implacably, unwilling to concede.

Michi scratched his ear and shook his head. "It's only until we find out who is sending you flowers like that."

"Stay out of this!" Hanabi wheeled on her teammate as he held up hands of surrender. "It's only flowers, it's not a big deal!"

Just like that no one would meet her gaze. But she was using the Byakugan, and saw every single grimace, every frown, every look of concern. "What?"

Someone knocked at the door as a messenger entered. "Er ...Kazekage-domo?"

"I have made up my mind, and your things have already been moved into a guest room." Gaara's gaze never wavered as he stared at her despite his feeling jumpy, uneasy. The sense of discord that he'd had all day seemed to be only getting worse. He deliberately didn't tell her about the dead plants and even animals that had been found in her room when they'd gone over there this morning.

Hinata coughed discretely. "You'll be closer to me." She said softly, offering comfort.

Ebizou looked over at the long-haired Leaf kunoichi, his attention snagged. The Leaf girl that Kankuro had married seemed to take a quite proprietary and protective view of their Kaji. The old man wondered why. And since he was a long-retired old spy master, several possibilities immediately sprang to mind. He dismissed the first three, then set aside the fourth, dismissed another two and then glanced over at Tei and Mizu. Hmmm.

"Gaara." Baki said quietly, though he grabbed everyone's attention with his one word. He held up the message that had just been delivered. "Message bird from the border. Temari and Shino are racing here even as we speak. It's possible that he's been poisoned."

Hanabi and Hinata both caught their breaths at the same time. Then the masked kunoichi reached out and touched the Hyuuga girl on the shoulder, comforting her. Hinata did the same.

Ebizou watched them mirror each other and he threw out two more possibilities and returned to exam another in his head. Could that even be possible? He wondered. Kaji was too old to be an illegitimate child of Hinata's. But there were other ways to be related. He needed more information.

He looked around at the other Suna ninja and wondered if any of them suspected anything. He then looked over at Gaara, but the Kazekage was staring a hole through his advisor.

Gaara stood looking at Baki. There was more to the message, he could feel it. "Tell me." His raw nerves were giving him a bad headache, but he didn't need to have bad news blunted. He was the Kazekage. He needed to know.

"The One-Tail. It's been released."

Suddenly, it was if all life, all air had been sucked out of the room.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	43. You Know What They Say About Assumptions

"It might be better if you took him to Konoha."

Temari whipped around, pinning the hapless assistant with a death glare. "Are you suggesting that Suna won't treat my husband?"

"No ...no ...the Kazekage allows us to treat your husband ...but ...he won't let us examine him. Your husband I mean, not the Kazekage." Whimpered a second medic, holding up hands of surrender.

Temari turned her furious look on the second speaker, as the first medic breathed a sigh of relief until the blonde kunoichi's hand snaked out and grabbed him around his lapels. She dragged him up close and then turned to bare her teeth at him. "You are Suna. Are you telling me that you took a 'no' from a Leaf shinobi? You make him let you examine him!"

"I'll help." The soft voice was lost as the medics currently surrounding their patient raised their voices, clamorously trying to be heard over each other. In the middle of it all, Shino just sat shirtless on the bed, looking disgusted and bored while Temari seemed to be plowing through all the medics.

"Make me?" Shino yawned, looking deceptively calm as he watched the virago that was the light of his heart. "I'm fine."

"You are NOT fine!" Temari roared spinning, the hapless medic still clutched in her grasp, his whimpers making Shino's mouth twitch with dark humor.

"I'll help." Her voice a bit stronger this time, Hinata smoothly pushed her way through the crowded room. Kankuro watched from the doorway, shaking his head slightly. She may look shy and sweet, but his wife had a core of steel that you didn't want to cross on some issues. Like a friend's well being.

The head Suna medic looked up as Hinata came to a stop next to him. He blinked owlishly through his thick glasses at her. She looked shy, blushing as she was, but he could read the determination in her pale eyes. He nodded without comment and simply handed over the results of his tests so far, having already been introduced to the Leaf medical kunoichi earlier in the day.

"She's Leaf!" Hissed one young medic-in-training. "She shouldn't be in OUR hospital!"

Temari pinned the youth with a hard-eyed stare. "Leaf? So is my husband, for that matter, as I was just reminded. So am I. If you're not helping, get out."

"He won't let me run certain tests." The head medic, whose name Hinata could not recall at the moment, nodded toward Aburame Shino. "Claims clan secrets and all."

"Thank you." Hinata bowed slightly. "I am aware of his clan and would happy to be of any assistance."

Temari scowled. "Dr. Fukurou, can't you just tell me if my husband has been poisoned or not? He can't seem to be rid of this headache plaguing him, but I can't get the stubborn ass to admit to any other symptoms."

Shino looked unhappily around the room. The light of his heart she might be, but Temari wasn't about to let this go. He sighed. It didn't look like he was going to be going anywhere fast.

Hinata caught the sound of his unhappy sigh and turned to the head medic once more. "If you could clear the room except for yourself?"

Dr. Fukurou looked at her, frowning at the impertinence. Cooperation was one thing, but ordering around his staff?

Kankuro coughed to get attention, when that didn't work and the volume level in the room only increased he whistled long and loud. Now that he had everyone's attention he pinned the head Suna medic with a piercing look. "Shino IS Leaf. And while my wife is still in training for surgical medical stuff, she is a fully trained medical kunoichi otherwise. And as Shino's former genin teammate, she is well aware of many things you'll need to know."

The doctor hesitated, clearly not happy. One medical shinobi across the room coughed and muttered "You're Leaf now too."

"Is there a problem?"

The words were quietly spoken, but suddenly everyone stiffened and looked down. Gaara looked into the room, his expression cold. "Good. Hinata, I am glad you are here to assist."

With that Dr. Fukurou clenched his jaw shut and with a wave of his hand dismissed all of the other medics. Temari nodded at Gaara, who didn't respond. Instead the Kazekage touched Kankuro on the arm. "Leaf shinobi you may be, but I can ask a favor? In fact, it will help that you are Leaf now. He might listen more to you than my Suna guards."

The puppeteer nodded and followed Gaara out of the room. Hinata shut the door and then turned to look at Shino. "Tell me about this headache. When did it start? Where is the pain concentrated and does it escalate during exertion?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho stumbled, nearly falling to her knees. Behind her, Akamaru whined softly. Kiba turned to look behind him and cursed out loud and using the most blue language he knew.

Blushing beet red and unable to meet his eyes, Shiho held up one hand. "I'm fine." She hated that they were moving so slowly because of her.

Kiba glared at her for a long moment, then looked up at the horizon. They had plenty of daylight left. But they'd spent too much time in the Akatsuki caverns. Time that they'd worked without rest and without knowing what time it was or how long since the start of the original attack. It had been night then. Now it was approaching early evening, so nearly a full day? He whistled for his nin-dog and flashed a hand sign. Akamaru barked in assent.

Shiho wasn't paying any mind to either of them as she leaned against the rock face alongside the narrow path leading down out of the mountains. She hurt. She couldn't even say where she hurt, the aches and pains all melded together into one giant ball of pain. Wincing, she used her good hand to push back the rats nest of frizz that was her hair.

Kiba hummed slightly and pointed down the path where it widened out into a more or less even area. There was even a natural alcove there. Just to be on the safe side though, the dog ninja signaled to Akamaru to 'guard' and took off down the path. He used every sense he had and poured chakra into the effort. He grunted as he quickly located two obvious traps, and another lethally well hidden one. Once he was satisfied, he quickly ran back up the pathway.

There Kiba stopped and fought the first smile that had threatened his lips since they'd escaped the caverns.

"Pretty please?" Shiho was trying to walk around Akamaru, but the large nin-dog wasn't letting her pass. She would reach out and scratch the big canine between his ears while Akamaru would sit and wag his tail, his tongue lolling happily. But the moment she tried to get by him, the nin-dog was on his feet and nudging her back into place. Then she'd frown and scold him and start all over again.

"How about some jerky? Would you let me by for some jerky?" Shiho asked, exasperated.

Kiba finally laughed outright at that and shook his head as she glanced up at him, obviously not having seen him return. She was so not a field ninja. "And just where do you keep the jerky you're promising my dog?"

Shiho blushed as she remembered that she wasn't carrying either Kiba or Sai's pack, the Inuzuka had them both. "It's sort of like a promissory note." She huffed, blowing out a deep breath.

Kiba grinned and shook his head at her. "Dogs don't usually take IOU's." His little librarian who usually looked so prim would have a FIT of untold proportions if she could see herself right now.

Shiho's blue eyes glared at him as he watched her, taking in the tight pants she'd 'borrowed' from Sai. The pants hugged every curve and every line she had despite Sai being larger, the art nin had no hips. And Shiho did. Kiba was extremely appreciative of the curves the kunoichi was showing.

He looked up to meet her gaze and then swallowed hard. She was nearly weaving on her feet, and her face was so pale! Here he was ogling her when he had better see to keeping her safe. "Idiot." He muttered.

Shiho huffed, hearing him but thinking the word was aimed at her. "I don't have to prove my intelligence to you!"

Kiba grimaced and shook his head, not bothering to explain as he called off Akamaru and walked up to her. She was still grousing when he swung her up into his arms, making her eyes widen dramatically. "What?"

But she had no more to say than that before they were airborne. One step, two, and then Shiho looked around in shock at how fast they were traveling when suddenly Kiba skidded to a stop. And as shocked as she was, it still registered how gentle he was being in maneuvering her as he sat her down on a nearby rock.

Shiho eyed the shinobi as he dug through their travel packs, pulling out some cold rations. "I ...I'm sorry."

Dark eyes looked up at her clearly surprised by her words. "What do you have to be sorry about?"

Unable to hold his gaze, she dropped her own, looking down at her hands in her lap. "For slowing us down." She waited, but Kiba wasn't responding. It took her a minute or two before she peeked up at him, and when she did she winced. His face was red and he was obviously gritting his teeth to keep from scolding her. "I'm sorry!" She wailed softly, a lone tear trailing slowly down her cheek.

Kiba clenched his fists and then shook them out, standing as he did so. He sighed deeply and then knelt beside her. "How come you're not angry with me? I nearly got you killed several times, you're injured and don't deny that you're hurting. I can see it in the way you move."

Blushing, Shiho felt a few more tears join the first. "I didn't mean to slow you down. I'm sorry I hurt myself. I must be a horrid burden to travel with."

The dog ninja stared at her a moment and then gave a small bark of a laugh, running one hand through his hair. "You're my mission. I'm to keep you safe and alive to deliver to Konoha. Already I've done a shoddy job. Your ankle, your shoulder, nearly letting the Mist guy get away with you. You should be yelling at me! Not apologizing!"

His mission? Oh, yes. Of course she was. Any semblance of caring from him could be put down to trying to complete his mission. "You ...you have kept me alive. You've saved me several times now. You and Akamaru." She said slowly, but seriously. Shiho looked up, letting her blue eyes trace the lines on his face. "Akamaru even got hurt back in that cave, I heard him. But you two keep going strong. It's only for me that you're stopping."

"Glancing blow, some bruises. We're fine." Kiba told her, watching her face and the expressions flowing through her expressive eyes. "Did you wear those thick glasses you used to have so no one could read your thoughts?"

Shiho shook her head mutely, the sudden shift in conversation leaving her confused.

"Anyway, we rest here for a while. We've been on the move for nearly twenty four hours, and even if you can keep going, we can't." Kiba fibbed as Akamaru looked at him quizzically. "Eat a little something and then rest. That's an order."

Shiho nodded as she yawned so widely that her jaw nearly creaked. His mission? But ...but then why had he grabbed her back in her room the way he had? He'd not been ordered to protect her at that point. Right?

Kiba whistled to Akamaru, running his hands over the large dog to make sure there were no more injuries to tend. "You sleep. I'll take first watch." The nin-dog 'woofed' his assent as Kiba pulled out a travel bowl and poured some water for his canine companion.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're making an old man dizzy, and I don't have vertigo!" Elder Ebizou complained as he watched Kaji walk around in circles. "Or I didn't until today at least."

"I thought Gaara was moving me into the Kazekage tower for his own purposes, but ...he's been no where around me all day." Kaji muttered to herself.

"What makes you think his motives are any more pure than any other red-blooded male?" Ebizou asked, seemingly a bored old man as he hid his sharp interest in her responses. Who was this Kaji and what connection did she have to Kankuro's young wife? "I know why I'd be moving you into my own residence, that is if I were younger and ..."

"Pervert." The kunoichi muttered.

Ebizou fanned his face. "Oh my, with compliments like that I'd move you anywhere you'd want to go!"

Kaji fought her smile, and lost as she shook her head. "Incorrigible."

"Too true." He murmured.

"What do pretty flowers, dead animals, and even bones of long dead animals have to say?" She mused, having gotten angry earlier and used her Byakugan to 'look' for Gaara. She'd found him in her room several streets away with both Michi and Rocks as they inspected the gifts that had been left for her. At least now she knew why Gaara had wanted her someplace safer.

And if a small part of her was disappointed he wasn't moving her to the Kazekage tower for clandestine nighttime visits, she wasn't going to admit that out loud!

Ebizou cackled and rubbed his still spry hands together, no arthritis for the old spy master. "A puzzle, is this a riddle?" He deliberately made light of her words while he inwardly wondered how she'd found out about the items left behind at her residence. She'd been here all morning, and he with her for most of it. No one had spoken to her about the gruesome items someone had left for her, so ...another piece to the bigger puzzle. How had she find out?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee walked up and sat down beside her, a simple act of kindness that had Rinako looking away lest he be able to read the misery in her expression.

"They were wrong."

Rinako, still not looking at him, hunched her shoulders a bit. "No they weren't. I've gone missing nin."

"So did they!" Lee thumped his knee with his fist, conviction strong in his voice. "They had no right to treat you like that!"

Something deep inside her eased to hear her inner voice given expression through a good friend. Rinako let her shoulders droop a bit. "They honorably broke with the Raikage and joined together to fight. I went to an outside source, a rival village."

"At your Daimyo Lord's request!" Lee was emphatic as he grabbed her arm, insisting that she agree with him on this.

"And while everyone else was getting ready to fight a civil war, I was safe in Konoha?" Rinako finally looked at him, her words bitter on her tongue.

Lee shook his head, his expression so open and earnest it made her heart melt just looking at him. "You were a hostage!"

"Who never once tried to escape." Rinako sighed. "And that's the big part. I never tried escape. At least Kirabi didn't dress me down, I think I would have died on the spot."

"He was quiet, which my beloved Sakura tells me is a small miracle." Lee chuckled.

At the name of her rival for his affections, Rinako stiffened up again.

Mistaking her sudden prickliness on the mention of Killerbee, rather than Sakura, Lee put his arm around the kunoichi and gave her a hug. "He'll come around! They all will! For you are the brightest star that is Cloud!"

Loving the feel of his casual touch, Rinako let herself be held as she chuckled dryly. "You can't see stars through cloud cover. Ridiculous."

"You can if the star shines brightly enough. Like the sun! And you are the sun that brings day to the world! You loyally shine through good and bad, bringing life to everyone you meet." Lee smiled as Rinako raised her head to look at him.

The two were face to face, his arm around her. Rinako swayed forward slightly. Lee's smile dimmed as he looked at her. She was so lovely, so strong, so much his friend. Taking a breath, he paused. He stared at her. "You smell pretty." He said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Lee?"

"Yes?"

The two swayed slightly closer, their lips not quite touching. But before they could even think about what might happen in the next few seconds, the door opened.

"How dare they!" Sakura fumed, not even paying attention to what she might have interrupted. TenTen saw though, as she followed the pink-haired medic into the room. "Kirabi as the voice of reason, calling for patience? I never thought I'd see THAT day! I am so sorry that you had to go through that!"

Rinako had sprung back, breaking free of Lee's one-armed embrace and stood. Nervously she rubbed her palms on her pants and shrugged. "It's okay." She muttered and whistled for her nin-dog. "I need ...excuse me."

TenTen watched the other kunoichi flee with mixed emotions. On the one hand, she felt bad at the reception Rinako had received by the other Cloud ninja. On the other ...she shook her head and watched as Lee sort of folded in on himself, looking confused.

Sakura was still in a lather about how Omoi had insulted Rinako earlier, muttering things under her breath and pacing.

TenTen sighed. "Sakura, let it go for now."

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed and nodded. "They're still idiots."

Lee kept quiet. Which made TenTen wince as she shooed Sakura out the door on the pretense of meeting up with Naruto for some plan or something. Finally she shut the door and stared at Lee. "What's wrong?"

Lee looked up at her, his wide eyes looking miserable. "I cheated on Sakura."

TenTen sucked in a harsh breath. "You kissed Rinako?"

"No. But ...but I wanted to do so!" Lee wailed. "I'm a horrid person!"

TenTen felt the moment hang in the balance. Here it was. One push and she could change the outcome of what was to come forever.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata finished her examination and was looking over the reports the Suna medics had brought her on Shino's blood tests. She was frowning deeply as Temari stared at her anxiously.

Dr. Fukurou shook his head. "I can find nothing. It's possible the headache is stress related. But there are no toxins in his system. Now young Temari, I'd like to check you over as well. Your husband tells me you've pushed yourself too hard in the past few days and are looking pale."

The blonde frowned and glared at a far-too-smug looking Shino. "I don't need a medical exam. He's just trying to turn the attention away from himself."

"True." Shino mouthed the word for her ears only.

Temari rubbed her arm and the small gauze pad there. "Besides, you've already got my blood to check for contact toxins."

Dr. Fukurou shrugged. "Your husband wasn't poisoned."

"That's wrong." Hinata muttered, then blushed as she looked at the doctor that outranked and was her elder. "I'm sorry. But ...he's not poisoned now, but he was poisoned earlier."

Temari held her breath as Shino scowled. "The kikai would have warned me about poison."

The older doctor scowled. "Young woman, I have far more experience than you do and his blood tests show no poisons. No trace of poison at all. He simply has a headache."

Shino nodded.

Hinata swallowed hard, but stood her ground. "Shino-kun doesn't get headaches. The kikai regulate a lot within the bodily systems of the Aburame clan. This includes chakra and blood pressures. He can still get headaches from outside sources though. Sunburn, bright lights, head trauma ..."

"Poison?" Temari frowned sharply as Hinata nodded.

"Yes, poisons."

"But, we found nothing!" The head Suna medic protested, but not angrily. He was looking intrigued now. "How is this possible?"

Hinata held out the reports and pointed to the pertinent sections. "How to poison someone who has an internal warning device against ingesting poisons? Disguise it. A poison made in two parts, each innocuous and yet combined they become toxic."

Dr. Fukurou sucked in a deep breath and nodded as he read over the findings once more. "These two right here, we would never prescribe these things to the same patient. It would cause massive strokes."

Temari swayed. "The headache?"

Hinata nodded. "The persons who poisoned Shino was smart enough to figure out how to get by the kikai, but they were unable to completely neutralize the destruction beetles. These two elements combined together are poisonous, but not to the kikai. The bugs dealt with the toxins, but there was so much of it that Shino's blood pressure shot up."

"Thus the headaches." Dr. Fukurou nodded and sighed. "I apologize young lady, you have taught me something quite new today."

Hinata blushed and smiled prettily.

Temari held up one hand. "So, that's it? He's fine?"

"I told you that I was fine." Shino groused, standing up and reaching for his shirt.

"But you were poisoned!" Temari poked him in the chest as he donned the shirt quickly. "You were!"

"But I'm not now." Shino smirked slightly. "A poison in two parts? That takes planning. We'll have to work hard to figure out how, when and who."

"Don't change the subject!" Temari yelled at him, her relief giving way to anger as she finally started to vent all the terror of the past few days. "You never get headaches? That's clue number one, baka! You should have sought medical aid right then!"

Hinata and Dr. Fukurou shared a small smile as they looked over the final reports. Then the elderly doctor picked up another report and his hand shook a moment, then he smiled. Hinata looked at him quizzically and his smile grew. He nodded over to the spatting couple and handed Hinata the report.

The Leaf kunoichi scanned it quickly, but found no poisons in Temari's blood. Then a few numbers jumped out at her. She looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Temari? Why didn't you tell me?"

The blonde glanced at Hinata. "Tell you what? That my husband is stubborn, idiotic, foolish and has too much pride to even consider that someone might have slipped under his guard to poison him?"

"You're pregnant!" Hinata fairly cooed.

Temari swayed unsteadily. Shino grabbed her and scooped her up, depositing her on the bed that he'd just vacated.

"What? No." Temari shook her head, her eyes looking haunted. "I just had a miscarriage two months ago."

Shino frowned deeply. "You didn't tell me." His voice sounded harsh, even to his own ears.

The blonde's hands went to her belly. "It was really early, it's happened a few times over the years. I don't get excited about it anymore. I know the signs."

Hinata's face was the picture of concern as she drew up next to the pale blonde. She held out her hands over Temari's womb and called in chakra. A tense moment later, she shrugged. "You didn't miscarry."

"I did." The blonde said shakily. "And you're telling me that I'm pregnant again so soon?"

"No. I'm telling you that you're about four months along and you didn't miscarry." Hinata bit her bottom lip as she deliberately didn't add the words 'not yet'. She knew how badly her sister-by-marriage wanted a baby.

"But ...but I was taking precautions." Temari protested, still shocked. "I didn't want to ...not while on a mission!"

Dr. Fukurou was busily writing notes. "You're anemic and need some vitamins, I'm going to go take care of that now." He smiled at the shocked young kunoichi. "Congratulations."

Temari's pale face flushed as nodded weakly. It was too soon. She'd gotten this far before and not carried to term. What if ...her hand reached out blindly and Shino caught it in his own grip. She blinked up and him and he nodded. He knew. He knew how scared she was right now.

"Can she travel?" Shino asked bluntly.

Hinata bit her lip, but didn't hesitate. "No. Not with her history of ...difficulties, not right now. Especially not after the way she pushed to get here from the Akatsuki fortress."

Temari's fingers trembled slightly. Shukaku was coming, and she couldn't leave without endangering her pregnancy.

"Hinata? You're sure?"

The Hyuuga kunoichi nodded slowly. She was very sure.

"I'll be back soon, I promise. I need to check in with Gaara." Shino's voice sounded gruff.

Temari's grip tightened on her husband. She looked at him wildly. Where was Shino going? She knew of course, but didn't want to face what could happen.

"Of course." Hinata said calmly, knowing without asking what was on Shino's mind.

Kneeling down next to her, Shino looked into his wife's pale face. "The One-Tail is not going to come anywhere close to Suna. Or you."

"I want you more than this child." Temari whispered, feeling awful for even voicing the offer to fight along side him.

Shino's expression looked grim and he shook his head. "Stay here. Promise me. I'll be back, I won't leave you in the dark, I promise."

"I can help." Temari protested.

Shino shook his head. "The demon is about two days behind us, plenty of time to come up with a plan." He lied smoothly, praying that they could indeed make it happen.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"She's a bit on the mousy side. I don't know what use she'd be in a fight." Ebizou said with studied nonchalance, acting the part of a cranky old geezer. At least he hoped he was acting.

"Shut up." Kaji snapped, irritated. "Hinata is none of those things! And Kankuro was lucky to get her. Not that he had to try hard or anything, married at three years old!"

Ebizou nodded and shrugged. So, she was protective of Hinata. And Kaji along with her two teammates appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Explained away as hidden pupils of a deranged old councilor that Ebizou knew not to have been deranged at all. Ruthless, but not deranged. And wouldn't he have caught wind of a secret project? He might be a retired old spy, but he'd been a damned fine one! And he still had his fingers in the wind, despite what anyone thought.

"She could beat your ass into the ground." Kaji muttered. "When Hinata is determined there is no stopping her."

So. How did Kaji know so much about a Leaf kunoichi? Ebizou sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Dead things."

"Huh?" Kaji stopped and stared at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Flowers, dead animals, shells, bones and stuff. All detritus of once living things." He grinned at her. "Do I win a prize?"

Hanabi thought to snap at him that flowers weren't dead, when she realized that they were dying. Once a flower had been cut, it was slowly dying. You could keep flowers fresh for a while, but that was about it. "Corpses?" Why did that ring a distant bell in the back of her head?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, then she smiled as Hinata came in. Her smile faded as she saw Gaara walking in behind her sister. Hanabi's eyes narrowed behind her concealing masks. She would have said something snide, but Gaara looked so tense and wooden that the words died on her tongue. "What now?"

Hinata shrugged. "Shino is fine, but Temari is pregnant and can't be moved. Suna is evacuating non-essential people, but ..."

Hanabi blew out a frustrated breath. "Poor Temari. She's wanted this for so long."

Ebizou put the pieces together in his mind. Now. Kaji and her team had shown up after Temari had married and moved to Leaf. But she spoke as if the two were personally known to each other. So. Where had Kaji met Hinata and Temari? The answer was Konoha. Pure and simple.

"Shukaku will not reach Suna." Gaara said coldly.

Shivers ran down Hanabi's spine as she sucked in and held her breath. Gone was the indulgent or even dryly humorous Gaara that she knew. This wasn't even the angry, fighting ninja she'd caught glimpses of in the past. No. Here was the Kazekage of Suna. Hanabi blinked and got a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She deliberately stepped into Gaara's path as he walked toward his desk.

"You're free to roam the Kazekage tower." He said coolly, no hint of emotion in his voice or face. Gone was the man who'd marked her neck with his heated mouth. Gone was any trace of humanity. He stared at her, unyielding.

Hanabi shook her head. "You don't think you're coming back." Her voice trembled as she stared at him.

Her soft words, dripping with an emotion he could not name, pierced through the fog of determination that had plagued him since he'd heard Shukaku had been released. Some of his horrid tension ebbed away slightly and he blinked at her. She refused to move out of his way.

Finally Gaara shook his head very slightly. "I've died once for this demon, I have no intention of repeating that."

Hanabi nodded as she saw something of the Gaara she knew come back into his pale-jade eyes. "You have a plan." It wasn't a question.

Gaara nodded as she finally stepped aside for him. "Yes. I have a plan. But we have to leave fast. We're going to intercept Sh ...Shukaku before he gets to Suna."

No one mentioned the slight hesitation in saying the beast's name. Gaara had earned that right, and he'd earned all of their respect long ago.

Hinata frowned slightly. "Where's Kankuro? He'll want to be with you." The thought of leaving Suna or not fighting with them never even occurred to her.

Gaara nodded. "I've already sent him to put some things in place."

"Will the Hyuuga fight with Suna?" Ebizou asked, his expression showing his surprise.

"Of course I will." Hinata nodded resolutely.

"No. I meant that Hyuuga." The old man pointed directly toward Kaji.

Everyone else in the room went still.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I'm on a mission for Leaf." The shinobi said slowly, looking more than a little spooky as he stared at the puppeteer. "You want me to leave my mission and help Suna?"

Kankuro pointed to his own headband protector. "I'm Leaf now too. And Konoha is allies with Suna. And you are perfect for this."

From the other side of the clearing Raido shook his head. "We are on a mission! And we just left Suna yesterday. You must have run full out to reach us so soon." He didn't mention that they'd been traveling in disguise and that had been blown to hell and gone when Kankuro had arrived.

"The Akatsuki fortress was attacked. The one-tailed demon was released and is on it's way to Suna. This is an active mission, though you weren't assigned to it. The attack was against us both. Just because Shukaku will hit Suna first, doesn't mean he won't attack Konoha next." Kankuro explained quickly.

Raido nodded. "The beast did face defeat at Konoha. He might want vengeance."

Yamato hesitated. "I know why the Kazekage would think I could help. But I am not as strong as the First Hokage. I don't know if I can do what I will no doubt be asked to do."

Kankuro nodded, understanding the words. But he continued, "If you don't try, Suna won't survive."

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was no longer light when Shiho awoke, grumbling. She shifted as Akamaru left her side and she nearly protested the loss of his heat when she woke up enough to realize that Kiba and the nin-dog were trading watch.

She caught her breath as Kiba settled down next to her on the bed rolls they'd laid out earlier. They were running a cold camp, no fire. So the Inuzuka's heat was welcome. Then she mentally chided herself, keeping warm wasn't the only reason that she was glad when Kiba snuggled in close to her.

"Ibiki says you want me."

Shiho's face went red as the words left her mouth.

Kiba's arm tightened around her, then he blew out a slow breath. "Ibiki has a big mouth."

Shiho frantically shook her head. "I didn't believe him of course, don't worry."

The dog ninja frowned in the dark and propped his head up on one elbow as he looked down at her. His night vision was excellent, but she looked like she was having trouble seeing him. "Stop putting yourself down."

His little librarian nodded and rolled onto her side, facing away from him. Embarrassed to the core of her being. "I'm not, I just know that you're not attracted to me."

Kiba frowned. "And here I thought you were smart."

"I am smart." She huffed.

"Not if you possibly think I don't want you." Kiba rejoined, his tone sharp.

Shiho rolled onto her back to peer up at him again. "But I'm not your type."

He shrugged and reached out to trail one hand down the side of her face, pushing back the mass of her curls. "These do tend to get wild don't they? You try and slick them down and straighten them, but they just want to be free."

Sighing, the kunoichi closed her eyes as she blushed. She hated her hair! Absolutely hated the frizzy mess that she could not control.

"You try to act all prim and proper too." Kiba grinned in the darkness. "Underneath those clothes you normally wear, and the thick glasses, are you just waiting to go wild too?" His finger touched the tip of her nose.

She slapped his hand away. "I don't wear those glasses anymore. Ino got me contacts."

"Do you see any better with them?" He tugged at the zip on her borrowed shirt.

Shiho caught his hand and frowned. "Stop that! You got a good look at my chest earlier and you didn't even seem to notice! I'm not built like the girls you usually like."

"Tastes changed." Kiba teased her as he tugged at the zipper, pulling it down half-way. His fingertips settled in the open space between her breasts. Heat bloomed within her as she stopped breathing. "And I didn't do anything earlier because you were hurt. Idiot. Like I didn't look. You've got to know I looked."

"Then ...then you know that ...small ...Kiba! Stop that!"

He stopped, grinning as he had his fingers walking toward the tip of one breast. "Stop?" He questioned.

She moaned.

"I'm taking that for assent." He said slowly and pulled her shirt away to bare one breast. Very, very slowly he bent down and blew hotly across her exposed nipple.

Shiho mewed and arched her back sharply.

Kiba grinned. "And I haven't even touched you yet, not really."

She reached blindly and grabbed her zipper, pulling it down all the way.

Kiba's eyebrows rose. "Hey. I'm taking that for assent too."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee looked miserable as he walked along beside TenTen. "But it feels like I'm cheating!"

The weapons kunoichi sighed. "I've explained this a thousand times. Lee, you're not dating Sakura! She's been with Naruto for a long time now! Do you want to break them up?"

"No!" Lee looked horrified at the very suggestion. "I love Sakura, this is a given. But Naruto is my friend! And I would never betray my friends in such a low way. And Sakura is happy with him! And I want nothing but happiness for my beautiful Sakrua! Though one could wish that she would look at me in such a manner!"

TenTen rolled her eyes. The conversation had been going around on the same themes all evening. How, oh how to get through her teammate's thick skull?

"But I almost kissed the beauteous Miss Rinako! I am horrible! To cheat on ...ooof!" Lee winced as TenTen kicked him squarely in the chest.

"Do you like Rinako?"

Lee smiled. "Oh yes! Miss Rinako is the bravest, sweetest, loveliest person I know!"

"That's what you say about Sakura." TenTen pointed out ruthlessly.

Lee's face fell. "I am HORRID! I am cheating on my Sakura and ..."

"Okay, shut up now." The kunoichi snarled and kicked him again for good measure, knowing he wouldn't strike her back. Not Lee. "You have two plants. Love plants. One you put in the ground a long time before the second. You water both, but only one responds! Go with that one!"

Lee blinked at her.

TenTen sighed. "Okay, that made better sense in my head than it did out loud. Okay. You love me right?" She waited for his nod. "You love Neji?" Again he nodded. "You don't cheat on either of us by loving the other. Or even with Gai."

"But I don't want to kiss you, Neji or Gai." Lee protested.

"Thank heaven." TenTen firmed her lips and pressed onward. "Sakura is your friend. You can admire her. But you are not cheating on her for liking Rinako. Sakura is not your girlfriend, she is with Naruto."

Lee shook his head wildly. "My feelings for Sakura do not change simply because she does not return them! And it is those feelings that I have cheated on, by giving them to another."

TenTen sighed again and stared up into the night sky. This was going to take a while.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho bit back a scream that turned into a panting whimper as Kiba's mouth closed on her nipple, sucking strongly.

His tongue lashed the stiffened peak as his hand moved to cover the other breast, his thumb flicking across the tip of it. He moaned happily as she responded to him so strongly. He'd never been with anyone whose breasts were this sensitive. He loved it.

Shiho was beyond thought, focusing solely on sensation as her blood boiled and she felt she might come apart at any moment. Her heels pressed into the ground and she arched her back strongly, pushing her chest up for Kiba's mouth to devour.

The pressure pushed against her sore shoulder and she yelped in pain, dropping back down to earth as Kiba drew back sharply. He blinked at her and then re-zipped her shirt.

Shiho felt like crying until he bent down and kissed her long and lingering. He drew back and ran his thumb down the side of her face. "Sleep and heal little librarian. I can't continue this anyway, you and I both need to sleep and I need to get you home in one piece. I can't play with you while guarding you, no matter how much I want to touch you."

"But ..."

"Yes, I want to touch your butt. I want my hands on your butt, pulling you into me. And me into you." He growled. "Okay, I have to stop now, or I'm going to have to kill myself. Then where would you be?"

Shiho giggled in spite of herself. Feeling achy and heated all over, the throbbing in her shoulder not detracting from the magnetic pull of the man lying beside her in the dark.

Kiba wrapped his arm around her, spooning her from behind, his breath hot on the back of her neck. Shiho smiled, sure that this had to be a dream.

"Did I do better than your first kiss?" Kiba teased.

Shiho stiffened in his arms. "I don't want to talk about that."

Frowning Kiba acquieseded reluctantly and let the moment go. It took a long time for either to fall asleep, despite their exhaustion.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	44. Running Into Snags

"Is this really necessary? I thought we were in a hurry?" Shiho winced as Kiba drew the large-toothed comb through her wet hair. She frowned as she glanced at Akamaru, who looked like he was grinning. "Is your dog laughing at me?"

"Yes." Kiba smiled safely from behind Shiho's back as he ran his own comb through the thick mass of her hair. What about her wild frizzy curls fascinated him so, he couldn't really say. But they did.

Shiho sighed, resigned to the fact that they weren't moving until the Inuzuka was satisfied somehow. "Is that a 'yes' it's necessary, or a 'yes' that Akamaru is laughing at me?" She huffed.

The large nin-dog's mouth widened and he whined, giving a short series of barks.

Kiba chuckled. "He thinks he likes his scent on you."

"What does Akamaru mean by ..." Shiho's blue eyes widened as she grabbed the shampoo bottle that Kiba had tossed to her earlier. It was unmarked. "What did you do?"

He didn't answer. Shiho elbowed him with her uninjured arm as she felt him silently laughing behind her. "This isn't your shampoo, is it?" She asked suspiciously. "You told me it was yours!"

Kiba grinned widely and continued combing her hair. "Yes it is mine." He waited for her to relax a bit before continuing. "It's mine and Akamaru's."

Shiho stiffened and whipped her head around, wincing as a few curls got snarled in the comb. She grabbed at her head and glared at him. "You made me wash in DOG shampoo?"

The dog ninja lost it, falling over laughing at the sheer outrage on her face.

Shiho stood up, scowling. She tugged at the comb caught at the nape of her neck and gritted her teeth as she pulled, but it wouldn't come loose. Kiba stood up and reached to help, drawing back as she cocked her fist at him.

Before the kunoichi could swing at him though, Akamaru bumped her from behind and Kiba caught her around the waist. Even in the middle of her snit she realized how careful he was being about her injured shoulder. Reluctantly she relaxed as he whispered nonsense words in her ear and reached behind her to start untangling the comb from her recalcitrant hair.

Finally Kiba was able to free the comb and even manhandled her into turning around so he could tie the thick mess up in a pony tail.

"It won't stay." Shiho muttered. "When it dries, it'll get really fuzzy and triple in volume. I've broken many a hair tie that way."

Kiba leaned forward and pressed his mouth to the bared nape of her neck, making Shiho shiver and tremble slightly. In self-defense she stepped forward and shot him a guarded look. He flashed a wide grin at her. "It's not strictly dog shampoo. It's a special formula the Inuzuka use on missions and such. It's made specifically to help minimize scent markers. Ninja tool."

"Oh!" Shiho's mouth dropped open slightly.

"It's an Inuzuka clan secret." Kiba mock frowned at her. "So don't go blabbing this everywhere, well ...anywhere actually. Clan secret."

Not knowing if he was serious or pulling her leg, Shiho nodded slowly.

"I wanted to make it harder for us to be tracked." The dog ninja continued, looking very serious.

The code-breaker flushed slightly and apologized as she touched her hair. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I should have realized ..."

"And a big plus?" Kiba pointed towards her. "It'll protect you from fleas for about two months."

Akamaru watched in confusion as Shiho's face went white and then beet red and she started throwing rocks at Kiba. All the while the Inuzuka was laughing outrageously and easily dodging the poorly aimed missiles.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You didn't come by my room last night."

Gaara paused slightly as Hanabi fell into step beside him. But he made no further response.

"I thought moving me into the Kazekage tower was sneaky and brilliant." Hanabi mused out loud, looking anywhere but at the red-head next to her. "I used the Byakugan but you never made even a small move toward my room. So much for sneaky and brilliant."

"Kaji." The one word was a warning.

Hanabi frowned. "Ebizou knows." She stated quietly, defending mentioning her family's bloodline limit out loud. "Though he hasn't told anyone."

Gaara grunted.

"Yet." The Hyuuga kunoichi amended.

The Kazekage of Suna stopped and turned to look at Hanabi. She smiled at him cheekily. He waited, but she said nothing further. Finally he sighed slightly. "What?"

"You didn't come by my room last night." She said again.

Jade-pale eyes blinked slowly. Finally he spoke, no inflection or indication of his feelings. "Would I have been welcome?"

"No." She flashed him a grin. "But the fact that you didn't try only pisses me off."

Gaara's eyes lost some of the frigidity though his expression didn't change one iota. But she saw that she'd snagged his attention. "You're complaining because I didn't do what you didn't want me to do in the first place?"

"The fact that you didn't even try is bad for a girl's self-confidence." Hanabi fluttered her eyelashes in a patently mocking way.

Now Gaara's body started to lose that awful tension he'd been carrying around since he'd learned of Shukaku's release. Hanabi cocked her head to one side. "I was devastated. Crushed. I had to re-build my ego from pieces just to walk out the door of my room this morning. My room that you didn't even think of invading. I would have invaded yours, but I could see through the walls and floors that you were shut up with Baki all night in your office. I think you've made a mistake there." Hanabi pursed her lips and blew him a kiss. "I'm far better looking than Baki any day."

The muscles around Gaara's mouth twitched slightly, though nothing even nearing a smile appeared. But humanity was slowly creeping back into his gaze and Hanabi's smile turned real, if a bit predatory. "I did want you to come by last night." She said plainly.

The red-head didn't answer, simply quirked his head slightly to one side to await her response to his unspoken question.

Hanabi leaned into his personal space slightly and whispered. "I wanted to tell you that I'm coming with you."

All of a sudden the air around them both went cold as an icy shutter came down over Gaara's expression, his eyes glittering with hard authority. "No."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino turned the corner toward his wife's room in the Suna hospital and he stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. One dark eyebrow rose over the rims of his sunglasses.

There was a small knot of medical personnel outside of Temari's door. For one horrible second, Shino's heart stopped despite the fact that his kikai insects were calm and unagitated. But then he caught sight of Hinata and her calm expression got him breathing again.

The Hyuuga medic smiled softly at him. "Shino-kun."

"Hinata." He waited until he drew up next to her, his quiet nature made him loathe to yell or raise his voice in the hallway. "Temari?"

There was a clanging sound from inside the blonde's hospital room as something crashed against the door with enough force to rattle the hinges slightly.

Without a change in expression, Hinata patted Shino on the shoulder. "She and the baby are both well."

A loud obscenity could be heard through the ill-used door and Shino's mouth quirked slightly around the edges. "They are both well?"

Hinata nodded, pursing her lips together slightly to keep from giggling. "From a health standpoint. We're still keeping an eye on vital signs, both maternal and fetal, after the hard journey you both had rushing to Suna like you did. There was some signs that the baby's heartrate was too high at first, but it's better now. Though, she does need some peace and quiet to rest properly."

Suddenly Temari's door opened and a male orderly slipped from the room and slammed the door shut, breathing hard as he braced himself against the door as if to keep something horrible inside. He looked around wild eyed, scrambled eggs dripping off of his nose.

Shino grunted slightly as Hinata shook her head. "You need to calm her down. She needed to vent, it's good for her. But she shouldn't prolong this type of emotional state. It's not good for either of them."

The Aburame heir nodded, but hesitated where he was for a moment. He didn't look at Hinata as he stared at his wife's door. "Did you look?"

Hinata didn't have to ask what he meant by that. "Hai. I looked." With her Byakugan she meant.

Again, Shino hesitated.

Hinata gave his shoulder a soft push, more of a suggestion to move than an order. "Temari says she doesn't want to know the gender. She's refused to let me tell her."

The bug ninja nodded, but his feet seemed rooted to the ground. He cleared his throat, his pride making him sweat. But Hinata didn't make him beg, she wasn't the type. "He's healthy, Shino. And beautiful. Everyone is making sure he stays that way."

Shino blinked behind the shield of his dark glasses, extremely glad no one could see the suspicious shine he felt sure would be in his gaze. "She's always refused to be told the gender any time that we've gotten far enough along to find out. Doesn't want to get too attached in case ..." He stopped and took a deep breath. "In case." He finished the sentence there.

This time it was Hinata who hesitated. "There are no guarantees with this pregnancy either, Shino-kun." She said as gently as she could.

The Aburame bent his stiff neck enough to nod jerkily, and finally moved through the crowd to the door. His kikai vibrated a warning and he waited until something new crashed against the wall before opening the door, not giving his wife a chance to rearm herself.

Temari's bright green eyes glittered with malice from where she sat in the bed until she saw who it was in the doorway. Her bottom lip quivered slightly, then firmed as she lifted her chin and shot her husband a cool glance.

Shino closed the door resolutely behind him and then eyed the remains of the breakfast tray smearing the wall and door. "Were the eggs overcooked? Undercooked?" He asked dryly.

The blonde scowled. "Not a bit of morning sickness! Nothing! Four months gone and no clue! Sure my stomach has been a bit twitchy lately, but I thought it was nerves from miscar...rying." Her voice wavered on the last word slightly.

Shino picked his way through the broken dishes and pulled out a chair as he looked into his wife's frightened eyes.

"They won't let me have my fan." Temari stared at him, daring him to side with the ambiguous 'them'.

They both knew if she fought in the battle coming up with Shukaku she'd lose the baby. Still, Shino nodded. "I'll make sure it's here."

She nodded. They both knew without saying that she wouldn't pick up the fan-weapon unless she had no other choice. But she needed that choice. It was killing her that she was stuck on bed rest while the One-Tailed beast was bearing down on her home village.

With visible effort she smiled. It was a pathetic smile, but he appreciated that she was trying. He leaned in and kissed her softly, lingering as he tasted her lips. Temari's tension slowly began to ebb as she wrapped her arms around him and moved to bury her face in the crook of his neck. "There's no way to stop the Sand Demon. We don't have the ability to kill him."

"I want you to try and eat."

Temari hit him on the back as she sighed and sat back. "Gaara's plan. Do you know what it is?"

Shino nodded slowly. "We have a chance."

Barely able to breathe, much less speak around the sudden lump in her throat Temari blinked rapidly a few times as she tried to beat back any tears that threatened to fall.

Shino took off his glasses and gave her the full force of his intense stare. "We do have a chance. And we're taking it."

Temari nodded, breathing deeply to try and calm her nerves. "I've never feared death before. Not really. Normal battle nerves, but nothing like this."

His hand caught hers and pressed it to her abdomen which was still nearly flat. "This changes everything. It's not fighting and dying that scares you, it's not being able to fight at all."

The blonde nodded and relaxed slightly. "How do you always know what to say?"

"I don't." The bug ninja sighed.

"Yes you do." She contradicted him. "And why is it that when I didn't know I was pregnant that I was fine. But the moment I know THEN morning sickness won't leave me alone? That's just plain wrong. And the hospital uses powdered eggs. Well, a lot of Suna does actually. Saves better. But Konoha has me spoiled with fresh eggs all the time! This powdered stuff doesn't taste right anymore."

Shino let her ramble a bit as he watched her. Finally she gave him a watery smile and he took a deep breath. "I've written my father. The bird was sent out at first light."

Temari stilled, her eyes going bleak.

"If anything happens, I want you to go to him." Shino's voice brooked no argument.

She shook her head.

"Temari. If anything happens, go to my father."

The wind kunoichi scowled. "If anything happens to you, you mean."

He nodded.

Looking away, she nodded roughly, then shook her head. "I should be beside you. Not back here. My place is with you."

Shino pressed his hand slightly against her abdomen. "You have part of me inside you right now. My son. Our son."

"You don't know ..." She caught her breath as his gaze bore into her own. Temari moaned. "I told Hinata I didn't want to know."

"I told her that I did want to know." He said simply. "This isn't some abstract. This is our child. Our son. You can't withhold your feelings until you know if this pregnancy will last. We have to act as if it will. We have no other choice."

Temari felt the walls closing in on her as her breathing grew a bit labored. "I can't." She whispered desperately.

"You can." He told her fiercely, leaning in close. "I'm merely going off to fight an unstoppable sand demon. You have the hard part. Which is good, since you're stronger than I am."

Green eyes blinked hard and suddenly it was easier to breathe. "Liar. You're a far stronger fighter than I am. I've seen you in action with the kikai."

"You have the stronger personality." He gave her a ghost of a smile. "And a stronger vocabulary, a stronger temper, a stronger ...ooof!" Shino grunted as she punched his shoulder even as she gave him a small half-hearted grin.

Shino sobered as he looked into his wife's brilliant eyes, seeing the pain there. "Promise me. If anything happens."

"Your father, I got it." Temari snapped, and then grabbed his face between her hands as she stared into his bared eyes. "And you promise to come back to me." She demanded, knowing it might be impossible for him to keep such a promise in the face of all they were up against.

"To both of you." Shino's voice sounded gruff all of a sudden.

Temari's head jerked in a nod. "Yes. To both of us."

"I promise."

She nodded, hearing the determination in his voice, so why did she still have a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach?

"Now. About eating breakfast."

At Shino's words, Temari's stomach turned over and she turned absolutely green in the face as he took one look at her and quickly grabbed the basin off the night stand.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So, we're good then?"

Sakura made a sour face and shrugged, looking unsure. "I don't dislike Rinako, but are you sure about her?"

TenTen frowned. "More sure than I care to admit. I've been down on her for years, and she's given me no reason. What I thought I knew about her was all wrong in the first place." She blushed slightly. "I really thought she was 'the enemy' and all that."

The pink-haired medic still hung back, softly chewing her bottom lip. "But ..."

"But ...look, Lee really, really likes her. But he's hung up on this whole thing about 'cheating' on you." TenTen sighed. "And Gai is about the only one who could talk him around this, but he's not here. Neither is Neji."

Blowing out a frustrated breath Sakura shrugged. "I'm surprised you didn't ask Naruto."

TenTen blushed.

Sakura leaned in, her interest caught. "You DID ask Naruto!"

The brunette shrugged balefully. "He was all for helping get Lee over you. But then Lee started in on how wonderful you were and Naruto was agreeing with every word ..."

Pleased, Sakura bit back a sappy smile. "Really? He was doing that?"

"In the end, Naruto only made it worse." TenTen shook her head, still in disbelief. "Said they should go with 'the expert' and check out what the Toad Hermit would say on the matter."

Sakura stiffened.

TenTen smiled sheepishly. "At least Kakashi is off with Tsume and Kirabi, and you should know he didn't leave the books here. He has his Icha Icha novels with him. We have time to stop the boys ...whoa!"

"No we don't!" Sakura grabbed TenTen's hand, heading back toward the main camp. "Omoi reads that crap too! And worse, Naruto's been writing it!"

"What? Oh shit!" TenTen stopped hanging back and both girls rushed into the main part of the camp, where Sakura pointed toward one of the food tables.

Omoi, Naruto and Lee had their heads down looking at an open book and talking quietly.

"This is bad." TenTen muttered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Am I forgiven yet?"

Shiho fought to keep a smile off her lips as she tried to ignore the man leading the way across the rocky terrain. The land was leveling out some, more trees and bushes to work through.

"It was only a joke. The shampoo doesn't have flea control stuff in it, I promise. Shiho?"

There had been a definite whine in his voice the past mile or so. Behind her Akamaru gave a soft bark and nudged her gently with his big head.

"Sweetheart?"

The kunoichi stopped dead in her tracks, Akamaru bumping into her and then sat down as he eyed her cautiously. Shiho's hand automatically went out to pet the huge nin-dog, even as she tried to focus.

Kiba walked another five steps before he turned, having heard the cessation of her steps. "Shiho?"

"No."

The Inuzuka gave her a bit of a frown. "No? I'm not forgiven? At least that's one whole word more that you've spoken to me in the past mile."

She pointed at him with her good arm. "What did you call me?"

Kiba's mind went back and he stilled, catching on quickly. "Sweetheart? You don't like the nickname? Is this a female thing I've never heard of before? Kankuro went through this a few years ago with his wife. Hinata didn't want a 'used' endearment." He took a few steps closer to her. "Trust me, I've never thought of another girl as my sweetheart before."

Shiho felt her bones turn mushy and was really surprised that she was still standing on her feet.

Kiba suddenly grinned widely with triumph and glee. "I've got you now."

"No!" The kunoichi shook her head wildly. "You ...you're not making fun of me, are you?"

"Not hardly." Kiba drew very near and caught her around the waist, his bare hand on the small of her exposed back. She shivered and swayed toward him. "Remind me to thank Sai for the loan of his clothes."

"Oh!" Was all she had time to say before Kiba's lips descended upon hers in a drugged kiss that left her holding her breath when he finally pulled back. The fingers of his hand underneath the back of her middrif bearing shirt, teasing the skin below her shoulder blades.

Reluctantly, the dog ninja let her go. "Sweetheart? I love that you want me too, but I have GOT to get you back to Konoha, so stop distracting me with your charms."

"Uh huh." She said dumbly, then nearly groaned as she watched him move away from her. "Wait? What? I never said I wanted you!"

"Enhanced senses." Kiba turned and winked at her as he lightly tapped the side of his nose. "I've got chakra reinforcing my senses while we're out in the open. Sorry, no privacy. I can smell your phermones. You want me. Bad."

"Badly." She corrected without thought and blushed hotly as he laughed openly at her. Going for broke she straightened her shoulders. "I want you badly." She admitted, feeling completely exposed.

Sobering quickly, Kiba's face went pale and he coughed, turning away. "Crap." He muttered. "Now how am I supposed to walk?"

Suddenly, Shiho could not only breathe, but everything looked brighter. Colors were crisper and the birds chirping around them suddenly had never sounded so wonderful. Even the air tasted better.

"I need a cold stream." His voice sounded strained.

Behind them both Akamaru yawned and wondered why humans couldn't act more like canines. If it were him and a female dog, she'd already be pregnant with a litter by now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Fucking strap." Michi stopped by a large rock and fingered the cracked leather on his weapons pouch. "This was a new strap, it shouldn't be falling apart."

Rocks stopped and looked at him. "Go get your old one, you can't be worrying that the thing will break in the middle of a fight. Especially not in this kind of fight."

Michi nodded. "Go meet up with Kaji at the tower, tell them I'll be right there."

Rocks nodded, the sunlight playing off his spiked blue hair as he turned toward the Kazekage tower.

Deep into his Earth Style jutsu, Yurasu felt a glimmer of impatience. Kaji had not been home since he'd left his tribute to her. She'd not seen it. They were preventing her from seeing it. That was not right. It was for her, not them.

Perhaps it was time to sever some of Kaji's ties to this place.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I'm going too."

Gaara paused and cut a hard glance to his left.

Ebizou cackled and held out his hands in surrender. "You have to take me along, how else can you be sure that I'll keep my senile mouth shut?"

From the other side of the room Baki muttered an obscenity under his breath. "Killing you will shut you up, old man."

"Now, is that any way to treat your honorable elder?" Ebizou opened his eyes wide, looking all innocent.

"If I see and 'honorable' elder I'll let you know." The wind master snarled, shutting the book he'd been looking at with a rough movement. "Nothing here either."

Gaara frowned. "The information is in the Fourth's things, I'm sure of it." He said, referring to his father by his title rather than any form of familial title. The man had never earned the name of 'father' from his youngest.

Ebizou picked at a cuticle on his left hand and pursed his lips. "There are other kinds of archives." He said in a seemingly off-hand manner. "Living ones."

Gaara took a deep breath and hoped his headache would hold off until later. "You? I suppose, you mean you yourself by that."

The elder chuckled and buffed his now clean fingernail on his shirt. "There are still some uses left, even in old fools like myself."

Sighing, the red-head shrugged. "Everyone else is going, it doesn't matter what I say. Baki insisted, you're insisting, Kaji is insisting ..."

"What's her real name, by the way?" Ebizou mused aloud.

Baki snarled, ignoring the Kazekage's litany for now. No one in Suna was going to let Gaara face off against Shukaku alone, no matter what the red-head might think. "I thought you'd figured that out."

"She's a Hyuuga, sure enough. But I don't have an active spy network in Konoha anymore. Haven't for years. I don't know if she's main or branch, or even illegitimate. Lady Hinata treats her like close family, but it seems she's a soft touch. That doesn't mean the girl is actually close family." The old man shrugged. "Look for a blue book with a cracked binding. Smells like blood."

Gaara stilled, his eyes going cold. "Whose blood?"

"Don't ask." Ebizou sobered, remembering the night of Gaara's birth only too well. "It's not a pretty answer."

Death entered the room, and the Kazekage's pale jade eyes. He pinned the elder with a stare colder than ice. "You agreed?"

The old man, once a force to be reckoned with across several lands, didn't even flinch. "I was in agreement with the original plan. So was your mother. Nearly the entire council. My sister. There was a willing sacrifice, a cousin of your father's with a terminal disease. But he died unexpectedly in a rock slide three days before your mother went into labor. None of us agreed with what your father did next. None."

The words hung in the still air as they all waited for Gaara's reaction. For a long time the Kazekage didn't move a single muscle as he digested the words. Finally he blinked and Ebizou took a shaky breath.

"No one stopped him." Gaara said, his voice still cold but no longer riding the edge of sanity. His father had turned his own wife, Gaara's mother, into the sacrifice needed to complete the seal. Against her will.

The elder shrugged with a nonchalance he did not feel. "He was the Kazekage, and none of us were strong enough. If we'd known what he'd been planning ...no, no excuses. No one stepped in his way. We didn't like it, but you're right. None of us stopped him."

"Leave me." Gaara said.

Ebizou shook his head, disobeying a direct order. "No one else alive can tell you what you need to know now. I'm sorry, but you need me. Kazekage-domo."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi bounded down the steps of the house, not really paying attention as he headed for the main street leading to the Kazekage tower. But even when not paying attention, he was still an excellent ninja.

It only took him three steps past a certain spot when his brain registered that there had been a big rock there just a moment ago. And now there wasn't.

He spun and crouched as a sharp sword swung above his head, right where his neck had been but an instant before. Michi had a second of stunned disbelief before the long dagger in the other man's hand buried itself in his chest.

Water splashed and the clone disappeared in a small wave, leaving the blade wet and dripping. But not with blood.

Yurasu scowled and looked around, searching with his senses, but the chuunin was gone. Gone, and aware of his presence. Oh, he could hunt him down. But even in the deserted streets of the mostly evacuated Suna, an alarm would be given.

The Earth Country criminal wiped his blades dry and sheathed them quickly. His fingers then flew and his feet started sinking into the rock below him as he disappeared from view.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	45. Laying the Groundwork

Gaara felt the side of his temple twitch as he eyed the travel pack that had just been dropped unceremoniously at his feet. His jade-pale eyes moved up from the plain pack to the boot-sandals and up the long line of feminine legs to the bared midriff with creamy skin tanned by the relentless Suna sun despite tons of sunscreen. Slowly his gaze moved up over the enticing curves of her chest, nothing overblown or too obvious, but enough to call to his senses.

Next his eyes devoured the long line of her throat, and the bruises still marking her as his. There his jade-pale eyes hesitated with satisfaction before moving up to study the mulish line of her lips. Gaara sighed as he looked at Hanabi's firmed chin and set expression. He didn't bother to look at her eyes, hidden as they were beneath two masks, one plain cloth and one made of the skull of a mountain lion.

"What part of 'no' do you misunderstand?"

"Do you really think I've misunderstood a damned thing?" Hanabi's mouth quirked into a small sneer.

"No. You're just completely non-compliant." Gaara stared at her. "I could have you jailed for this."

"You can't spare the ninja needed to take me down, you need them right now." She flashed a quick grin at him before turning solemn. "And I'm going with you. Besides, someone attacked Mizu this morning. You don't want to leave me in danger, do you?"

Gaara looked off into the distant horizon.

"You can't leave behind good ninja, not in a battle of this magnitude. This is only the existence of Suna that we're talking about here." Hanabi sank down on her heels to go through her pack, checking her supplies.

Gaara watched her, wanting so much to reach over and rip the hood from the back of her head. To touch her. He wanted that so much that he clenched his fingers and deliberately stepped away. He could not be distracted right now, too much was riding on the outcome of this upcoming meeting with his nemesis. Shukaku.

It was the thought of the One-Tailed sand demon that gave Gaara pause. His breathing hesitated for a second or two as he suddenly realized that he wasn't upset about putting Hanabi in danger, not really. She was quite a capable and vicious kunoichi when needed. No. He didn't want her to face Shukaku. Yes, the demon was supremely dangerous. But what he ...feared? Yes, maybe it was fear. What he wanted to avoid was having Hanabi see him as he once had been. A monster rather than a man.

Hanabi stood and shouldered her travel pack, assured that she'd forgotten nothing. For a moment she stiffened then grunted. "Behind me to the left, about a hundred feet away. The old crank is talking to Baki and Saeko. He's dressed to travel. And yet you're thinking of leaving ME behind?"

Gaara's eyes cut to the area indicated, having grown used to Hanabi's manner of seeing things even with her back turned. She kept her Byakugan powered up to a low level almost all the time now, only pushing more chakra into it while out on missions. His gaze narrowed as he considered carefully. Ebizou had not asked permission either, he'd demanded a spot on this group heading out to encounter the sand demon. Why?

Sure, his knowledge would be valuable, but Gaara couldn't shake the persistent feeling that old Ebizou was hiding something from him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako stared at the coat on the floor and then up at the man beaming at her with a mega-watt smile. She walked around the garment and continued on toward breakfast, stopping when she realized that Lee was no longer beside her. "Lee?"

The green-clad shinobi looked hugely disappointed as he looked down at the coat covering the muddy walk-way. "You're supposed to walk on it."

"Huh?" Rinako felt lost. They'd been discussing mission parameters when suddenly Lee had ripped open the coat he'd been wearing and thrown it on the ground in a strangely lavish gesture. She hadn't been sure why he'd been wearing the coat in the first place, it wasn't that chilly right now.

"I covered the mud so you wouldn't get mud on your boots." Lee bowed and swept his arm out grandly.

Rinako shrugged. "I can walk on top of mud and not muddy my boots. Genin stuff. Come on or all the bacon will be gone."

Lee's shoulders dropped slightly as he picked up his now muddy coat, one borrowed from someone else actually. He watched as Rinako headed toward the doorway of the kitchen area. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he dropped the coat, running past the kunoichi to the doorway and shut the door with a loud slam.

Rinako felt stunned as she stared at the now closed door. What the hell?

The door opened on a beaming Lee as he graciously held the door for her, ignoring that it had been already propped open to begin with. He bent his neck and bowed, sweeping his arm out in a graceful gesture.

"Thank you." Tsume gave the green-clad young man an odd look as she and her nin-dog swept into the kitchen area.

Kakashi walked in behind her, giving Lee a look, then cutting his one visible eye in Rinako's direction. His mask moved slightly, as if the copy-ninja was smiling beneath it. "Nice move."

Rinako looked back and forth between Lee and the backs of the two Leaf ninja now heading for the buffet table. "Lee?"

"That wasn't for them, it was for you!" The shinobi huffed slightly, looking crestfallen.

"Okay." Rinako said soothingly, though at a loss as to what was going on.

Across the room TenTen and Sakura both sat watching, the weapons mistress groaning and the pink-haired medic grinning from ear to ear finding it all too hilarious.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You are making that up!" Shiho grinned despite her weariness. They'd been up and moving since dawn, and she hadn't slept that well in the first place despite being exhausted.

"No, cross my heart. We were practicing dynamic marking techniques and got Shino wet by mistake. Well, I still SAY it was a mistake and I'm not admitting otherwise ...anyway, you should have SEEN his expression!" Kiba chuckled and held up one hand to stop her as he sniffed the air cautiously. He whistled to Akamaru who circled around Shiho and settled at her feet, on alert. Having been through this several times already, the kunoichi went still and waited for Kiba to find and disarm yet another trigger set by the long-gone Akatsuki.

The dog-ninja finished and held up the tags that had been invisible against the rocks. "These aren't traps anymore, they're sentry tags. I think we're getting clear of the area, finally."

Shiho blew out a breath, trying to look like she wasn't so tired already. It wasn't even mid-morning yet!

Kiba grinned and flashed her a long look. "We can pick up speed now, stop this crawling down the mountain. Now we can make some real progress!"

Big blue eyes widened comically, then she sighed. "I don't know that I can ..."

He cut her off by literally picking her up and propping her onto Akamaru's back. Automatically her good hand wrapped in the large canine's fur.

"But Kiba! I can't!"

The shinobi ignored her as he pulled out some long nylon cording from his travel pack and quickly secured her a simple bridle that didn't impede Akamaru's movements and yet helped her to hang on. "Don't worry, you won't fall."

"But ...but ..." Shiho stammered. "What if I hurt Akamaru?"

Both males stopped and looked at each other, then both grinned and Kiba even chuckled. "Only you, little Librarian."

Akamaru woofed and barked a few times, then wagged his tail.

Shiho patted the large nin-dog worriedly. "Are you sure that I won't be too much for you?"

Kiba huffed and growled a bit. "Akamaru says that you're lighter than me, and smell prettier."

The kunoichi laughed and hugged the large dog. "If I get to be too much, just say so, okay Akamaru?"

Kiba watched the two with a strange expression. He'd just lied to her a bit. What Akamaru had actually said was that not only was she lighter than Kiba was to carry, but that it was an honor to carry his master's mate.

Mate? Kiba watched Shiho with his nin-dog with new eyes, unsure.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade, lost without Shizune, was going quietly mad. Well, then again, maybe not so quietly. The current assistant assigned to the Hokage's office winced at the solid wall of cursing as he raised his fist to knock reluctantly on the door.

"KOTETSU!" Shrieked the blood-shot blonde as she pushed aside stacks of papers and knocked scrolls onto the floor as she vainly searched her desk.

The harried assistant ran inside, shaking. "Er, Hokage-domo ...Kotetsu and Izumo are both still out on their mission. I have a message from the guards at the gate ..."

"Get me Genma or Gai!" Snarled the frazzled leader of the Leaf village, not paying attention except to her own current quandary..

The chuunin assistant backed up quickly, ready to make a run for it. "If the Hokage will remember, Genma is with Shizune at the Akatsuki fortress and Gai isn't back yet either, from his mission. He left yesterday? Raido and Ebisou are with him." The young assistant said quickly as a reminder. "Lady Tsunade, please ...the guards at the gate send word that the Aburame want permission to leave the village. They're demanding ..."

The blonde's eyes shot up in surprise and a moment later she relaxed slightly. "I can't possibly send Shibi, he's a clan leader, but he'll have someone he can send. Perfect! I won't kill you after all!" The Hokage brushed past the poor assistant on her way toward the door.

The chuunin gulped, almost used to the daily death threats as he prayed Shizune would return soon.

"Shizune has sent word and she's stuck at the Akatsuki fortress for the time being, damn it!" Tsunade snarled from the doorway. "Consider your temporary assignment to my office extended indefinitely." With that, the Hokage disappeared down the corridor.

The chuunin's knees went weak and he leaned against a wall, shaking. "Indefinitely?" Then the poor newly appointed assistant repeated quite a few of the swear words Tsunade had been spouting off earlier.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Kimiko?" Temari blinked and peered at the doorway. "Come in, please." Uncertainly she gave a sheepish smile. "I guess you've heard."

The small woman moved into the room with a natural grace that had nothing to do with ninja training, she was no kunoichi. In some ways she could be considered plain, until you got a good look and noticed the creamy smooth skin and warm brown eyes that radiated a calm assurance. And when she smiled, she could light a room. And when she laughed, she never laughed alone.

But Kimiko wasn't smiling now as she pulled up a chair next to Temari's bed. Gently, she caught the blonde's hand in her own. "Baki told me, he wanted me to hear it from him. I hope you don't mind."

Temari shook her head, still feeling a bit guilty even though she knew she had no reason to feel that way. "This pregnancy may not ..."

Kimiko put her hand up to Temari's mouth and she shook her head emphatically. "Don't tempt fate. I have a good feeling about this time." She let her hand fall to Temari's still nearly-flat abdomen, then she pulled her hand away a bit guiltily.

"I know this must be hard on you ..." Temari tried again, reaching out to the woman who had held her hand all through the pain and horror of that first miscarriage so many years ago. And the one who shared her pain of not being able to have a child. But Temari had been able to have surgery in Konoha to improve her chances, but Baki's wife had internal difficulties that surgery could not alleviate.

Kimiko smiled sadly and petted Temari's arm gently. "No. You know too well my heartache about not being able to have a child, but I've never been able to conceive. You, you've been through too much loss. Loss I've not had to face."

Temari swallowed the lump in her throat, unable to say anything as she nodded jerkily. Her hands moved protectively over her abdomen.

"You're due for some good news. No one deserves this more." Kimiko's smile was so warm and genuine.

Chuckling Temari swiped at a lone tear. "I still don't know what you see in Baki. He's rough as old cracked leather. You could have done better."

Shaking her head, the gentle woman who barely topped out at Baki's shoulder, shrugged. "He swept me off my feet. Literally. With wind. What could a girl do?"

Feeling more at ease, Temari smiled.

Kimiko's smile dimmed a bit as she caught the blonde's hand in her own again. "You've inspired me. Never giving up. I ...I've decided to go ahead and adopt."

Temari caught her breath. Few would know what a big step this was for Kimiko, who'd always sworn she'd have her own child or nothing. She also knew that Baki had wanted to adopt for years, but had held off because of his wife's feelings. "That's wonderful!"

Blushing, Kimiko waved her hand dismissively. "I feel so much lighter since I made the decision, I can't believe I've been in denial for so long." She smiled tenderly at Temari. "Now, tell me, how are you really feeling?"

"Scared." Temari admitted to the only other person she could, other than her husband.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara strode across the rocky ground of the pre-desert area he'd chosen for this confrontation. He walked up to Yamato as the man stood looking out over the area. "Everything in readiness?"

The Leaf shinobi nodded, looking worried. He cleared his throat. "I am not the First Hokage." He pointed out.

Gaara nodded. "Let us hope that you have enough of him and his abilities. Everything hinges on this."

Yamato nodded, feeling a bit sick even though his expression showed nothing of his feelings. "Kankuro returned just before you did. He brought our ...guests."

The Kazekage nodded. "Then I had better get Shukaku here then."

The Leaf shinobi nodded as he took in Gaara's own expressionless face. He wondered if the shorter man had any jangling nerves as well. But if the Kazekage was facing down nerves, he showed nothing of it in word or deed.

Baki walked up to them. "Kankuro has things here in place." He nodded to Yamato, who nodded back.

"Then it is my turn." Gaara said in a chilly voice, and he turned toward the way Shukaku was coming. He was close enough for the red-head to feel the pressure of the beast's chakra emanating from him. The familiarity of the chakra, which had once blended within his own body, made Gaara feel physically ill. Memories and snatches of remembered nightmares taunted him, yet he walked resolutely forward.

He was heading out toward Shukaku when someone stepped in front of him. Gaara hesitated, then stilled. Jade-pale eyes met the bone-blank stare from a mask. He waited, knowing that if he tried to walk around Hanabi, she'd only do something to stop him.

Hanabi's bottom lip trembled slightly, then firmed. "You're going out there as bait." She accused.

Gaara didn't bother to deny the charge. "I won't have this battle in Suna. We will call the beast here instead."

"Cut down on damages and deaths, hai. I get that." Hanabi frowned sharply. "And I can't argue with the fact that you would be the best bait to draw the One-Tail here. But I don't have to like it, and I don't."

Gaara cocked his head slightly to one side. "Why?"

Suddenly furious for no reason, Hanabi snapped at him. "I have NO clue why. I hope the damned raccoon eats you alive." She paused, sucking in a sharp breath. "I don't mean that."

The shinobi nodded.

Hanabi grabbed his head and ran her lips over his swiftly. A second or two, then she stepped back, savoring the shocked look in his eyes. "I don't mean that either." She crooned lightly.

Gaara just looked at her, blinking slowly. "Don't mean it again."

Her lips pursed and she fought the smile, and lost as she stepped forward and kissed him again. His expression melted slightly as she ran her lips over his in a warm caress. Gaara parted his lips and held his breath until she accepted his silent invitation and her tongue moved in to touch his, gently at first and then with more heat.

A groan escaped one of them, but neither knew who it had originated with as their lips clung. Her hands framed his face and his settled around her waist as he simply held her. Breathing became an issue and she pulled back as his lips followed her retreat. A long moment passed as they tasted and savored each other before he let go of her and gently pushed on her hips.

Her mouth fell into a soft pout, even as she nodded. "You need to go, Kazekage-kun. And I need to let you go."

Gaara nodded silently and ran one hand down the profile of her face. She turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand. "Be bait, but don't be his damned meal."

"Agreed." Gaara said softly and let her go. Hanabi stepped aside, letting him pass.

Always before she'd scoffed at the idea of 'heartache'. And then she'd thought she'd known the meaning of the word when she'd been longing after Inuzuka Kiba, and he hadn't seemed to notice her. But until she stood here, in this place, watching Gaara walk away from her ...out into the desert, alone. To use himself as bait for an un-killable One-Tailed demon, she'd never literally felt her heart ache.

But now she did.

In that one moment of pure clarity she realized that her little dance with Gaara went far deeper than she'd ever anticipated. He had her heart and she ...she was deathly afraid that she was falling in love with him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade stopped so suddenly that her assistant ran into her back and fell back a few steps, though didn't hit the ground. He rubbed his nose before freezing as the Hokage turned her furious glare on him. "I thought you said the Aburame wanted permission to leave Konoha. The Aburame. As in the head of the Aburame clan. As in Shibi."

The assistant shook his head and nervously cleared his throat. "I meant the Aburame, as in the clan."

Tsunade winced and turned back to the crowd in front of the gate of Konoha. A crowd made up entirely of Aburame. Men and women both. Carts full of supplies. Everywhere she looked, there was an Aburame. Dark glasses and long coats were everywhere.

Shibi stepped forward and Tsunade stiffened. "What is this?"

The head of the bug ninja clan glanced back at his people and then at his Hokage. "Visiting family." He said simply.

Tsunade let the man's words hang in the air for a long moment, waiting for him to explain. But Shibi said nothing more. She scowled. Damned silent ninja traits. "I was going to ask you to lend me one of your family members. Jounin level if possible."

Shibi looked at her, his gaze hidden beneath his customary dark glasses. Finally he nodded. "May I ask why?"

Tsunade shook her head. "May I ask why every Aburame in the village is going to visit family?" Especially when she was unaware of many of this particular clan living outside of Konoha.

Shibi and she stared at each other, both unwilling to go into too much detail.

The Hokage sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I need someone to go to Suna. There's been an incident. I need them to bring back some Leaf ninja. Your son being one of them."

The head of the Aburame clan actually let a small smile play across his lips. "I can spare a family member or two for that mission."

"They'll need to bring back the Hyuuga daughter as well." Tsunade said, measuring her words carefully and looking around to make sure they were speaking privately. She motioned her assistant back, watching as the young chuunin left quickly.

"The Lady Hinata? Of course." Shibi nodded.

"And her sister." Tsunade added. "The dead one and her team. Secrecy is everything."

Shibi went very still for a moment, letting the information sink in. The younger Hyuuga daughter lived? In Suna? With her genin team, the ones that had supposedly been assassinated? How intriguing.

"It will have to be someone who can keep a secret." Tsunade warned. "This is very urgent. They are in Suna, and ...one of the tailed beasts was released and is heading their way. We won't get there in time for the first battle, but ...hopefully they'll all still live when your ninja arrive."

Shibi nodded slowly. "I know just who to send."

Relaxing slightly, Tsunade smiled. "Who?"

"Me." Shibi paused and let the Hokage's eyes widen. "And everyone with me. We were heading to Suna now."

Tsunade growled low and menacingly. "Visiting family?"

Shibi nodded very slowly and held up a letter. "Just arrived from Shino. We know about the beast, but before you get mad at him for divulging information ...Temari is pregnant and can't be moved from Suna right now."

Her protest died on her lips as she let the information sink in. She looked behind the man at all the Aburame going and realized that it wasn't the entire clan after all. Fighters. Everyone going was a trained ninja. Except for a few women. "Midwifes?" She guessed.

"Aburame midwifes. They have knowledge that no Suna medic will have access too, knowledge pertaining solely to our clan." Shibi paused, then bent his pride to explain a bit. She was his leader after all. "We go to support and protect our own. We'll find the Hyuuga girls and send them back if it is necessary, and all others belonging to Leaf as well."

"Do what you can for Suna, if possible. They are allies, but our people come first." Tsunade said slowly. "The Kazekage's message that was included with the report that Shino sent me mentions a plan. Help if you can, but let that be your judgment."

"We won't arrive in time, most likely." Shibi commented. "But your orders are duly noted." He turned and signaled for his clan to move even as Tsunade signaled the gate guards to let them pass.

Inuzuka Hana stepped up beside her Hokage as the last of the Aburame left the village, heading toward the desert. "Mass exodus?" She queried, her eyebrows raised at the unusual sight she'd just seen.

Tsunade chuckled and shook her head. "I'm letting the Aburame invade Suna."

Confused, Hana looked out the gate and watched as every last Aburame faded from sight. "Poor Suna?" She guessed.

Her chuckle turned to an outright laugh as she clapped Hana on the shoulder. "Indeed. Poor Suna indeed! This could save an ally or lose one, we'll just have to wait and see."

"Someone's coming." Hana pointed out the gates as the Hokage turned to look. The gate guards watched as well as someone bounded up to the skirts of Konoha. "Oh, it's Sai."

Tsunade stiffened, knowing where Sai had most recently been posted. She gestured for the guards to let the man enter. The artist nin walked up to her, filthy and looking like he'd not slept in days. "I already have word from the message bird you managed to send me from the border post. You've made good time to get here this fast."

Sai nodded though he was winded, still trying to catch his breath. "The cryptologist?"

Tsunade shook her head. "No sign yet. I was just about to find someone to go look for them."

Sai straightened. "I can go."

The Hokage shook her head. "No. I need you to be debriefed, someone else. A tracker." She turned speculative eyes on Hana. "You can find your brother?"

The Inuzuka kunoichi stiffened. "Kiba? Isn't he with mother?"

Tsunade shook her head and pulled Hana along with her back toward the Hokage tower. "I'll fill you in, come."

Sai followed behind, his mouth drooping strangely again. He touched his lips with his fingers and wondered why he felt unsettled, not at ease. He would definitely have to consult with a medical specialist soon.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba called a halt during mid-afternoon, pulling out a length of wire from his travel pack.

Shiho was too tired to wonder what he was doing as she slid from Akamaru's back. She hurt. Everything hurt. Her shoulder, her legs, her good arm, her head ...simply everything. A moan escaped her and Akamaru nudged her lightly with his head, barking a query.

Kiba looked over at her and ran to catch her before her swaying led to an actual fall. "Hold steady!" He braced her and led her over to a large tree stump next to the stream.

Grateful, Shiho rubbed her cramping arms as she leaned against the stump. Quietly she watched as Kiba quickly located a worm and baited a small hook. He cast the line into the stream and pulled on it slightly. Shiho frowned slightly. "Don't you need a pole for that?"

"No." Kiba grinned as he felt a nibble. Yanking on the line, he sunk the hook and pulled in the small fresh water fish. "Poles are too cumbersome to carry in a pack, this is more efficient."

He gutted the fish quickly and filleted the catch, setting it aside to build a small fire for cooking.

Shiho watched dispassionately as she rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the pain and throbbing. One arm ached from the shoulder dislocation and field reduction that Kiba had performed. The other ached because it had held on to the make-shift bridle all day. "Can we afford a fire?" She asked, only because Kiba hadn't allowed them one when they'd been in the mountains.

"We won't be here long, any attention we attract will arrive too late." Kiba started the fish to cooking and then went to catch another. "Besides, we need the protein."

The kunoichi nodded and yawned, wincing as even her jaws hurt from where she'd clenched her teeth. Once she'd been put on Akamaru's back, they had traveled so swiftly she'd been in awe. She wasn't an untrained civilian by any means, and she was a full kunoichi, if not a field one. She knew how to flash step just as well as most ninja. Yet ...the speed in which Kiba and Akamaru were traveling, even with her strapped to the nin-dog's back, was amazing.

The fish were done pretty quickly and Kiba sliced off long pieces for her. Shiho thanked him and then gobbled down her first piece quickly. She looked over at Akamaru and winced. The canine had done most of the work all day. Sure she hurt, but he'd been carrying her this whole time! "Here you go, boy." She held out a piece of fish she'd thrice checked to make sure there were no bones. "You must be tired and hungry too."

Akamaru barked at her, baring his teeth. Shiho pulled back, stunned. "What? What did I do?"

Kiba swallowed hard and cleared his throat as he tried to catch his breath. "He ...he said that you need the food more than he does, that you weigh less than a feather." Kiba lied.

Shiho nodded and laid out the fish for the nin-dog anyway, her expression turning stubborn. "Then we share. He does all the work, he should get some of this fish."

Kiba turned away toward the stream, his mind reeling. Akamaru had once again called the kunoichi Kiba's mate. But more than that, the big canine had admonished Shiho that she needed to eat more in order to carry Kiba's puppies.

Shaky, the Inuzuka barely registered the taste of his own fish as he turned to look at Shiho again. He took in her stiff way of moving and knew she was hurting. But she never complained. She was brilliantly smart, but didn't rub it in too much. She liked Akamaru and his dog liked her back. Even Kiba's own mother respected Shiho.

And he wanted her in his bed so badly that it hurt.

But ...mate? Puppies? As in children?

Kiba watched her and wondered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shukaku reveled in the destruction and havoc around him. The smell of blood was in his nostrils, but it was old now. A day ago at least, possibly two. He wanted fresh blood. And that fucking desert village had a lot of blood that needed spilling.

Bind him? Hold him? Use HIM? The whole village needed to be wiped from the earth completely. Bones would crunch satisfyingly, and blood would quench his fever he just knew.

So lost in his dreams of vengeance and hatred, it took nearly an hour before he realized what he was sensing.

The One-Tailed beast paused and turned his head eastward. There. A chakra signature. Pulsing. Begging for attention. The sand demon grinned widely and roared in approval.

Gaara.

Gaara was here and knew he was coming for him. And the puling little red-head was coming out to meet him. As if the little shit had a chance. That person had ceased to be of any importance the moment Shukaku had been extracted from his body.

The demon roared again, turning his great head toward Suna. But that pulsing chakra signature wouldn't go away. He stopped again, turning, considering.

He owed Gaara nothing. But the human owed him. Oh yes, Gaara owed him! The little human was nothing without Shukaku inside him. But still. The red-head had held him against his will. He'd used Shukaku's abilities and what had he done in return?

Fought him. Kept him from his mind the best he could.

Shukaku's eyes narrowed as he changed directions. Heading for that pulsating chakra signal. Gaara. The demon smiled. This was a trap. He knew it. And he had no intention of falling into any trap. But the lure of Gaara, and of spilling Gaara's blood called to him like a siren's song.

He'd get to Suna, oh yes he would. But first things first.

Shukaku roared again, throwing back his head and sending his voice to the heavens. Letting the world know that the One-Tail Beast was free and on his way. And death would follow his every step.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	46. Baiting Shukaku

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning of a mature nature in this chapter ...

Gaara stiffened as he felt the approach of someone behind him. Two days. He'd been out here for two days, pumping chakra through his body as a lure for the One-Tail beast. They should have already fought by now. But Shukaku was taunting him.

The dinner tray was put down on a tree stump next to a cot with a sleeping bag on it. A cot he head yet to use more than an hour at a time here or there. And he wasn't even sure that he'd actually slept.

The someone stepped up beside him and Gaara startled a bit as cool fingers entwined with his. His jade-pale eyes cut to the side, and then he relaxed slightly. A long moment of silence slipped by them before he cleared his throat. "You're getting better at hiding your chakra signature. I didn't realize that it was you."

Hanabi sneered slightly and nodded as she stared out into the desert with her Byakugan. "What is he doing?"

"You can see him, I can't." Gaara replied stoically.

"He's rampaging through the desert. He turns toward Suna, then here, then Suna ...I don't understand." Hanabi sighed, the waiting getting to her and everyone else back at the main camp. Using her Byakugan she could see the tense movements of those back behind the sand hills out of sight to everyone except for someone who could see through anything. "Everything is as ready as it will get."

Gaara nodded.

Another long moment of silence, then Hanabi sighed and looked down at her feet. "It's not your fault. None if this is your fault."

Gaara gritted his teeth slightly. "I was ...pleased."

Hanabi held her breath and looked at him, actually even turning her head to look at him even though she didn't need to do so to see him.

"Not to die. But ...after I awoke, I was ...pleased ...that the demon was gone." Gaara said, his voice devoid of emotion. "There were those in Suna who wanted to know what had become of the One-Tail after the Akatsuki fell. I wasn't one of them. I would have been perfectly fine if Shukaku had never been found."

"No one can blame you for that." Hanabi said, her voice a bit husky with unvoiced emotion. Her fingers tightened a bit on his.

"I can blame myself." Gaara turned to look at her. "I didn't seek out the One-Tail, not really. We looked, but not hard enough. I ...may not have wanted to find the demon. Not really."

Hanabi's other hand joined her first so that she was holding his hand in both of hers as she stared at him. "You did what you could."

"Did I?" Gaara scoffed and looked back out at the desert. "There's one less caravan of merchants in the world that might disagree."

Hanabi nodded, having watched in horror with her family's bloodline limit as the One-Tailed Beast had turned away from them to attack and utterly destroy a large caravan of traders. Few had managed to escape though a couple of survivors were even now still being treated by their medics.

Gaara pulled his hand free of her grasp and stepped forward, staring intently into the distance at something he couldn't see. "He's doing this to taunt me. To show that he knows it's a trap. That he could leave me behind and destroy Suna."

Hanabi's mouth went dry. "Why ...why doesn't he do that then?"

The Kazekage smiled grimly as he stared out at the desert. "Because he can't leave me behind. He'd like to, oh he'd like to ...but he wants to face me."

The kunoichi nodded and sighed, her stomach tumbling at the thought. "That's why you set yourself up as bait. Out here, away from the others. Shukaku won't be able to resist you, even though he KNOWS you're acting as bait."

"Exactly." Gaara grunted. "He's trying to work out what I have planned. He'll attack when he's ready and not a moment sooner."

Hanabi looked over at the gourd sitting next to his sleeping cot, and then back at the man before her. His back straight and proud, using himself as a barrier between his village and certain destruction. Pride welled up in her and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

Gaara jumped slightly as he felt Hanabi's hand on his back as she held her palm there, then both palms. She ran her hands up and down his spine lightly before her arms wrapped around him from behind. He took a deep breath as she held him, laying her head against his back.

She breathed in his scent and held him, offering what comfort she could.

His hands rose hesitantly to cover her hands as they rested in the center of his chest, and when he touched her she tightened her hold. Gaara could feel her press her cheek to his back and deduced that she'd removed her masks as he could not feel the bone skull pressing into him. Only her.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly he began to relax slightly as he accepted the silent comfort. They stood there like that, quiet, lost in their own thoughts and yet closer than they'd ever been before.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba grinned as he called a halt, wiping sweat from his brow as he whistled to Akamaru to take a break. The large canine panted and stopped beside him.

Shiho looked around curiously. "Kiba?"

The Inuzuka flashed her a fond look that had her stomach tightening in an not unpleasant tingling feeling. She swallowed hard.

"We're about a day outside Konoha. And I recognize this spot. Nice to keep a clear lookout, but a fresh stream and small waterfall with good fishing. And since we're close enough to home, I thought you might like a bath and a lunch break."

Her bright grin was answer enough as he smiled at her. "Make it a quick bath though and a quick lunch." Kiba chided her. "We're close enough to home now that I can taste it!"

Shiho was barely listening though as she rummaged through the travel packs, pulling out the shampoo. She eyed it then turned chiding eyes on him.

Kiba held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'll be using it too!"

"Huh. Fine." She hurumphed and headed for the water, only to have Kiba stop her with a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. She'd been going the wrong way. Blushing she brushed right by him, calling out to Akamaru to guard her while she bathed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Ebizou-sama looks pleased with himself." Hinata pointed out hesitantly as the watched the elder ninja help out among the survivors of the trade caravan that the One-Tail had devastated. Once they were stable, they'd be sent on to safety.

Baki grunted, but didn't comment as he sharpened weapons that were already a razor edge. He hated waiting.

"The old man is up to something." Saeko agreed. "I still can't believe that he demanded to come along for this fight." The Suna kunoichi nodded to both Baki and Hinata and headed over to some other ninja as they all played the waiting game.

Baki sighed and looked up as Hinata activated her Byakugan, relaxing as she caught sight of her husband along with the other Suna puppeteers. He looked so at ease with them that Hinata blushed and looked away. Baki caught her eye and she blushed a bit more. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged.

"Lady?" His voice was insistent.

Hinata shrugged again. "Kankuro looks so at ease with the other puppeteers." She said almost apologetically.

Baki cut his one good eye over toward the group of Suna shinobi and grunted. "Don't sell yourself short. He's content where he is. With you and the children." He said, still surprised that Kankuro's proxy marriage had come out so well. At the beginning, he wouldn't have given their relationship even a remote chance of working.

Hinata's face blushed again, but this time pleasure lit her pale-Hyuuga eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

A distinctly female scream had Kiba's heart stopping as he dropped the provisions he'd unwrapped. He was breaking through the tree-line and underbrush to the small pool before his mind even caught up to his feet.

Shiho turned at the sound of him rushing forward and screamed again, this time grabbing a towel and holding it over her body like a shield.

Kiba skidded to a halt, breathing hard, as he searched the area for danger. All of his senses where chakra reinforced an on full power. It took him a long few moments to realize the truth. There was nothing wrong. Panting, he dropped his hands to his knees and eyed the wide-eyed code-breaker. "Why'd you scream?"

Trembling, Shiho pointed at a whimpering Akamaru who'd tucked his tail down between his legs looking shamefaced. Her towel started to slip, revealing a tantalizing view of creamy skin before she squealed and grabbed at it again.

"Akamaru?" Kiba looked at his nin-dog, confused.

"He ...he snuck up behind me while I was getting ready to take a bath and he'd already been in the water ..."

Kiba groaned, leaping ahead in the story. "He shook himself to dry off?"

"It was COLD!" Shiho defended her startled scream even as she blushed furiously in embarrassment.

The Inuzuka eyed the large canine and shook his head sadly. "Bad dog." He choked on the words, not really meaning them. "It was just Akamaru being playful. He likes you."

Kiba turned away, tearing his eyes reluctantly from Shiho's nearly bare body when Akamaru began barking and yipping. The shinobi spun back around, his finger pointing at the large nin-dog as this time he meant the words. "BAD DOG! We are on a MISSION! And just because we're close to home doesn't mean ..." He ground to a halt as he caught Shiho watching him curiously.

Kiba's body reacted quickly and he flushed slightly, turning away with every ounce of strength he had left in his body. "Bad dog." He repeated.

Akamaru sat down, panting and looking on happily, not in the least contrite.

The Inuzuka frowned, wincing as he reached down and adjusted himself through his trousers once he was out of sight of Shiho. Damn that dog! Akamaru had told him that he'd made "Kiba's mate" scream to bring him running while she was undressed. The large dog had figured that Kiba could then mate with her and make fine "puppies". Seems that Akamaru thought they were safe now that they were almost home, and besides, he could watch over both Kiba and Shiho to make sure they were safe as they mated.

Kiba groaned as he turned away from temptation, his throat tight and his body tighter. He had the worst case of blue balls that he'd ever had in his life. But Shiho ...he couldn't grab her and play rough and tumble out here on the road. Not with her.

She needed to be wooed. She wasn't some kunoichi used to roughing it. No. He needed ...flowers, dinner, movie ...wine. Yes. Wine, not sake.

Suddenly he stopped cold, his every nerve frozen in horror as he realized that he wasn't alone.

"You look preoccupied." The voice hissed silkily from the trees above him.

Kiba relaxed just as suddenly. He took a relieved breath before glancing up. "Hana."

"Little brother." She nodded to him in acknowledgement. "You're late."

Shrugging, Kiba flashed her an awkward grin. "Tunnel put us out on the north side of the mountain. Full of Akatuski traps too. Lost a day in the tunnels, finding the exit. Oh, and the fight with five or so enemies." He mentioned them in a casual manner, to slide home the pointed jibe. "But if you want to point out our lazy progress ..."

Hana stiffened. "You alright?"

"Minor scratches and bruises. Shiho had a dislocated shoulder, though I reduced it in the field. Hurts like a son-of-a-bitch, but she never complains." He said almost proudly.

Hana paused as she looked down on her baby brother. There had been something in his voice when he'd mentioned the code-breaker. Her attention caught, she felt the first stirrings of curiosity. "And how did you end up at the Akatuski fortress rather than on your own mission?"

Kiba stiffened and picked up his discarded provisions, studiously ignoring his sister's question.

o.O.o.O.o.O

After a long comfortable silence, Gaara took a deep breath. "I would like you to go back to Suna."

Hanabi tightened her hold on him, pressing her cheek into his back. "It's no safer in Suna." She pointed out to him ruthlessly. "I'd rather be here."

"Safety isn't the concern." Gaara said slowly, almost with embarrassment. "I ...I don't want you to face Shukaku."

Hanabi pinched his chest stingingly, scowling though he couldn't see her while she was behind him like this. "I might face him in Suna if we fail here."

Gaara nodded, and it helped that he couldn't see her as he admitted something reluctantly. "He is my past. Part of me. I was him and he me for a while. I ...I don't want you to see me like that. See what I was."

She went still behind him. Gaara held his breath as he awaited her response.

Softly she placed a kiss to the area between his shoulders, then up farther on his neck where the shirt ended, though she had to stretch to reach. Gaara shivered despite the heat of the desert sun as her breasts pressed against his back so that her mouth could reach his neck.

"I've already seen you like that." She admitted softly, her breath on his skin stirring up something deep inside him. Something needy. Then her words registered fully and Gaara went stiff as a metal rod, shock running through him. He would have turned to look at her, but she still held him and was refusing to let go. He gave in reluctantly and stayed as they were.

"I was in the stands during your chuunin exams in Konoha. I saw." She told him, her breath tickling against the back of his neck.

Her fingers were moving over his chest and his shirt hung half-way open before he caught her hands in his, so shocking were her words. "What?" He croaked out, his mouth bone dry. His fingers trembled slightly against hers.

Hanabi pulled her hands from his numb grasp and continued to unfasten his shirt, then her hands roamed freely over his exposed chest. Her teeth caught the collar of his shirt and she stepped back, pulling the shirt from his body. Free of her hold, he turned to face her, his jade-pale eyes wary.

First, she dropped his shirt to pool at her feet. He swayed slightly. Next, she looked at him gently, acceptingly and unafraid. He caught his breath. Hanabi reached up and dropped her hood, then took a hold of the zipper on her top. His breathing stopped altogether. "Hanabi?" In saying her name it was both a prayer and a warning.

She ignored the warning and pulled slowly on the zipper, exposing the mesh shirt beneath that barely concealed anything. Then she let the hooded top fall from her arms as her pale-Hyuuga eyes watched for his reaction. She smiled at the stunned expression looking back at her.

Gaara shook his head slightly at her. "You can't want me."

"Your courtship is moving too slow." She purred, her hands crossing in front of her to grasp the edges of her mesh top.

"I'm a monster." He said roughly, then moaned as she jerked the top up and over her head. Her breasts weren't overly large but in his eyes they were perfect. Round and ripe and topped with pink nipples that even as he watched them rose to small peaks. Gaara licked his lips and clenched his hands to keep from reaching for her. The effort to stay still cost him.

"You are not Shukaku." Hanabi told him as she stepped slowly toward him, stopping only slightly out of reach. "I saw you then, and I see you now. You're different. Yourself. And I could never love a monster. You are not a monster."

The word slammed into him with all the power of a desert sand storm. "Love?" He whispered hoarsely, nearly inaudibly. His eyes searched hers, but all he could see was acceptance in her gaze.

"You court too slow." She mocked him gently as she stepped one more step forward, her hand moving up to touch one of his bare nipples with first one finger, then her palm. He sucked in a harsh breath, his eyes huge as he watched her. "I guess I'll never get moonlit walks, romantic flowers, breakfast in bed, or serenades outside my window."

Gaara's stomach muscles quivered and blood pushed a part of his anatomy to strain the front of his pants. He was having a hard time breathing even before she leaned in and nipped at his skin with her teeth. "What ...if you don't get those things ...oh ..." His eyes closed as she kissed his nipple, her tongue flicking out to taste him as her thumb trailed lower to the bottom of his ribcage.

Hanabi pulled back and grinned at him evilly as she finished his sentence for him. "What do I get? If I don't get those things? Why, I get you. Gaara-coon. I get you." She cocked her head slightly to one side. "Is this the same man who marked his territory on my skin not that long ago? So possessive. Now you can't even touch me?"

The words had barely left her mouth when his lips interfered with speech completely.

The kiss was long, hot, and breath-stealing. Hanabi's knees buckled and his arm wrapped around her bare waist to keep her from falling. She whimpered hotly and wrapped one long leg around his hips, rocking in toward him instinctively. She could feel how much he wanted her, and it both thrilled and frightened her at the same time.

Gaara scooped her up and carried her over to his sleeping cot, laying her down as he stood over her. His jade-pale eyes devoured the sight of her laid out like that. Her dark hair shone like a nimbus covering his pillow and framing her face. Her pale eyes gleamed up at him as she watched him with a possessiveness all her own.

His breath caught as he eyed her bared breasts, his hands aching to cup them.

Hanabi watched him and knew that they were at a point where she could stop this. But beyond this point, there would be no way to stop. And it was up to her.

With an intent look, Hanabi raised one foot toward him, offering him her boot.

Gaara about blew a fuse as he realized what she wanted. His fingers trembling he undid the fastenings and slid the sandal-boot from her foot. She put that leg down and raised the other in a silent demand. Then she watched as Gaara removed the other sandal-boot and held her foot in his hand. His eyes found hers as he held her foot and pressed both thumbs hard into the sole of her bare foot.

Hanabi lost her breath and arched her back, moaning at the sudden pleasure. Gaara nearly lost it as she did that, her arched back pressing her bared breasts up towards him like an offering. She lay back, watching him, panting softly. He did it again, drawing a deep moan from her as she called out his name in a breathy whisper.

Undone, Gaara leaned over her and recaptured her lips. His arms were braced on either side of the cot, but he didn't lower himself down upon her, not yet. His lips sought hers and his tongued delved deep inside, claiming, tasting, possessing. He groaned.

Hanabi's fingers reached up for his chest and he sucked in a harsh breath, though the kiss never stopped. She traced the lines of his abdomen down to the buckle on his pants. There she hesitated.

"You don't have to ..." Gaara's words stopped in mid-sentence when she cupped him suddenly through his pants. He threw his head back and she reveled in watching the need play out across his features.

When he was breathing again, she smiled at him and finished unbuckling his pants. Hanabi licked her lips. "You were saying that I didn't have to do ...what?"

"Touch me." He demanded hotly, his eyes fever-bright and burning. "Touch me!"

She shivered at the tone of his voice, her own blood boiling with need. "How?" She half-mocked him, though at the same time, she wasn't quite sure what to do next. Oh, she knew the basics, but she'd not done this before. And books read where Rocks and Michi couldn't make fun of her only went so far.

Gaara stood, panting as he unzipped his pants and kicked off his own boots. When he turned back toward her, he watched her Hyuuga pale eyes widen and he hesitated. She didn't. Her fingers rose up without prompting and gently traced the line of his penis from stem to stern.

He shook and fought not to simply grab her.

Hanabi watched his internal battle and smiled at the power he'd handed her, knowing that it went two ways as she wanted him so badly that it hurt. She recalled what she'd learned from listening to other kunoichi and wrapped her palm around him and leaned in, her breath teasing the tip of him. Here she stopped and rolled her head up slightly to look at him looking down at her. She blew a long hot breath over his sensitive skin.

He trembled and his erection jumped in her hand, wanting more.

She laughed deliciously at his reaction.

That was it. Gaara grabbed her and pushed her shoulders down as he fumbled with her trousers. She laughed, completely delighted as she lifted her hips so he could push the pants down over her hips. A moment, two, three and and was nude.

Gaara settled between her thighs, his eyes wild and yet strangely reverent as he pushed her knees apart. He didn't have to push hard as Hanabi grabbed at his shoulders and fairly drew him down upon her, her legs wrapping around him in a hot invitation that he had no intention of ignoring.

They kissed as his erection prodded her down where she ached for him. Reaching down, he guided himself to her entrance and then looked at her. His jade-pale eyes met her gaze and the love he saw there humbled him. His hand trembled and she leaned up, catching his bottom lip with her teeth. She then let his lip go and whispered. "Now Gaara."

He thrust inside in one long rush, burying himself inside her as she yelled out and arched her back, panting as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Gaara couldn't have stopped making love to Hanabi right then, even if Shukaku had marched up and tapped him on the shoulder. Lost in the heat of the moment, he thrust into her body in a rhythm older than time. He could feel how tight she was around him, feel the throbbing of her body as she held on to him.

At first Hanabi felt the stinging pain too much to really appreciate what was going on, but as the fog of pain subsided something far more pleasurable took its place. Gaara was rocking into her body, his green eyes hazy and looking supremely male as he watched her. His chest rubbed against her own and the feel of him so deep inside her body, sliding in and out like he was made her blood start to heat up again.

Just as she was starting to feel on the edge of something greater, pushing her hips up to meet his thrusts, moaning as she felt as if something grand was just ...just ...right ...there ...almost ...

Gaara grunted and threw back his head with a wild shout, filling her completely as he came inside her and slowly collapsed upon her.

Hanabi, stunned, ran her hands over his red hair and the back of his shoulders. She cradled him with her body as he relearned how to breathe.

Off in the distance there was a sudden roar of sound. Of outrage.

Startled, Gaara and Hanabi both shot bolt upright. Not bothering to hide her nudity, she ran through the hand-seals and activated her Byakugan. She paled.

"Well?"

"He's coming this way. Fast. Maybe a twelve hours or less." Hanabi ran a trembling hand through her long hair. "No hesitating, no turning away or looking at Suna. He's coming for you."

"I'll be ready." Gaara swore as he climbed into his pants.

Hanabi watched him, her expression guarded.

He stopped and looked at her, his heart sinking that she might regret what they had just done. "Hanabi? I didn't meant to hurt you."

She looked up at him so fiercely that he took a step backwards. "Don't take it back. Don't pull away now."

"Hanabi?"

The enraged kunoichi stood up on his cot, nude as the day she was born shaking her finger in his face. Gaara's heart went into overdrive. "Don't turn cold on me now! You didn't hurt me!"

"You were untouched, a v ..." Gaara said almost hesitantly. "Yes, I did hurt you!"

Hanabi stood up to her full height, standing tall over him as she stood on his cot. "I'm not anymore, and that was my choice! And you are not taking it back!"

Gaara stifled a pleased smile as he looked up at her. "No ma'am." He said dryly. "In fact, I want to do that again soon. And frequently."

"Well, okay then." Hanabi sniffed at him and jumped down beside him, running one hand down to squeeze his ass. "Not so fast next time. You court too slow and move too fast."

Gaara choked, but nodded as he stared at her in awe.

"As my first time, I didn't expect to reach the top." Hanabi smiled wickedly at him. "I've read up on it, trust me. But next time? The next time you'd better make sure to bring me over, got that?"

Gaara nodded slowly, patronizingly.

Humoring her was he? Well, well. Hanabi's eyes narrowed as she looked down at the front of his trousers, and then back up to his face. Slowly she licked her lips. "And next time? I want a taste."

All of the blood left Gaara's face as she grinned at him victoriously. Patronize her? Not likely.

The very thought of what she suggested sent Gaara's brain into a maelstrom of desire. "Where are you going?" He asked hoarsely as he finally clued in to the fact that she was getting dressed.

Hanabi pointed out toward the desert. "You know, I think what drew him in is that you were happy. He could sense the change in your chakra pattern. I don't think Shukaku can stand that you might be happy."

"Happy?" Gaara repeated, feeling off kilter in more ways than one.

"Don't I make you happy?" She turned the full force of her gaze on him, cocking one eyebrow as if to challenge him to deny the charge.

The red-head looked at her and drew in a long breath. "What I feel with you makes 'happy' pale in comparison."

Hanabi caught her breath, her heart melting more than just a little. She nodded as she sat to pull on her sandal-boots. The cot collapsed beneath her.

Gaara didn't laugh, but he was smiling just a little as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

The kunoichi scowled at the cot. "Shoddy craftsmanship."

He shook his head, not mentioning that the poor travel cot wasn't supposed to be able to stand up to what they'd just done on it. Much less her standing on it the way she had. Wisely, he kept those thoughts to himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Off in the distance, a pissed-off tailed beast roared once again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, show of hands, on your honor ...who thought the "mature-natured" scene would be between Shiho and Kiba? LOL


	47. Entanglements

Michi nodded as Rocks looked at him, cutting his eyes toward the retreating figure off to their side. Hanabi had told them that the old man knew about her being a Hyuuga. But just how deep did that go? What else did old Ebizou know, and what did he plan to do with that knowledge?

The old geezer looked to be heading away from the main camp, over to where the survivors of an ill-fated traveling caravan of merchants were still being treated. Those that couldn't be evacuated.

Rocks took two steps in that direction when his attention was caught.

"Mizu. Tei."

Turning, the duo eyed their sensei as Baki strode up to them, and he wasn't alone. Michi stiffened as he recognized the Aburame standing next to the wind master. He had been a teammate of Hanabi's older sister, Hinata.

Rocks crossed his arms, sneering as he hid his own discomfort. They were supposed to be in Suna, disguised. Secret. Now not only did some old man who didn't have the good sense to stay retired know about them, but Baki was deliberately bringing by someone who might recognize them.

For his part, Shino stilled. He did not recognize the two shinobi standing in front of him. Yet he had the feeling that he should. Young chuunin, rough looking and ...and ...the destruction beetles buzzed within him. As if they had run across these two before. But where?

"There's no room for too many secrets on the battlefield." Baki said coldly. "And trying to keep the two of you away from both Shino and Yamato would be a disaster. We'd keep you out of the battle entirely, but frankly, we can't spare anyone."

Behind his dark glasses the Aburame's eyes narrowed dangerously. There was something slightly familiar about the two young men, but what?

Suddenly a masked kunoichi ran up to Baki. Shino's eyes took stock as he felt the two chuunin stiffen up completely. He considered the young woman, from her skulled-mask to the tips of her violet painted toe-nails. She seemed slightly familiar as well ...the bugs within him buzzed happily as they at least seemed immediately at ease with the young kunoichi. Which only served to piss off Shino. Where did he know her from?

Slowly he cataloged her again, taking in every inch. Physically she had a passing resemblance to Hinata of all people, but was not a perfect copy. No. Shino paused. Physically she didn't mirror Hinata completely. But her chakra signature on the other hand ...he sucked in a deep breath, shocked.

"Han ..." His words were cut off by an invisible fist of air hitting his solar plexus. Shino turned and eyed the young man with the spiky blue hair.

"Her name is Kaji." The voice was cold as ice, and also served as a warning.

Shino nodded, letting the name go unsaid. Instead he turned to look at Baki, who was waiting his response. They were all watching him. The Aburame nodded at the young woman he had once known as Hyuuga Hanabi. "Kaji. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Secrets. Just another way of looking at things for a ninja. He could keep their secret.

She nodded back, her mouth drier than she'd care to admit. Then looked up at Baki. "Five to six hours at his current pace."

The wind master threw up a hand in a signal. All around him went silent. "Five hours to be in position. Remember, be ready for anything. The demon knows it's a trap."

The noise around them escalated as everyone moved at once. Shino stood still though, his eyes devouring Hanabi and her genin teammates. No. Not genin, not anymore. Now that he knew what to look for he mentally erased the blue spiky hair from one, the skulled-mask from another, and the eye-make and braids from the third. "Why?"

Michi shrugged. "They never told us, not all of it. Politically expedient." He said, no bitterness in his voice at all. "We," he indicated himself and the other young man, "volunteered."

"Braggart." Hanabi snarled at him, then laced her arm through Shino's. "Come, we need to be in place."

The three left plotting as they went. Having forgotten that which was often overlooked, but never should have been.

Completely hidden behind his sight-shield, Ebizou watched the four depart, his mind racing. The Aburame was a high name, and Shino was the heir. And he had also been Lady Hinata's teammate. And yet the bug ninja had been shocked and yet pleasantly so with the fact that the girl known as Kaji was in Suna. So. Her presence here wasn't well known in Konoha? Not an exile then. Not a punishment.

And Kaji had walked off arm-in-arm with the young Aburame. Which meant that little Kaji was not just a Hyuuga, but one of the family that interacted at a higher social level. At the level of heir or main family. Mentally he reshuffled his thinking and came up with one name. Hanabi.

But she'd supposedly died.

Ebizou grinned to himself. Died by assassin along with her genin team. And three strange new genin had shown up in Suna not too long afterward. Fascinating.

One of the medics called his name and the old man turned, letting his sharp eyes go dull as he limped a bit more than necessary. He'd figured out the puzzle that was Kaji. Now. How to keep her and her friends from figuring out his puzzle pieces before he had everything in readiness? Old man he might be, but he'd known he was being watched.

They were suspicious.

"Hmph." Ebizou grunted. Let them be suspicious. As long as no one guessed. No one.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"We can stop tonight, or push on toward Konoha." Hana said quietly, taking a swig from her water skin before handing it over to Shiho.

The code-breaker paused, the water half-way to her mouth. "But ...Kiba said it was too dangerous to travel at night."

Hana nodded. "He was right. Back then you were still in the mountains and neither of you were familiar with the terrain."

"And there were traps." Kiba commented with a wry grin. "Akatsuki traps. Nasty stuff some of them."

Hana nodded as she bit into a piece of travel jerky.

"And there was only myself and Akamaru to sit watch. We couldn't afford to exhaust ourselves completely, not when we might be needed to fight at any moment." Kiba shrugged and accepted the jerky his sister tossed him.

Shiho nodded, not arguing that she could have taken one of the watches. She wasn't a good enough field ninja for that, not by a long shot. "I couldn't have fought off anyone." Shiho admitted reluctantly, looking dejected.

Kiba reached out and grabbed her good arm, dragging her up beside him as he held up the jerky piece he'd just cut off for himself. "You were injured, not incompetent. Besides, it's my job to protect you."

Hana's eyes widened slightly and she held her breath for a second. Was her brother actually offering comfort? She shot her eyes to Akamaru, who was watching the young couple with a gleam in his own canine eyes. Hm.

Shiho thought about it a long moment watching as Kiba teased the cryptologist out of her grump. The kunoichi wasn't the best looking of all the girls Kiba had ever dated. Hana shook her head slightly, but looks meant nothing. Shiho was a code-breaker. That alone meant she was strong willed and a fighter, even if the fighting wasn't the normal sort of ninja battle. Strong and smart. Not bad. Maybe her little brother was growing up after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"But what if by doing this for him it causes the girl to look past him to me?" Omoi whined, chewing on his candy sucker. "What if ...what if that woman falls in love with ME? What if she follows me everywhere? Then I'll never be able to sneak up on anyone ever again! My life as a shinobi will be ruined! Destroyed! All because of one lousy good deed!"

Karui screeched, holding her hands over her ears. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Samui's reaction was quieter, but more brutal. She pitched the apple she'd been eating at his head and knocked his ass off the stool, dropping him to the floor as he rubbed his head.

Sakura sighed, watching in an arrested sort of horrific inability to turn away. TenTen poked her in the ribs. "Are they always like this?" The weapons mistress whispered.

The pink-haired kunoichi nodded.

"I've already shown this Lee guy my precious books!" Omoi was on a roll, even though he was still sitting on the floor. "What if the knowledge that I've shared with him ...what if he uses it on ALL the ladies! What if all the ladies fall for him and there's none left for the rest of us!"

Her finger trembling with rage, Karui pointed at him. "Rest of us? You're the only male in the room!"

Omoi stopped, chewing on his candy stick and narrowing his eyes speculatively. "My own teammates will fall for Lee and move to Konoha. All the women will move to Konoha! I'll be all alone for the rest of my life! It's a disaster! Why oh why did I agree to help Naruto's friend? I'm going to die childless and all alone now!"

Sakura choked and turned away before she started laughing. TenTen grabbed the back of the other girl's tunic and dragged her from the room as Karui started screaming at Omoi that he was 'over-thinking' things. Again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata was staring off into the distance when Shino stepped up next to her. "The One-Tail is still three hours away, but he is furious."

Shino nodded. "So."

Chewing her lip lightly, Hinata looked around worriedly. "We're all as ready as we're going to get."

"Kaji."

The name stopped his friend in her tracks. Frozen, she just stood there, her heart pounding.

"You knew?" He asked simply.

"Found out later." Hinata whispered, her voice suddenly hoarse and dry. "I'm sorry, Shino."

The Aburame heir shook his head. "No explanations are necessary. I'm a ninja too."

Tension leeched from her body as she drew in a shaky breath. "Thank you." She told him weakly.

"Though you'll owe Ibiki an apology." He said dryly.

Hinata's face went beet red and radiated heat as she recalled the sickening crunch when she'd broken the man's nose so long ago. Back when she thought her sister to be dead. She nodded mutely.

Shino took a deep breath of his own. "If the man survived, that is."

There was no inflection in his voice, but Hinata knew Shino far too well. He didn't carry on pointless conversations, and he didn't make small talk. Sighing, she shook her head and answered his unasked question. "I ...I can't see that far. Not to the Akatsuki fortress, not from here."

Grunting, Shino nodded and started to turn away.

Hinata smiled and put her hand on his arm, stopping him. "I can see Suna. Not well, but enough." Her hand tightened on his arm. "Temari is fine."

Briefly, Shino's hand brushed hers and he silently thanked her for the reassurance. "I didn't know you could see that far, you've improved." Was all he said though.

Hinata smiled and looked down, still not good at taking compliments. "The surgical training helps. It's hard to focus in on such small things that it makes my eyes cross. So Tsunade makes me look up and far away to counter the affects. It's a good training exercise."

Shino nodded. "You were always stronger than you knew."

And you always cared more than you showed. Hinata thought to herself, but knew that to say that out loud would only make Shino retreat.

"Kiba was at the fortress when I left." Shino looked away, toward Suna, but seeing only desert laid out before him. "He'd come back with a warning."

Hinata knew that Shino would never express his concern for Kiba, but it was there. "He's strong too." But even as she said that, her stomach dropped. Kiba had been in the path of the One-Tail too? What if ...what if ...no, she wouldn't think like that. She couldn't.

They stood there a moment, both lost in their own worries knowing that in about three hours it was themselves they would need to focus on in order to stay alive.

Slowly, Hinata frowned as she stared off toward Suna. There was a nice sized group traveling toward Suna, almost there actually. She wondered if they knew the danger they were in just going toward the village now? Her gaze sharpened, then her breath caught.

Shino paused in his own musing, looking over at his former teammate. "What?" He prodded.

"Does your father know of Temari's pregnancy? And the One-Tail?" She asked meekly.

Shino frowned but nodded. "I sent him a message, just in case."

Suddenly amused, Hinata pressed her lips together. "Did you ask him to go to Suna with just about every Aburame clan member?"

"What?" Woodenly, Shino stared at her feeling both appalled and grateful at the same time. "He wouldn't!"

The peal of Hinata's laughter caused a few heads to turn in the otherwise somber camp.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"A shower, a home cooked meal, and sleeping in my own bed without worrying about spies." Shiho answered as she gritted her teeth and tried to act natural while struggling to keep up with the Inuzuka siblings.

Kiba scowled, watching her backside and the bunching of her muscles as she moved. Shiho had refused to ride Akamaru this last bit of their journey back to Konoha. Adamantly refused. Insisted she could keep up. He could tell that she was tired and in pain, but she would not give in and let either he nor Akamaru carry her. Stubborn little librarian!

Hana laughed. "I hear you. So are you cooking the home-cooked meal or do you have someone waiting at home for you?"

"My mother." Shiho smiled, shaking her head. "And if she doesn't have anything ready we can always go out to eat."

"I hear that too!" Hana grinned. "Although my mother is more along the lines of refusing to cook beyond the plainest dishes. We have a cook at the family compound. Actually, now that I'm married and have my own house, I make my husband do all the cooking!"

"Your own house?" Kiba scoffed. "You don't cook, you don't clean, how is it your house?"

Hana flashed a quick grin in Shiho's direction. "My brother, the anti-feminist. If his girl can't cook, then she better be well built and great in bed." As soon as the words left her mouth, Hana mentally kicked herself and wished she'd learned to keep her big fucking mouth closed.

Kiba's eyes widened as he saw Shiho's face go a bit red in the cheeks, then his little librarian firmed her chin. "Well, I know how to order great take-out. Any guy that I see will have to deal with that." She nearly spat out the words, not even mentioning the 'well built' part as it was so obvious that she lacked in that area compared to Kiba's usual type.

"Who cares if you can't cook!" Kiba growled, moving up between the two women as they flash-stepped through the tree branches. His elbow 'accidentally' found Hana's ribs, jabbing her as he moved, making her groan though she never lost a step.

Shiho widened her blue eyes at him and smiled though her embarrassment. It never occurred to her to lie though. "I can cook, I'm just not allowed to cook. Not anymore. I can make a decent sandwhich though."

Hana and Kiba both stopped talking and looked over at her as they all kept moving through the trees, the nin-dogs running ahead and behind them. Shiho stared back at them innocently. Knowing they were both dying to ask the obvious.

"Did you burn down the kitchen?" Hana finally asked, completely curious.

"No." Shiho gave a wry smile. "Almost though, had to redecorate and replace a lot. Twice."

Kiba whistled as Hana grinned. "No wonder your mother won't let you cook."

Shiho's mouth twitched and she slanted an almost shy look at Kiba. He straightened up, burning with curiosity because he knew his librarian to have some poor self-confidence in some areas, but she was not shy. Not her. "Spill."

Her mouth twitching. "It wasn't the property damage that made her exile me from the kitchen, it was the injuries."

Kiba's stomach turned over. "You hurt yourself?"

"Cut my hands several times, at least three of those times I needed stitches." Shiho admitted with a sigh. "Got a black eye from an artichoke once, scalded myself. Dropped an egg and then forgot about it, slipped and nearly broke my collarbone."

Hana eyed the other girl, unsure. Kiba shook his head. "You're not clumsy or silly or forgetful, so what the hell?"

Shiho shrugged, embarrassed a little to be the center of their attention, and not in a flattering way. Still, they were funny stories. Now.

"How do you get a black eye from an artichoke?" Hana asked quietly.

"You are in the middle of a week-long attempt to decipher some foreign codes and you're thinking about it instead of what you're doing." Shiho grimaced. "You pull the steamer bucket out of the microwave with the artichoke and you accidentally drop it, it hits the stove and scalding water splashes up and burns your chest, arm, and eye."

Kiba winced, his nerves jangling as he thought about how badly she could have been injured.

Hana whistled low and loudly. "Damn girl. You ARE barred from the kitchen. Forever. We'll order out or use the cook, you'll like her." She sped up and moved on ahead with the nin-dogs.

Shiho startled blue eyes followed Hana. Why would she need to meet the Inuzuka cook?

Kiba reached out and pulled her arm until they stopped on a tree branch. Shiho looked at him, but he was too busy staring at her eyes. "What?"

"Which one?" He growled looking at her eyes carefully, reaching out with one hand, running his thumb under each eye. Almost like a caress. Shiho's stomach turned into butterflies and heat pooled in her veins.

"My glasses protected me." She said weakly, glad she'd not had her contacts back then.

"Which one?" He demanded.

"T ...the left."

Kiba stared at her left eye, frowning. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to trace her face with his mouth. He wanted to soothe, taste, and possess. Kiba could feel the need to move running through his nerves. But he looked over and saw that Hana had stopped ahead of them, watching. He gave his sister a weak smile.

"You will like our cook, she's really good." He told Shiho, his hand reaching down to hold hers.

The kunoichi tugged on his hand, making him look back up at her. "Why would I meet your cook?" She asked him point blank. "We're not together."

Kiba grinned. "Yes we are. You're smart, you'll understand soon enough." He didn't want to spook her, so he didn't say anything about a future, or joining his clan, or anything else. He stood there looking at her and smiled even bigger. "My dog is smarter than I am, he knows we're together. You and me. I just figured it out, he's known for a long while now."

Shiho had a hard time clearing her throat around the sudden lump that settled there. "But you've barely looked at me since your sister arrived. I thought ...well, I thought that you ...once we got back to the village that you'd go back to your usual type. That you were embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" Kiba goggled at her, then swallowed his laughter. "Sweetheart, you can't embarrass an Inuzuka. It's not possible."

Sweetheart? There was that word again. Shiho looked away, but he pulled her chin back to look at him. "You've been so quiet though, once we weren't alone."

Kiba shook his head. "And you thought I was embarrassed to be with you? In front of my family? No, sweetheart. I just had to think things through." Like his entire future. His bachelorhood. Gone. He'd expected to feel a bit panicky at the idea, but truthfully, he'd never felt better. Stronger. "Besides, I thought, wrongly apparently, that you might be embarrassed by my attentions in front of others. Good to know you're not."

"Oh. Well, we'd better catch up with Hana or she'll wonder what we've been talking about." Shiho said, still feeling off-kilter. Not sure what to say or do next, so she tried retreating.

Kiba held on to her hand though, not letting go. "Hate to tell you, but Hana knows. She's heard every word we've said." He waved at his sister who grinned and waved back. "She's an Inuzuka too."

Shiho's mouth dropped open and Kiba thought she looked so adorable, shocked like that. He grinned at her. "As for whether or not I feel embarrassed about being seen with you. In front of my family, or anyone? Here's a tip."

She looked at him with wide eyes.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his embrace and proceeded to kiss the breath out of her body. Shiho moaned and leaned into him, her body unable to move except closer to his heat. His tongue traced her lips teasingly until she opened for him. Then his tongue moved forward into her own mouth and took possession.

Hana's eyebrows quirked up and she smiled, shaking her head as she looked down at her own nin-dogs. "Well boys, looks like my brother is getting it right for once. Who knew that he had it in him?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Rinako will be back soon." Sakura sighed.

TenTen nodded. The dog kunoichi was out with Killerbee tracking down the location of the abducted Daimyo Lord. Apparently the man was moved often to keep potential rescuers at bay. It was hard being here to be supportive, and not be a part of the actual action. But this was a Cloud matter, not a Leaf one. And to keep the possibility of another Great Ninja War from becoming a reality, this was the way it needed to be.

"Strike soon, here they come now." The pink-haired kunoichi sat up as Killerbee walked into the main common tent and signaled to a few Cloud shinobi to follow him.

"We have a location, and the beginnings of a plan." The host of the Eight-Tales said almost quietly. "Now we need to set in motion and make our target eat sand."

Sakura sighed.

"Eat sand?" TenTen looked startled. "Was that supposed to ..."

"Rhyme?" Sakura nodded. "I forgot that you're still basically new here. You'll get used to it. Unfortunately."

Rinako watched from the entrance, her eyes wary. When she made as if to follow, one of the other Cloud ninja gave her a hard look and a shove. Letting her know that she wasn't welcome.

Killerbee frowned and stepped forward, shaking his head. "Good or bad, her actions speak for her. When all was at stake, she stood alone and supported my brother."

The other man shook his head, but backed off somewhat. "She stayed safe and sound in the Leaf village while we were fighting and dying."

"She risked everything, EVERYTHING, to obey her Daimyo Lord's command." Sakura stood up, staring down the other man.

TenTen put a hand on Sakura's. "Anything we say to support her will backfire, we're Leaf too, remember?"

Rinako stepped forward, ignoring the other man's glare. "I am still Cloud."

"For now." The other man muttered, but fell into line as they excused themselves to one of the other tents for the meeting.

Sakura stared at Killerbee before speaking almost softly. "She's a hero and deserves better."

The host of the Eight-Tails paused and looked at the two Leaf kunoichi. "I'll always love her for what she's done tonight, and for honoring my brother and all he built. But in Cloud her place will be for naught. Only in Leaf perhaps, will she be rid of her guilt."

With that bit of bad rapping, the large man disappeared with a grace unequaled. TenTen shook her head. "He moves like a ghost!"

Sakura grabbed her hand. "We need to talk to Kakashi and Tsume. Now!"

TenTen allowed herself to be dragged away. "What?"

"Killerbee just gave us permission to poach Rinako for Konoha." The medic hissed. "She won't need to be an outcast or a missing nin. We steal her. He saves face, she saves face. And Leaf gets Rinako."

"WHAT?" TenTen stumbled, trying to keep up. "When did he say that?"

"Just now."

The weapons mistress sighed, wondering if Sakura had finally lost it.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Honorable grandfather, this is not the time nor the place." Baki's words might be basically polite, but his tone said 'go fuck yourself'.

Ebizou chuckled, not offended at all. "The demon arrives within the hour, yes I know."

"You need to step back, I don't know why you insisted on coming, but although you are more spry than you look you are no match for Shukaku." Baki glared at the man with his one good eye.

The elderly man pouted slightly, but there was a sparkle in his eye that made Baki uneasy. "Not a physical match, no. Not a physical match at all."

"What does that mean?" Baki snarled.

"Nothing, nothing!" The old man waved his arms as if warding off something irritating. "Just an old man's musings. That's all."

"Then move back, I can't believe you came out here in the first place." Baki turned away as if to leave.

"If we win, come find me."

Baki spun back around to face the old man who was looking far too innocent. "What?"

Ebizou stared at him pointedly. "If we win. You will come find me. Before celebrating, before tending your wounds or anyone else for that matter. I will be first, do you understand?"

Baki turned away again, ignoring the old fart. But then Ebizou said something that made the wind master's blood curdle. It was a nothing phrase. Nonsense really. And a code so secret that it shocked Baki to the marrow of his bones. He turned, staring.

Ebizou nodded.

"That's the council's code." Baki whispered, his voice barely audible. Not the Kazekage's, but the council's. And Baki served on the council. Ebizou did not. "I thought you were retired, old spy."

"I am."

Baki hesitated, then shook his head. "Tell me now."

"No." Ebizou crossed his arms and suddenly Baki remembered when he was a small child seeing this old man in his prime. Then, Ebizou had been a force to be reckoned with. A spider with so many webs and lines, keeping track of every whisper, every movement ...every action ...no matter how small or insignificant it had seemed at the time.

"I'd forgotten who you were." Baki said slowly. "You've done a good job of playing an old fool for the last two decades."

"I don't play." Ebizou cackled. "And I may be the old fool after all. But you will remember, won't you. When this is over, I am your first stop."

"If we lose?"

The old man shrugged. "Then it won't matter."

"And if I die, but we still win?" Baki asked, his voice gruff.

"A possibility." Ebizou allowed. "And if such is the case, I have back up plans."

Baki nodded and turned away again. This time the old man let him leave. Back up plans? The old spy master probably had back up plans to the back up plans themselves. Oh yes. The old spider was back in the game. But what game was he playing now?

A furious roar from the One-Tail had Baki picking up his pace. He couldn't worry about Ebizou now, Shukaku was just over the horizon.

And the demon wasn't happy.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	48. Face to Face

The sun had already fully set, and only the lights from the nearby buildings lit the area. That and the lights of the guard post by the front gates to the village.

Sai watched with expressionless eyes as the guards at the gate changed shift. He continued to watch as one of the new guards pointed in his direction and the guards that had been on duty during the day nodded. Slowly, one of the now off-duty guards strolled up to him trying to look very casual.

Sai's eyes narrowed slightly, taking in the other shinobi's cautious glances. The 'casual' act was a deception. And not a terribly good one either. He waited for the other man to approach, then he waited for the man to speak. It wasn't as if he wanted or needed to open a conversation.

Finally, the guard coughed lightly to get attention. "You've been here for hours."

The artist-nin let that pass without answering. It was an obvious observation, of course. One that didn't need a response as far as Sai was concerned.

"You're not leaving the village, are you?" The guard continued, his voice a bit stilted. "Going on a mission that you need to leave at a certain time or something?"

Sai let that comment pass too. The answer should have been obvious as he was holding no travel pack and had no permission papers to leave the village. For a moment Sai felt a strange movement and he reached up and touched his chin. His lips were drooping slightly again. Damn. He'd been cleared by the medics yesterday, but obviously they'd missed something. Muscle weakness was not a good sign.

"If you don't have business here, we'll have to ask you to move on." The guard straightened to his full height.

Sai cut his eyes to the man, nodded once and turned to leave. What could he say? That he was waiting for someone? Someone that he didn't even know if they still lived? No. That would make it seem as if he cared. But all he was here for was to make sure that his previous mission had been accomplished. Shiho safe and back in the village. He'd had to leave the mission to another, and that's why he felt ...unsettled.

A mission left incomplete. Yes. He could feel unsettled for that. Nothing else though. Sai left the area, never having spoken a word.

The guard watched him leave with a sense of curious relief.

o.O.o.O.o.O

If any of the waiting and anxious shinobi were expecting Shukaku to march up and chat with his former vessel, they were mistaken. The One-Tailed Beast was too furious to care about catching-up, or threats, or ...anything. All the beast was out for was blood. Anyone's. But especially Gaara's.

About two hundred yards away from the waiting ninja, the One-Tail stopped, threw back his head and roared his defiance to the heavens. Then he sank from sight with an evil grin on his monstrous face.

Everyone looked down to the ground, feeling the thrum of potential energy as they nervously waited the first assault.

Hinata, her Byakugan activated frowned. She couldn't find but a few wisps of chakra within the ground. "He's not down there."

Kaji nodded in agreement as she frowned, she too looking toward the ground though her distinctive Hyuuga eyes were covered with her habitual dual masks.

Gaara's eyes had never looked down. He wasn't deceived, not even for a moment. "Brace yourselves."

There was a second of two of silence and then there was a huge roar of wind and sand as from no where a tremendous storm enveloped them all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"They let me do nothing! Nothing!" Temari growled, feeling ill as a hornet and twice as mean.

Kimiko smiled benignly and shook her head. "What do you want to be doing?"

The blonde kunoichi grimaced and rubbed one hand over her barely rounded stomach. "Fighting a demon." She said ruefully, knowing that her bad temper was from worrying about her brothers, her husband, her entire village. While she could not help, not without paying a high price. Too high.

"If our positions were reversed, would you allow me to go off and fight? Knowing what it might cost?" Kimiko gave her young friend a sad smile.

Temari shook her head, but didn't answer. Baki's wife was no kunoichi and wouldn't know about the need to be out there fighting for her village, her family. But she got the other woman's point. "If I were out there fighting, I'd lose the baby."

"Help me pick out a name." Kimiko cajoled quietly, trying to change the subject. "I need baby names."

Snorting, Temari gave her first small smile since the stressed-out medics had finally let her get up out of bed. On the promise that she would 'take it easy'. "You haven't even picked out the child you're going to adopt yet, what do you need names for?"

Before Kimiko could answer, a young voice echoed down the hospital corridor. "Oba-chan!"

Baki's wife looked down the hallway and smothered a small laugh. "Oh, he's adorable. Reminds me of your husband, actually."

Temari blinked her teal-colored eyes in shock. But the boy didn't vanish, he was still there waving at her and calling her 'aunt'.

"Oba-chan!"

"Katsumaru?" Temari breathed out the word in confusion. What was the six-year old Aburame doing here? In Suna? Alone?

Another male stepped up behind the youngster and things started making sense. "Shibi." Temari sighed, feeling more relief than she'd dare admit. "What are you doing here? And why bring Katsumaru?"

"Aren't you happy to see me?" The young Aburame looked up at her, his usual fervent gaze hidden by dark glasses.

Temari choked back a laugh as she shook her head. "Of course I am, but I'm trying to decide if you're an impostor. The real Katsumaru would be bouncing off the walls right now, not standing still. And he'd be covered in jelly or sweets or something muddy and fun. Not dressed up in an Aburame coat and glasses."

Katsumaru pulled off his dark glasses, looking worried as he stared up at Temari. "It's really me." He whispered.

Temari and Kimiko both held back their laughter, though both were smiling down at the adorable youngster.

"You missed it." The six-year old continued, his voice turning to awe as his dark eyes widened. "I got my hive."

"Hive?" Kimiko looked puzzled.

Shibi put his hand down on the youngster's shoulder. "We don't speak of clan things in front of anyone, right Katsumaru?"

Temari knelt down next to the young boy and hugged him. "Congratulations." She whispered, though part of her mourned the loss of the hyper-active troublemaker. Now that Katsumaru had his kikai hive, his excess energy levels would drop as the hive matured and began feeding on his chakra. He'd become more controlled, more like Shino and his father and less like the rambunctious child he'd been. And while she really was happy for him, Temari felt the sharp sting of longing for the child who was growing up too quickly now.

"You hug too tight." Katsumaru yelped and then hugged her back as tightly as his little arms could. Then suddenly he pulled back and stared at her with an expression so identical to Shino's that Temari caught her breath. "You shouldn't be hugging! You're going to ...going to ..."

"What?" Temari asked, already knowing the answer.

"Have a baby." Katsumaru leaned in close and whispered to her, as if the blonde kunoichi might have forgotten.

Kimiko, her eyes sparkling, bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud and possibly hurting the boy's feelings. "I'll leave you all to catch up."

Feeling bad for not having done so sooner, Temari performed the introductions before Kimiko left. Once she was gone, she felt a tugging on her tunic. Looking down into Katsumaru's face, she cocked an eyebrow in question.

"You need to rest. Obaa-chan Yukiko said so." The youngster said, referring to his grandfather Shibi's elderly aunt.

Temari's eyes flew up to look at her father-by-marriage. "You brought Yukiko and Katsumaru to Suna? With a tailed beast on the loose?"

Another tug on Temari's tunic had her looking back down to Katsumaru. The boy whispered again. "Don't bring that up, we're in trouble already."

"Trouble?" Temari parroted the word back.

Shibi grunted. "I had thought to leave the two behind in Konoha. But they both decided otherwise, and when I found out it was too late to send them back."

Temari's mouth dropped open and it was several minutes before she could form a thought, much less speak. "But ...but you're THE Aburame. Head of the clan. Couldn't you tell that Katsumaru's hive was among the travel things? And Aunt Yukiko isn't even a kunoichi."

The Aburame sighed and looked away a moment. "We left in a big hurry, once I received Shino's message. It wasn't as organized as I would have liked. And Yukiko, after getting over being mad at being left behind, offered to help. Apparently she 'helped' herself to my private seal and can sign my name better than I can. The midwives didn't even question the note and she rode in their wagon. As for Katsuamaru, there were too many kikai in close proximity to differentiate them all, and his hive is so new that the beetles still resonate with the chakra of the donor host."

Temari nodded, knowing enough about the Aburame now to know that when a new hive was needed, then a queen would gorge herself on chakra before leaving one of the existing hives to form a new colony. And since the kikai lived inside the Aburame themselves, the new queen usually still carried the chakra signature of the original host for a short time. Anyone sensing them from a distance would mistake the new carrier for the old host, at least for a little while.

"He did well to hide from me, it shows a clear problem-solving ability that I applaud." Shibi said wryly. "But this defiance will end. He and Yukiko are heading back to Konoha immediately."

Katsumaru stuck out his chin, looking like he was spoiling for a fight.

Then suddenly, Temari stiffened. "Wait. You said there were too many kikai. Midwives? TOO MANY KIKAI? How many Aburame did you bring?"

Katsumaru tugged on Temari's hand this time, pulling her over to the window. The blonde kunoichi looked down to the front entrance of the hospital and nearly fainted. It took her a moment, as it was dark outside. But the street was well lit and people were just standing around. Watching. Guarding. It took her a moment to register exactly what she was seeing.

They were all Aburame! Everywhere!

The Suna villagers were giving the strangers in their concealing coats and dark glasses a wide berth as they walked by. She saw some people looking up, so she did too. There were Aburame on the tops of the buildings across the street, and she'd have bet good money they were on the roof of the hospital too.

She turned wide teal eyes on Shibi.

"Can you travel yet?" He asked calmly.

Temari shook her head mutely. "They barely let me walk around today. And only for a few hours at a time."

Shibi nodded. "Then we'll make ourselves comfortable here."

"But ..." Temari gulped. "Shouldn't you be going to help out Shino?"

Shibi shook his head. "I've sent some Aburame to assist, of course. But my son made it clear that you were his ...and thus my ...first and only priority."

"He called for you?"

"No." Shibi's mouth firmed mulishly. "He wanted to send you to me if their plan to save Suna doesn't work. I came on my own."

Temari shook her head, her hands going protectively over her belly. "I've lost too many pregnancies." She said hoarsely. "There's no way to say this one will be any different. You shouldn't have come."

Shibi frowned slightly. "Daughter. Even if you do lose this one, and even if there is never another one, you are still my son's top priority. And you are an Aburame now. That makes you mine as well. You couldn't have kept us away."

Suddenly Temari choked and tears flowed down her cheeks as hormones surged within her pregnant body.

The clan leader for the Aburame suddenly looked frightened and unsure. "Medic!"

Temari waved one hand for him to shut up, but couldn't stop crying.

"MEDIC!" Shibi yelled this time as footsteps pounded toward them.

A nurse walked swiftly over, took Temari's pulse and made her sit down. "She's fine."

"You are not a midwife for the Aburame." Shibi's voice sounded a bit strained as he turned to find his grandson. "Go find your Aunt Yukiko, and tell her to bring our midwives."

Katsumaru grinned and took off running. "Now I'll bet you'll be glad that she snuck out here."

Shibi sighed and awkwardly handed Temari a tissue. This was not the kind of battle that he was trained to fight.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Saeko moaned as she climbed to her feet, not sure that her legs would even support her. Staggering a bit, a hand caught her shoulder, steadying her. "Can't see a damned thing." She muttered, rubbing at her eyes.

The sand storm the beast had created was making fighting Shukaku next to impossible. Blind fighting was one thing, she could do that easily. But the sand was stinging and keeping her from being more effective.

"Here."

Saeko blinked over at the masked kunoichi, seeing only long purple hair and a mask. "Thanks, Kaji. Good idea." The Suna kunoichi took the scrap of material from the other woman and wrapped it around her eyes. She'd still be fighting blind, but now she wouldn't have the sand IN her eyes.

"Hinata." The other woman corrected.

"Oh, sorry!" Saeko nodded and took off, but in the back of her mind she wondered how she could have confused Kaji and Hyuuga Hinata of all people. Even with masks on the two women were very different. Weren't they?

But at that moment the question was dismissed as Shukaku turned back in her general direction. Saeko's fingers flew into hand seals as she ignored her pain and exhaustion.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ebizou, relatively safely away from the main part of the battle, fingered the scrolls that would activate the seals for the shield. His heart rate sped up as his rheumy eyes noted the battle swinging over in his direction.

But.

But if he activated the seals, the demon would notice. And there was too much at stake. It was too big a risk if Shukaku decided that the shields were a direct challenge to him and decided to attack.

So instead, the old man stepped back and offered some quick if heartfelt prayers for safety. And a good outcome.

For now he'd save these particular shields for what he'd brought them for in the first place.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The spiked tower of sand on which Gaara stood, rose up out of the storm above the swirling winds and chaotic destruction.

The Kazekage of Suna stood alone upon the rising platform of his own creation, his arms crossed and his eyes shining with defiance and resolve. Steady, strong and unmoved by the battle raging below.

Hours after his initial strike, Shukaku paused. His great eyes looking at Gaara for a long moment, and then the beast threw back his head and laughed. Roared with laughter as his mighty tail swished back and forth along the ground, causing injury and detestation with each movement.

"You think to challenge me!" The One-Tail cackled, bowing his head in mock respect. "You are nothing without me inside you. Nothing!"

Gaara remained silent, simply staring with his jade-pale eyes.

"How is it you even live? You should have been discarded like an empty container once I was taken from you!" Shukaku shook his giant head. "Doesn't matter, not after tonight. Your power was always my power. And without me, you have nothing!"

Gaara's arms dropped deliberately and then when he raised them again it was with a sweeping gesture. Sand followed. The storm, which Shukaku had created but had not directed, ceased it's wild cavorting and attended the command of the Kazekage.

Stunned the beast actually smiled darkly right before the storm encased the demon instead of the ninja fighting below. Shukaku fell back about a hundred feet before regaining control of the sand thrown at him, forming it into a huge ball of chakra energy mixed with sand, all swirling over the demon's head.

"Oh ho!" The One-Tail cackled. You have learned something from me!" With that, he raised his own arm to the sand and chakra ball hanging overhead and gestured. It flew right for Gaara.

And hit a wall of sand. A wall that covered the entire ninja army. Blocking the blow.

At that moment the demon realized that Gaara had allowed the beast to call in the storm in order to increase HIS own arsenal! That was HIS sand the upstart was using against him. Roaring his displeasure. Shukaku raised both arms and brought them down sharply on the ground, shattering the earth below in a giant fissure that snaked towards the upstart Kazekage and his people.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Tonight?! It's wonderful! Tonight we finally make a move!" Lee looked ecstatic, trembling with joy. "I've been so TIRED of waiting!"

"ME TOO!" Omoi crowed, bunching up his fist.

Karui sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're not going." She said sourly.

Omoi's candy stick nearly fell out of his mouth as he covered his chest as if he'd been struck. "Why not? Why can't I go? I'm dying aren't I? You found out and you're trying to spare me! I'm right! You've known for over a year now, and you've hidden from me! How could you? Is it because you're secretly in love with me?"

Karui pulled back and threw a punch at her teammate, but he caught her fist in his hand.

"You don't want to hit a dying man, now do you? How cruel." Omoi clucked his tongue at the fuming Karui.

Samui sighed. "Omoi, get ready we leave in an hour."

The ninja snapped to attention, suddenly all serious as he grabbed Karui and dragged her away to get ready. "Now. Explain what illness that I have."

Sakura put her hand on Lee's shoulder to restrain him. "This is a Cloud matter, we're not going."

Rinako sighed and watched Lee argue the point with the pink-haired kunoichi. She looked away only as Killerbee stepped up next to her.

"Ready as we can be, this will not be an easy task." He said slowly, with a patterned rhythm that didn't quite go with his words. "Sniff for us what we need to see, this is all we ask."

Rinako nodded, pushing her maudlin and jealous thoughts away as she focused instead upon the task at hand. Lee would go back to Konoha, and she ...wouldn't. It was that simple. She whistled to her nin-dog and went to check on her supplies.

Lee stepped right into her path. His bushy eyebrows were lowered over his eyes, showing that he was concerned. "You will be fine, lovely Miss Rinako. Your training has been sublime. This is your moment. I ...I thought to have shared this moment with you, but it appears that I can not." He grabbed her and pulled her in for a tight hug. "I have every confidence in you."

Rinako sighed, letting her tension go as she leaned into his embrace, savoring the moment. It might be their last. Cloud alone had to locate and rescue the head of their Daimyo Lords. Any hint of Leaf involvement and this could all easily slip into the next Great Ninja War. Still, it rankled that he was still pining after Sakura, and all she got was his confidence?

Lee's hands rubbed a circle around Rinako's back, and was it her imagination, or did it seem like he was reluctant to let her go? To physically let her go. No, she was reading far too much into it. That's all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So! You have some small control over the sand." Shukaku giggled, a horrid grating noise that boded nothing good. "It won't matter."

Gaara called out one word in a cool voice. "Mizu."

Shukaku had a moment to wonder about what Gaara was up to before a huge water dragon formed from three newly dug wells into the underground aquifer, one of the reasons that they'd chosen this place to stage a battle. Streams of upright flowing water formed into a massive water dragon that flew right at the One-Tail's head.

The demon screamed as a ton of water suddenly pushed him further back out away from the desert and toward the skirts, the pre-desert area. The ground the One-Tail was standing on turning to muck and mud in an instant as the power of the attack actually caused some damage.

Panting for breath, the One-Tailed beast disappeared in a whirlwind of sodden sand. Though he couldn't move far, not with the sand wet as it was. Three hundred feet away, suddenly at their backs, Shukaku laughed at the stunned Suna shinobi now around him.

Gaara's eyes narrowed, but decided that the One-Tail wasn't quite in the right place. Not yet.

Shukaku, on the other hand, HATED water. His eyes lit upon the water ninja and with a wave of his hand, buried the young man under a ton of sand. "A grave of sand will stop your water!"

A moment later a whirlwind appeared on top of the sand grave and Gaara stood there, holding Mizu with one arm wrapped around the water ninja.

Shukaku screamed in rage. "That's mine!" Shocked that the stupid red-head could still use that technique wthout the aid of the One-Tail's chakra.

"No." Gaara looked up at the furious beast and didn't even blink. "I only ever received chakra from you. And nightmares. The rest? It's mine. You never shared your techniques, your abilities. Are my abilities with sand a result of carrying you inside me for so long? I don't know. But when you left, all I lost was my insanity and your chakra reserves. I feel that's fair."

Shukaku roared and grabbed Gaara in his fist, bringing him up to meet eye to eye so-to-speak. He tried to crush the red-head in his grasp, but found the sand armor was more than strong enough to stop him. Massive strength the One-Tail had, but grip strength squeezing something that small in comparison to his hand size was like Gaara trying to crush a single piece of rice in his own palm while only fisting his hand. It didn't work.

But pounding his palms together would. Shukaku grinned darkly and clapped his palms with enough force to shake the ground below him. It was if thunder rolled over the desert.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Down below, Baki held his breath even as he leaned against a large rock, not sure that his left ankle wasn't crushed already. They'd been fighting the One-Tail full out for hours, but while Shukaku had fought them back at first, now the demon's main focus was the Kazekage himself.

And yet they were still fighting full out, though Shukaku would swat at them like flies while he faced off against Gaara. It was more than a little humbling.

Hanabi shook her head, wiping the blood dripping from a rip in her cloth mask, her bone skull mask having broken off hours ago. "He'd already gone." She said hoarsely.

The wind master nodded as they both watched Shukaku once he realized that Gaara had disappeared before the blow had even struck. The howl the beast gave made them both wince and leap out of the way as Shukaku spun, his tail smashing into anything in his path as he searched for his nemesis.

"Over here." Gaara said from over fifty yards away, standing once more on a spike of sand that lifted him high into the desert air.

Hanabi's breath caught as she stared at Gaara in awe. Oh, she'd known he was strong and brave. But this baiting of the One-Tail had her bowled over. She was seeing a whole different side of the man. "He's nuts."

"He's the Kazekage." Baki said as a worn out and sweating medic rushed up to him. "Field dress only, I'm needed."

The medic shook his head. "The bones are broken in too many places."

Baki stared down at the medic without a word, his one visible eye showing the threat that he didn't even have to speak.

"Y...ye...hai! Yes, sir!" The medic grimly began a shortened healing and wrapping that would get Baki back on his feet. Barely. "You could do permanent damage this way." The medic mumbled.

Baki grunted, uncaring, as he watched the show-down between Beast and Kazekage. "Just get me back out there." He snapped.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I want to stay with Oba-chan!" Katsumaru pleaded, clinging to the blonde kunoichi even as she rested in bed.

"Your Aunt Temari can't be moved right now." Shibi intoned with authority. "You can."

Temari watched anxiously as her father-by-marriage stared out the window off into the distance. "Can you sense anything?" She couldn't stop from asking.

Shibi grunted and shook his head. "Massive energy clashes. They're still fighting, that's all I can tell."

Katsumaru laid his small hand on Temari's hand, peering at her anxiously even through his dark glasses, looking for all the world like a miniature Shino. "Uncle is the best, he'll be fine." The six year old said with complete faith.

Temari blinked, trying hard not to start crying again. If she did, she wasn't sure that Shibi wouldn't panic again and start yelling for medics because of a few hormone induced tears.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Infuriated, Shukaku rushed Gaara, forgetting his wariness about traps. None of the other fighters had made even an impression on the beast, and it simply didn't occur to him that this was on purpose.

The watchers held in reserve stiffened. It was time.

Kankuro held up one hand, waiting.

Yamato held his breath, waiting.

Every Suna ninja watched, ready in case this didn't work.

Shino sent in the kikai at long last.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The first bites meant nothing as Shukaku swatted at Gaara as if the red-head were a pesky fly. The Kazekage dodged, blocked and fairly flew on waves of sand that he controlled. And when necessary, used his whirlwind technique to move out of the way completely using his sand to mask his movements. But he didn't want to do that too often, it drained too much chakra.

Completely on the defensive, Gaara led Shukaku forward without the beast even being aware that he was being shepherded. Inch by agonizing inch, they left the desert completely for the more rocky terrain of the pre-desert.

The One-Tail slowly became aware of the kikai bites as they swarmed around him. "These bugs? They won't drain my chakra! Let me show you the power I hold! You are as nothing to me!"

Michi stepped up near Gaara's position, standing right next to Shino. The One-Tail stopped. Remembering that this was the water user who'd hurt him before. He snarled. Not again. Water and bugs? They were all pests to him!

"I'm tired of you!" Suddenly the beast stopped and eyed Gaara. He took in a huge breath, filling his lungs as he prepared to blast the entire area with sand. "This game is over. You try me with puny attempts to drain my chakra through destruction beetles? Bah! I will create a new desert here with your bones and blood!"

Gaara raised his hand and gave the signal just as Shukaku released a massive strike, sending a tidal wave of sand to cover Gaara, Shino and Michi along with anyone in that direction for miles.

o.O.o.O.o.O

That was the signal. Once Shukaku released that massive burst of chakra, lowering what he had ready to use for merely a few seconds. This was the moment.

Nothing could be heard over the roar of sand as Yamato yelled something and slammed his hand to the ground. The earth, already wet from Michi's earlier water dragon which had been created for this moment alone and not as a real attack, mixed with the water.

Giant wooden poles rose up from the ground surrounding Shukaku, who didn't even notice at first, so great was his anger and hatred for Gaara.

Kankuro gave the signal and the puppet corps of Suna sent in their creations wrapping the simple puppets around the poles each liberally covered in religious binding sutra tags. The monks that Kankuro had 'invited' for this purpose, and hidden in the protective puppets of the corps began chanting as the shield snapped into place.

THIS Shukaku noticed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The huge roar of outrage shook the windows of the Suna hospital as everyone turned to watch what was too far away to be seen.

"Did they...?" Temari caught her breath even as the elderly Yukiko and two other Aburame midwives fluttered around her, trying to keep the girl calm.

Shibi held up one hand, calling for silence.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The giant wooden poles began draining the demon's chakra immediately. Not letting the beast build up another attack as the energy flowed freely from his body. Enraged, Shukaku began to whip his tail at the poles, trying to knock them free. With each strike the poles shook and the sutra tags attached to them began to glow a sickly blue.

Baki eyed the poles, praying that they'd hold. He then took off after Kaji.

Kaji raced across the area to the ocean of sand that covered where she'd last seen Gaara and the others. Baki, his ankle field dressed, fell behind as the kunoichi reached the area. Nothing. There was nothing to show where anyone was buried.

Saeko flashed stepped up to her. "I ...I can't feel their chakra. Call that Hyuuga, she can see through this."

"THERE!" Kaji pointed. "Here, dig here!" She pointed down.

"Bring the Hyuuga!" Saeko yelled. "We need her now!"

"She's injured, unconscious." Was the reply from another shinobi.

"SHIT!" Saeko growled.

"Dig HERE! You grit eating son of a camel whore, DIG HERE!" Kaji shouted at one of the men.

Saeko looked at the girl. "Are you sure?"

Not even worrying about it, Kaji pulled off the remains of her mask and let the Suna kunoihi get a good look at her eyes. Her Hyuuga eyes.

"DO AS SHE SAYS!" Saeko growled, her anger taking a back seat to necessity. She pushed the mask back on the girl. "We'll talk about this later." She hissed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi came to very slowly, gasping and coughing as he spit out what felt like an entire desert from his lungs.

Someone with bad breath was hanging over him, kissing him. No wait. Not kissing. Breathing. Weakly he pushed against them.

"He's back!" The water ninja sat up, and then fell back down as a wave of dizziness fell over him. "These two weren't buried near as deeply as the Kazekage is though."

Shino looked over at him from where he too was being treated, breathing hard as someone pushed healing chakra into his lungs. "As bait for a demon, I think we did pretty good."

Michi nodded weakly and winced. "The Kazekage?"

Shino looked over at the newly created sand dunes. He shook his head slowly. "They're still digging."

Saeko cursed. "It's taken too long, he got the worst of the sand dumped on him. He's long out of air by now."

"No." Came the strained voice. "But they need to hurry. I can't hold the jutsu much longer."

Everyone turned to look at Tei's sweaty face as the air jutsu specialist fought against the strain of holding the technique together. "The Kazekage has air, as long as I'm still around, he's got air."

Saeko looked back and forth between the two young men. Finally she came to a decision. "I don't care where you two were born. Kaji either. You're Suna though, down to the bones, you're Suna." With that, she flashed stepped away toward the recovery effort.

Michi blinked. Did Saeko know too? First Ebizou and now her? Damn. He started coughing again and the pain nearly made him pass out. He'd have to worry about their disguises later.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"The wind blades would cut him, I can't use them like this." Baki snarled. "Tei could move all this sand with air though."

"He's too busy keeping the Kazekage alive under all this." Saeko growled as the ninja around her dug out their leader from his intended grave.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yamato watched carefully and as soon as the beast's chakra dipped enough, he began running through a different set of hand seals. Though he was exhausted, there was one more thing to do.

"Mokuton Maki Chinkon no Jutsu!"

The wooden structure appeared as if from nowhere, surrounding the One-Tail even as the beast fought in vain to free himself. Now drained of enough of his chakra, he was at last bound.

The temple priests that Kankuro had gathered moved forward, ignoring their arthritic knees and shaky breathing, they fulfilled their duty and placed more of the binding sutra tags on the walls of the wooden prison.

Sweating and totally spent, Yamato nodded and sat down on the ground, no longer able to stand. Crossing his arms over his knees he smiled with grim satisfaction. But his smile slowly faded as he watched the sutra tags continue to pulsate blue with each strike from within, glowing as they fought to keep the demon contained.

Yamato sighed and rubbed his face with one hand, feeling sick to his stomach.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Breathing was hard. Not that there wasn't air, there was. And there shouldn't have been. Gaara blinked. It was the weight of the sand crushing down on him that made breathing an effort. His sand armor kept him alive and uncrushed, but ...he didn't have enough chakra to shift the sand over him out of the way. He might have enough to do the job if he released the sand armor. But if he did that, breathing would no longer be an option even if there was air here. His lungs wouldn't be able to expand against the pressure of all the sand covering him.

He was pondering his options when he felt the sand shift above him. Someone was digging him out. It took indescribably long from his point of view. Sweat stung his eyes and he wondered how it was that the sand wasn't IN his eyes. Or his mouth. Or nose. There appeared to be some kind of barrier around his head.

Good.

And it held some air.

Even better.

But the air was getting stale and Gaara wasn't sure how long it would last. Hopefully long enough for whomever was up there to dig him out.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rokuro moaned and tilted to one side. A filthy Michi made a grab for his teammate, but was too weak himself.

"He's nearly unconscious, and his chakra is dangerously low." Shino said gruffly as he caught the young chuunin, keeping him sitting upright. "I don't know how much longer he can hold on to his jutsu."

Hanabi frowned as her sweat turned cold on her body. She shivered. If Rokuro collapsed, Gaara would be out of air. "Hurry!" She yelled needlessly to men and women who were working as quickly as they possibly could in the first place.

Saeko stepped up next to Hanabi. "You can see him?" She whispered, worry lacing her voice.

The younger kunoichi gave a rough nod, her breathing hitching as she choked back a sob. "He can't move. And his own chakra is running low. Though he has the sand armor in place still."

Saeko shook her head, amazed with what a pair of Hyuuga eyes could see.

"THERE!"

Both Saeko and Hanabi jumped, rushing forward as several of the shinobi pulled Gaara free from the sand. He looked gray. Hanabi wobbled and nearly fell.

"I can't help him, there's some sort of shield around his face!" A medic yelled out, panicked.

Hanabi spun around. "TEI! Let go! You did it, let go!"

Michi grinned as Rocks let the jutsu fade. The air ninja fell back, totally spent.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara blinked and frowned. It was deja vu. Slowly he sat up, for a moment having forgotten where and when he was. Part of him expected to see Naruto's cheesy smile. Then his eyes passed over one masked face and reality snapped back into existence.

"Kaji?"

The kunoichi rushed forward and threw her arms around the Kazekage.

Saeko smiled, weak with relief. "Girl, give him room to catch his breath."

Gaara's arms snapped around Hanabi and pulled her across his lap, his nostrils flared as if he was inhaling her very presence.

Laughing, Hanabi clutched his shoulders to keep from falling back completely. She scrambled to her feet and grinned down at him. Gaara slowly climbed to his own feet, under his own power. He swayed, but stayed standing.

A cheer went up from all those around them.

Gaara looked around grimly.

Baki stepped up slowly and bowed deeply. "The demon is contained."

Intense jade-pale eyes shone with satisfaction. And wariness. "How many?" The Kazekage demanded.

Baki shook his head. "The injuries are too many to count. Some very serious." He paused. "We've lost three that we know of so far, and two more are critical and may not make it. Your planning and preparing really worked. Kept the deaths down. The One-Tail never realized that we were herding him into a trap."

Gaara nodded, a weight lifting off his shoulders. It was less than he thought. "He knew. But he didn't think I could actually trap him. Pride. Shukaku forgot that I know his one true weakness."

"You did it." Baki said, his voice gruff with pain, exhaustion, and pride.

Gaara shook his head. "We did it." He said. Then he looked around at those surround him, grinning and clapping each other on the back. "We did it."

More cheers as every shinobi and kunoichi roared with approval, raising their fists in victory.

Hanabi grinned up at him.

For just a moment, Gaara looked at her and marvelled. He was alive! They'd done it and the One-Tail was captured! Exhileration rushed through him making him feel light headed. Full of the moment, Gaara did the unthinkable. He grabbed Hanabi by the hand and pulled her close for a quick but very thorough kiss.

Silence fell as everyone watched with baited breath.

Hanabi pulled back after a long moment, blushing. And smiling.

The cheers turned into roars of approval as everyone reveled in their victory.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shibi shook his head. "I don't feel the oppressive clash of energies. Whatever happened, it's done."

Temari held her breath a moment and nodded. "Do you think ...?"

The Aburame clan leader shrugged slightly. "I can't sense anything more. I normally can't feel chakra from this far away in the first place. Only the massive outpourings made it possible at all."

"Maybe they did it." Temari said, afraid to get too hopeful.

Katsumaru yawned from where he was curled up in a big chair next to Temari's bed. The six-year old struggled to stay awake as he blinked wearily at his grandfather. "If they won, can I stay?"

Temari chuckled slightly, watching the boy fondly.

Shibi shook his head and looked back out the window ...at nothing. It was early, early morning and the sun was not due for at least another hour yet. He really could sense nothing at all. But even if they'd won. Even if they'd captured the One-Tail, it didn't mean that everyone was safe. It didn't mean that Shino was safe. Or Gaara. Or anyone.

But he didn't say that. He knew. Temari knew too. She was too good a kunoichi not to know that. But neither said anything.

Some things just didn't need to be said. Or heard.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I don't want to know." Gaara said as he pulled away from the victory celebration.

Yamato grimaced as he shrugged. He'd had to find the Kazekage, which hadn't been a problem. And then he'd had to pull him away for a private chat. That had been a problem. Especially getting him away from a certain masked kunoichi.

Baki groaned from where he sat, his foot elevated and swollen to nearly three times it's size now that his boot had been cut off. A medic had been working on it until Yamato had shooed the man away.

"I told you from the beginning. I am not the First Hokage." The Leaf shinobi said morosely. "I'm a pale copy at best."

Baki shook his head. "Don't sell yourself short. You did what no one else alive could do."

"It won't hold." Yamato told them.

"How long?" Gaara asked, his good mood now gone.

The Leaf shinobi shrugged. "A few hours at best. It was a brilliant idea to have him expend so much chakra before trapping him. And the poles helped a lot, drained a lot. But he's building up chakra faster than it can be drained."

"I knew it couldn't be that easy." Gaara muttered.

Baki sighed, shaking his head. "That wasn't easy."

Yamato shrugged. "Naruto beat the demon once. Have you called for him?"

Gaara shook his head. "Naruto defeated me. ME. And it wasn't a complete victory."

"He's grown a lot stronger since then." Yamato mentioned diplomatically.

Baki cleared his throat. "What the Kazekage means is that Naruto, although wonderful, defeated a human vessel containing a Tailed Beast. Not the freed demon himself. And when faced with a fully realized demon, Naruto's only option was to wake up Gaara and limit the beast's power that way."

"By fighting the human host, not the beast itself." Yamato frowned. "Could the beast be put inside a new host?"

"No." Gaara said abruptly.

Baki shook his head. "It's the best solution, Kazekage-domo. We need to find a new host."

"No." Gaara repeated. "We don't need a new host."

Baki shook his head, sure he hadn't heard right. Then he started to sputter, appalled. "You can't! Impossible!"

"I will put this burden on no one else." The Kazekage spoke with finality.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	49. A New Battle

"It's not possible, simply not possible!" Baki repeated himself, his one visible eye bulging with both shock and dismay. "It will kill you."

"Maybe."

Sucking in a harsh breath at the somber tone of Gaara's one word answer, Baki started coughing so hard he nearly fell off his seat. He still had sand in his damned lungs from the fight. "No." He finally managed to say, pounding his chest with one fist. "Suna can't afford to lose you."

"I am not so sure that it can't be done." The red-headed Kazekage said slowly. "The main reason that adults aren't made vessels are that a child's chakra pathways are more malleable. Easier to merge with that of the demon spirit. An adult's chakra pathways are more set, more concrete and merging them with one of the tailed beasts would cause irreparable harm, death. My chakra pathways are set, true. But they've already been shaped to suit the One-Tailed Beast. I am the perfect candidate."

Yamato watched, keeping silent. This was an internal Suna discussion, and he had no part in whatever decision was ultimately made.

"That's only ONE of the reasons children are paired with the demon spirits, to serve as vessels." Baki bit out the words almost desperately. He looked over at Yamato. "I am right, yes?"

The Leaf shinobi stared darkly at the one-eyed man, not having wanted to be drawn into the conversation. "This is not my place."

"But I am right." Baki insisted. "A child's mind is innocent and unrealized. This forces the tailed beasts into quiescence, a suspended limbo for a lengthy period of time as the child grows."

Gaara's jade-pale eyes never wavered from his one-time sensei. "That was not the case with me."

Baki sighed. "Your father did away with the protective seals blocking the demon from your mind. He fucking MERGED the two of you in the womb. That is NOT the way the seals were originally meant to be used."

"I know." Gaara stated coolly, he looked over at where the beast was penned. "We need to hurry."

Baki shook his head and ran through a series of hand seals while Gaara wasn't looking. "We need to discuss this."

"There's nothing to disc ...what did you do?" Angry jade-pale eyes narrowed dangerously on Baki as he looked back at the man. "What did you just do?"

But his councilor ignored the question, answering his leader with a question of his own. "And whom do you suppose to choose to be the sacrifice?"

But Gaara's attention was on whatever jutsu Baki had just performed. He looked around and saw Hanabi stumble and fall under the onslaught of some unseen force. Wind. The Kazekage growled low in his throat as the kunoichi picked herself up and stared over at where they were standing. A moment later she was striding quickly toward them with a curious Saeko right behind her.

"Bastard."

Baki nodded. "Explain to her how this is the best decision. I dare you."

o.O.o.O.o.O

They each passed the time in their own manner. Kakashi read. Tsume paced and growled from time to time. TenTen worked at target practice, even though she didn't need it. Naruto and Lee worked themselves into deep sweats training together. Sakura fumed.

"What is taking so damned long! It's almost dawn!" The pink-haired kunoichi drummed her fingers on the table, frowning sharply.

"It takes as long as it takes." Kakashi said coolly, turning the page in his book.

"Don't you have that damned thing memorized by now?" Sakura sniped in a petty manner, feeling the tension of waiting rather than doing. "I can't believe that you talked Naruto into writing more of that junk too."

"Art. Not junk." Kakashi hummed to himself, smiling as he re-read one of his favorite passages. "And if you want to know his reasons for writing the new novels, just ask him."

Sakura laid her head on the table moaning. "I have, he just clams up."

"Tsk." Kakashi admonished her gently, actually looking over at his former student for a second with his one visible eye. "Not demanded, or yelled, or threatened, but calmly asked. Try that. It might help if you don't refer to his writing as 'junk' or 'trash' this time too."

Hearing something in her former sensei's voice, Sakura picked up her head. A suspicious look crossed her face. "You know something."

"I know many things." Came the bland reply. "Now calm down. The Cloud ninja will return when they return, and not a moment sooner."

Tsume snorted in rough amusement as she sighed and checked the clock again.

Sakura sighed, feeling crabby. "Tsume isn't handling the waiting any better than I am."

Kakashi sighed back at her. "At least she's being quiet. And she's handling waiting for the information from Cloud just fine. What she's worried about is why her son isn't here."

Tsume cut a bad word off before it formed fully in her mouth, shooting the copy-nin an evil look.

Sakura blushed, suddenly feeling small. "Sorry."

Kiba had been sent to the Akatsuki fortress with a message. Simple and plain. He should have been back long ago. And what little information they got from sporadic messages from Konoha mentioned nothing of either the fortress or their missing Inuzuka.

"We can't send too many messages back to the Leaf village. We don't want anyone to suspect our presence in this Cloud matter." Sakura tried for reassuring.

Tsume snorted. "Little girl, I know that. And I know my son. He's fine. Better than fine. If he couldn't take care of himself, he wouldn't be an Inuzuka."

Kakashi grinned. "Sakura, Tsume's not worried about Kiba. At least not too much. She, and I, worry about what's going on at the Akatsuki fortress that we don't know about yet. Did the upstart Raikage manage an attack, has the fortress fallen back into enemy hands? It's not that Kiba is late, it's WHY Kiba is overdue that we wonder about."

"Oh." Sakura said a bit stiffly. That sounded a bit cold to her, if it were her son that was out there she'd be climbing the walls.

"Go ask Naruto about the books. Be nice." Kakashi said, getting up to shoo the pink-haired kunoichi out the door. "Don't take 'no' for an answer." He said as he shut the door firmly behind the girl.

Tsume's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. "Her nerves were getting on my nerves. Thank you."

Kakashi nodded, then stopped and shook his head instead. "Kiba is your son. I'm sure he's fine. You wouldn't be human if you didn't worry. You don't have to pretend not to care."

The Inuzuka clan leader rolled her shoulders and sighed. "Never could hide much from you, Scarecrow. You see far too much with only one eye."

Kakashi picked up his book and gave Tsume what she needed most. Calm reassurance and quiet.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You are pure evil through and through." Kiba and Akamaru both growled at the grinning and unrepentant Hana.

Shiho was watching with wide eyes, looking back and forth between the siblings. Her good hand was covering her mouth as she struggled not to giggle at poor Kiba's expense.

For her part, Hana merely shrugged, unconcerned with the potential violence directed at her by her own baby brother. "It's true! Neither would admit to being the one who wet the bed linens, and neither would blame the other. You should have seen these two miscreants! All red in the face! Before that, I didn't know dogs could blush!" Hana teased, exaggerating the story just a bit.

Akamaru barked loudly, protesting that he had NOT blushed, thank you very much.

"Why?!" Kiba threw back his head, sighing loudly. "Why do you have to embarrass me like this?! I didn't do this to you when you brought guys back to the house!"

"Because you know I would have gutted you." Hana bared her Inuzuka fangs in a mock threat.

Shiho shook her head, her face still alight with laughter. "Kiba, she's telling me things to distract me from the fact that I can't keep up with the two of you. She's just trying to keep me from brooding about yet another rest break."

Hana paused, sending the curly haired kunoichi a searching glance. "Hmph. You are quick."

Shiho sighed and tapped her forehead. "Quick up here, but not down here." She pointed to her feet.

Kiba snorted and then flashed a cheesy grin at his sister. "My librarian is smarter than you!"

"Oh oh!" Hana chortled, rocking backwards a bit as she grinned back. "She's smarter than you too, so don't go getting all cocky all of a sudden. Don't forget, I know a lot more embarrassing stories about you!"

Shiho watched as she held her breath. My Librarian? She swallowed hard and tried to corral her stampeding hormones. It felt like every inch of her skin had turned prickly all at once. And it felt good! Dangerous, but good!

She shivered slightly and then tried to stop Kiba before he reached over and hauled her up next to him, rubbing her arm to warm her up. Shiho blushed, not wanting to tell him that she'd shivered from what he did to her, not from any chill in the air.

Hana opened her mouth to tease the two of them some more when she stopped suddenly, every sense on immediate alert. Her nostrils flared and she sniffed the air. "Keep her safe, wait here!" The Inuzuka kunoichi told her brother, then signaled for her three nin-dogs to follow her out into the pre-dawn darkness.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You are going to do what?" Hanabi's voice was calm and collected, directly out of proportion to the rise of temper deep inside her heart.

Yamato watched, wondering who the masked kunoichi was to the Kazekage. She seemed to be taking the news of what Baki had just explained to her rather well. He took her calm demeanor at face value.

Gaara simply stared at her, then blinked slowly. "You need to understand, I will put this burden on no one else."

Hanabi nodded. She got it, she really, really did. Instead of dancing around the issue, she cut right to the source of the problem. "You are not your father." She said, making Gaara's eyes widen and his body jerk in response as if he'd been struck a heavy blow.

Baki and Saeko both watched, mentally and physically holding their breaths.

His temper pricked, Gaara drew his mouth in tight-lipped response, snapping at her. "Don't talk about that man. He has nothing to do with this."

"Your father has every-fucking-thing to do with this." Snapped Hanabi right back at him.

Yamato's eyes widened a fraction. Hm. The girl wasn't as calm as he'd first thought.

Gaara shook his head. "My mind is already made up."

"You won't choose a child to hold the demon, because you don't want to turn into your father." Hanabi flash-stepped right in front of the red-headed Kazekage. "You don't want to do what he did."

"Don't step on things you know nothing about." Gaara's voice was cold enough to freeze water solid. "This doesn't concern you."

Saeko's hand trembled slightly and she fisted it to keep her nerves still.

"YOU concern me." Hanabi roared, and more than a few heads turned in their direction. "Did you think I confessed my love to a paper construct? An image of a person. NO. I told you!" She poked him in the chest hard enough to bruise. "You. Gaara of the Desert. I know you, I know your past and I know you now. Whether I know you in the future is up for grabs right now."

Gaara's face reddened with anger. "You know nothing!"

"I know that you are not a monster if you choose a vessel for the demon!" She shrieked. "I know that you would not merge the child with the demon's essence, that you'd use the proper seals. YOU ARE NOT YOUR FATHER!"

"SHUT UP!" Breathing heavily, the red-head looked away a long moment before continuing, "I will not force that on anyone. I can't do that."

"So you'd deprive Suna of their Kazekage just so you can spare your delicate feelings?" She said mockingly, making both Baki and Saeko wince. And a few of the gathering crowd started whispering among themselves. "Suna needs you! Alive. Whole."

Suddenly a sand dome rose up out of nowhere and surrounded them, cutting them off from general view. Baki sighed. Saeko drew in a shaky breath. "Can she change his mind?"

Baki shook his head. "I don't know".

o.O.o.O.o.O

A sound had Tsume and Kakashi turning, then smiling with relief as the Cloud ninja came back into the room. Silently both Leaf ninja counted heads. There were four more than there'd been when the group had left. And it was easy to see who the new additions were.

"That was the worst rescue I've ever seen!" One delicately featured man swiped at his dusty coat.

An older gentleman whom no one would ever mistake as being anything other than a predator sneered. "Son? How many rescues have you seen then?"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. The Cloud Daimyo Lord was a free man. They'd fulfilled their contract. The question now became ...now what?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"This conversation does not need an audience, I suppose." Hanabi looked around, impressed in spite of herself.

"There are others capable of leading if this ...merging ...goes wrong." The look on Gaara's face would have made nearly anyone else run away and hide, so furious was he at the moment. "And I plan on using the correct seals, so I should not become the monster I was before."

"No adult has survived this process." Hanabi's voice fell as she stared into his eyes. "Please, Gaara, don't do this. There's a reason children are chosen for this kind of sealing. No adult as EVER done this and lived. I'm begging you, don't do this!"

Gaara stared at her, reading the longing in her eyes that echoed that within his own heart. He didn't want to do this either. He didn't want Shukaku back. His entire being wanted to scream that it wasn't fair. But ...he was NOT his father and he couldn't foist his own destiny upon another innocent. He couldn't be the Kazekage if he couldn't make the difficult choices. "Suna comes first. I must go."

Hanabi caught her breath, feeling her heart rip. Her eyes narrowed on him. "Then promise me one thing."

"What?" He nearly snarled the word at her. Angry at her simply because he couldn't turn that anger on fate itself. Angry that he couldn't simply agree with her and walk away. Angry that destiny was a bitch.

"That you won't make me watch."

He grunted, a part of him wanting to beg her to stay at his side. But pride wouldn't let him bend that far. "Fine." He started to turn away, even as he was aching to stay. He raised one hand to drop the sand dome and then stopped as her words hit him with the searing power of lightning itself.

"And I want to be the sacrifice."

Gaara spun to stare at her, the words dying on his tongue as his mouth dried up completely. He shook his head at her.

"If you're willing to sacrifice everything, including what we have, then so am I." Hanabi took a deep breath as she stared at him.

"No." Shaken to his very core, Gaara could only stare at her in horror. "I won't allow it."

"So, only you can sacrifice yourself?" Hanabi asked point-blank, then spread her arms out to indicate the crowd outside their concealing sand dome. "Who do you choose to sacrifice? Whose life will you take to salvage your pride? Look them in the eye and say 'I choose you to die' so that Kaji won't. You die, not her."

Gaara blinked, feeling way off balance despite himself. "There are criminals in Suna awaiting execution and ..."

"No." Hanabi cut him off smoothly. "You said you'd do the the seals right. That means a willing sacrifice. Willing. No need to ask around, I've already volunteered."

"Don't be an idiot!" He snarled suddenly, grabbing her arm hard enough to draw a hiss from her.

Hanabi moved so swiftly that she managed to take him off guard, striking a blow that managed to back him up a step or two. "Idiot? You're calling me an idiot? Pfft. Fine. If you want to descend to the level of name calling, try this one on for size." She hesitated for a moment, then firmed her chin. Loudly and clearly she spoke but one more word. "Coward."

The roar of sand as it whipped out, swirling around Gaara was her only warning.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho looked shocked as she watched Hana disappear, literally disappear. "Wow."

Kiba grinned and rubbed his chin on top of her hair, tucking her in closer to him. "It's only a couple of local hunters looking for a bunny or two. Maybe a deer."

Shiho turned her head up to blink at Kiba, her face clearly showing her awe. "You can tell that?"

He grinned at her and nodded. "And since this is a protected area, no hunting. They're not going to be happy when they see Hana."

"There's no hunting out here?" Shiho looked around and then back up at Kiba.

Seeing her blue eyes looking up at him like that made the dog ninja's heart beat faster, as did her closeness. "No hunting in front of the gates. Too many trade routes and clients and such. But there's always someone willing to risk breaking the law so they can hunt without going deeper into the forests. Don't worry, Hana can handle herself."

"Oh."

"And I can handle you." He said in a thicker, huskier voice.

Suddenly Shiho's tongue felt all funny as that voice did weird things to her body. "Oh!"

He leaned in to kiss her and she leaned back, watching him with huge blue eyes. He grinned. Her lips trembled. "You look so scared." He teased. "I don't bite."

She managed a weak smile.

"Much." He laughed as her smile disappeared and her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Kiba!" She sputtered.

He shook his head at her, laughing. "It's an old joke, sorry!"

Blushing lightly she pushed ineffectually at his arm. "You're making all kind of assumptions." She frowned, unable to meet his eyes.

"All you have to do is tell me 'no'." He said, the hand not holding her to his side rose up and tapped her lips. "One word. Or you can use more words if you want, I'm sure you know tons of ways to say 'no'.

"Tons." She repeated, somewhat in a daze. "Wait! You're making me all nuts."

"Good." Kiba smiled down at her and let his hand trail over the side of her face. "But I'll tell you what. You decide."

Okay. Good. Shiho nodded, then frowned. "Decide what?"

The Inuzuka pulled one of her long curls from behind her to just in front of her face. She didn't understand his fascination with her hair, it was the bane of her existence! She slapped his hand. "Decide what?" She repeated.

Ignoring her slap, he brought the strand of her hair to his nose and sniffed. Once more her belly did internal flip flops. His eyes half-closed and looking sexier than any man had a right to look, he smiled at her. It was a wicked, wicked smile and Shiho was finding it harder and harder not to just say yes. She'd already told him that she wanted him, what was stopping her?

"My little librarian." His tone was meltingly hot. "After we get back you'll be stuck in debriefing hell for who knows how long. And I don't know if I'll be sent out again on another mission right away or not."

"Oh!" Shiho's eyes widened in distress. She'd not even thought about that! What if ...what if he was gone by the time the Hokage's office cut her loose? "They can't!"

"I assure you, they can." Kiba's grin faded a bit around the edges, then returned full force. "But if they don't, when you're free ...go home. Get ready. Dress up and wear something sexy."

"W...why?" Shiho about swallowed her tongue. Did she have anything sexy? Ino. Ino had helped pick out some clothing she'd not had the courage to wear yet. It'd been two years though. Were they out of date? Worse, what if they didn't fit?

"Because I'm taking my sweetheart out for dinner. Someplace really nice. Don't expect dancing though. One, I hate dancing. Two, well ...I'd react too much to being that close to you and that's not fit for polite company."

Her brain was so fogged it took Shiho a moment to realize what Kiba had meant. His body. His body would react to her presence. From dancing. "But we're close now." She said somewhat stupidly.

"Uh huh." Kiba nodded slowly, his eyes bright with laughter and something deeper. Darker. Heavier.

Shiho suddenly felt a bit faint. Did that mean that he was reacting now? That his body ...and just like that it was all she could do to keep her eyes on his face and not look down.

"We'll share a meal that doesn't consist of travel rations. We'll be clean and dressed up. We'll talk, though don't expect me to talk about art films, never seen one."

"Okay." Shiho nodded, not even sure what she was agreeing too right now.

Kiba leaned closer to her, his voice a rough whisper in her ear. She shivered again. "Then we'll hold hands as I walk you back to your place. And then ..."

Then? What then? Shiho held her breath.

"Then I'll kiss you until your knees buckle." He promised her. "And then ..."

Shiho continued to hold her breath despite the fact that her chest was starting to feel tight.

"And then, you need to tell me to go home. Whatever you do, don't invite me in." Kiba grumbled, his hot breath making her body feel achy. "Not until you're ready."

"W ...wh ...why?" She asked, needing to hear his answer, although her voice sounded strained as she sucked in a long needed breath.

Kiba leaned back and looked at her very seriously. "Because within twenty minutes of you inviting me in your apartment?" He tugged playfully at her zipper, but not opening her top. "Because within twenty minutes, I'll be inside you."

Shiho gasped, shaking her head. Kiba nodded and set her away from him, scooting back from her. Without him next to her she swayed slightly and now she definitely felt cold.

"So. Little librarian. The choice is yours."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kakashi walked up beside Tsume as she attached the encrypted message to the bird. "Are we all set?"

The Inuzuka clan leader nodded. "We're done here. We can leave any time."

The copy ninja shrugged. "One more thing. We have a hostage to collect."

"You sure about this?" Tsume looked at the other jounin seriously.

Kakashi nodded. "She won't like it."

"Tough." Came the grim response. "She'll not thank us for this, but it is better for her this way. In the long run. She has no place in Cloud now."

The copy nin sighed. "I've spoken to the Daimyo Lord. Very haughty, but he thanks 'The Leaf' for our assistance and is more than happy to include giving us one of his kunoichi in addition to the princely sum he's paying our village. Seems he's quite pleased with being rescued."

"How does he want us to deliver his grandson back to him?" Tsume asked. "He's surely not paying us and all without making sure his grandson is returned safely?"

Kakashi grimaced. "He wanted to know if we'd keep the boy, actually. Apparently he thinks the housekeeper's son that was pretending to be Shihei made a much better grandson than the original did."

Tsume grimaced, having met the brat before. "You didn't say we'd keep the kid did you?"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "No. Almost wanted to pay the man to take the kid back actually."

Tsume grinned and shook her head. "Well, let's go get ready to leave."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The two stood there, both shocked to the core.

Gaara stared, sick to his stomach. His jade-pale eyes wide and horrified.

Hanabi held one hand to her cheek and then pulled it away to stare dumbly at the small bit of blood.

Her words had angered him so much that the sand had risen to whip around him. Some had accidentally struck Hanabi's cheek and scratched her. It wasn't anything big. But the effect was huge.

Gaara licked his dry lips, shame eating him alive. How could he have lost control like that? "Go home." He whispered.

"You didn't mean to hurt me." Hanabi stepped forward, her voice pleading.

"You deserve better than a monster." He told her, his voice shaky.

"No!" Hanabi felt like crying at the hurt in his eyes. "You aren't a monster!"

Suddenly he dropped the sand dome. Everyone stared at the two of them. Silently, Gaara turned in a circle looking out as his people. "I need a willing volunteer. A sacrifice. To seal the demon once more and save Suna. I will demand it of no one."

Slowly, a hand went up. Then two. Then five. Baki stepped forward. "This is a mistake, but I will stand with y..."

"No." Hanabi stepped up to Gaara. "I told you. Me."

Gaara reached up calmly and grabbed her mask, pulling it from her face. Exposing her Hyuuga eyes for everyone to see and gawk. "You are Leaf. Here as a favor to their Hokage." He said loudly. "You can not volunteer yourself, as you do not belong to Suna. You can not sacrifice yourself without permission from home."

Shock ran through the crowd.

"Go home." Gaara told her, his voice dead.

"No." This time the word wasn't defiance. It was a plea.

Gaara watched her face fall as he gave her nothing. No expression, no words, nothing. He had to do it, he could not let her sacrifice herself. Did that make him a hypocrite? Able to sacrifice himself, but not allowing her the same? Maybe. He didn't fucking care. As long as she lived.

"I still need a Suna volunteer." Gaara said quietly, but everyone heard him.

Then, in an instant, everything changed.

Gaara spun in shock as Saeko cried out, Baki gasping as they looked over to where Shukaku was penned. The area was alight. A deep blue glow surrounded the area.

"Is he loose?" Saeko whispered hoarsely.

Yamato swallowed hard and shook his head. "Nooo."

"That's a shield!" Baki said and then sucked in a harsh breath. "Ebizou!"

Gaara turned on his councilor. "Ebizou?"

Baki nodded and took off as fast as his injured ankle would let him.

The red-head paused, wanting to follow, but looking back at Hanabi.

"Go." She whispered.

Gaara turned to look back at the strange shields, undecided. "Hanabi, I ..." He turned back to her, only to find that she'd turned her back on him and was walking away. Swallowing hard, he too turned away and headed toward the One-Tail instead.

Hanabi paused and looked back, seeing only Gaara's back as he raced off to do something stupid. "I love you. Jerk."

Michi coughed and sighed, looking at his teammate. Rocks shrugged. They both looked at Hanabi as she walked up to them. "Now what?" Michi asked.

None of them knew the answer.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	50. In Defiance

It was nearing two hours past dawn and nearly every Suna ninja was exhausted and out of breath. But the strange blue glowing shield surrounding the area where Shukaku was penned showed no signs of weakening no matter what they tried. It appeared impenetrable.

Gaara's face was flushed a furious purplish-red while his mouth was drawn into a sneer that promised no good if he could manage to unleash his rage. But first he needed a target.

"Ebizou!" Baki yelled out again, then winced as the exhausted medic prodded at his bared ankle. His grossly swollen, painful and colorful ankle. It had taken the medics a good hour or so before being able to push the one-eyed wind master into a seat and make him prop up his ruined ankle. They were making noises at him about a permanent limp if he didn't heed their advice. He'd ignored them until a wave of sand had nearly knocked him down, then one look from his Kazekage had the wind ninja bellowing for a chair. That had been over an hour ago.

Gaara cut his coldly furious eyes on his former sensei once more but said nothing.

"You don't know that the old man is behind this shield." A weary eyed Kankuro stepped up beside the wind ninja.

"No." Baki shrugged. "But I highly suspect. Not only had he been acting suspiciously, but he made me promise to seek him out once the battle was over. But with your brother's decision ...well, I was distracted."

Kankuro shook his head. "Gaara's decision?"

"To once more host the One-Tail." Baki snapped, long past merely irrate. "Where the fuck have you been?"

Kankuro's gaze narrowed dangerously. "With my wounded wife. That's where the fuck I've been!"

Baki shut his mouth grimly and grunted, he hadn't realized that Hinata had been hurt.

Then the puppeteer caught what the wind ninja had said. He turned to his brother. "That's what you're planning? Taking back the demon with you as the host? Is that even possible? How?"

The one-eyed shinobi slammed his fist down on the arm of his chair, making the medic squeak and jump while casting disgusted looks at his non-compliant patient. "It's NOT possible!"

Gaara ignored Baki completely. "Is your wife ..." His voice trailed off as the picture in his mind formed of a wounded Hanabi, not Hinata. He cleared his throat. "What I mean to ask ..."

"Concussion. Moderate. Some cuts, one was pretty deep but it's already healing quickly with the help of the other medics. She'll be fine, but will need to take it easy. Shook me up more than it did her though." The puppeteer sighed and rolled his shoulders. It had shaken him a LOT to see Hinata unconscious and he'd not left her side until she woke and then she'd sent him away because she said that he was hovering too much.

The red-headed Kazekage turned away to stare at the offensive shield blocking his way. There was a time that he would not have understood Kankuro's words or sentiment. But now he knew. Because the thought of sacrificing himself for Suna was one thing, but the thought of Hanabi hurt or dying left him feeling achy and empty inside, sick. "I'm glad." He said simply, but with sincerity.

"Now. It seems to me that if Ebizou-jiisama has something to do with this." Kankuro waved one hand at the shields no one seemed able to penetrate. "We may never find out exactly what he's done. He's a sneaky old bastard."

"And you're a young screw-up who left us for a cushy life in Konoha." A very tired and cranky old voice said as suddenly the old man stepped up close enough to the shield to be seen through it.

Relieved, the puppeteer snarled. "That's the Fourth Kazekage's fault not mine, I had nothing to say about the marriage. I was three years old."

"The Fourth, although a brave and strong fighter, had many flaws." Ebizou said, leaning heavily on a walking stick. He answered Kankuro, but his eyes went to Gaara.

"Move away and drop the damned shield." The Fifth Kazekage demanded coldly.

Ebizou sighed heavily. "I'm going to do to you what I should have done to your father."

Gaara's jade-pale eyes narrowed as if considering the statement. Asking without asking.

"Defied him." The old man supplied the answer without prompting.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade frowned down at the paperwork in her hand, then looked up balefully at the shinobi standing so stoically in front of her desk. "Well? What the hell do you want me to tell you?"

"The truth."

The Hokage sighed and shook her head. "You've already been told the truth. You're perfectly healthy. There's not a damned thing wrong with you." She sneered slightly. "Physically."

Sai cocked his head slightly to the side. "Do mental disorders come with neurological symptoms?"

Exasperated, Tsunade put down the test results she'd been going over. "If I'd suggested to anyone else that their problems might by psychosomatic, they'd have exploded on me in denial and anger."

The artist nin considered that a moment before speaking. "The fact that I didn't could be a result of my ROOT training. Or are you thinking it might be another symptom?"

"YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS!" The Hokage stood up, yelling as she glared at the young man, slamming both hands down hard enough on her desk that it creaked ominously. "Stop wasting my medic's time! You're healthy!"

Sai stared at her and then dropped his eyes down to the test results. "Are you sure they ran the proper tests?"

Taking a deep breath, or ten, Tsunade reined in her temper as she sat back down. "Let's see. Muscle weakness around the jaw. Possible TMJ, but no pain and my medics say that they tested for this...so that rules that out. Muscle spasm of the arm. Well now, that could be literally anything, but the lack of other symptoms makes it most likely a tic or a strain ..."

"I don't know that it was a spasm." Sai commented slowly. "I just didn't know how else to describe it."

Tsunade raised one eyebrow in question. "Okay. If the only way to get you to leave me and my medics alone is to ask ...tell me what happened." Her voice was liberally laced with sarcasm.

"My arm stopped. It would not obey my attempt for movement." He ignored her tone and answered the spoken question.

The blonde nodded sagely. "That doesn't sound like a spasm. Any pain?"

"No." Sai told her, his expression never changing.

"What were you doing? When the muscle froze like that?" Tsunade turned to look out the window and wondered if today was going to be like this all day long. If it was she needed liquid fortification. At least her new assistant wasn't as good as Shizune at keeping the sake out of the office. She had a brand new bottle in her drawer right now.

"Throwing a kunai."

Her gaze sharpening as she pulled herself back into the current conversation, Tsunade turned back to give him an odd look. "Battle or practice?"

"Battle."

Sucking in a breath, the Hokage leaned back in her chair. "This is troubling."

"Yes." Sai said, relieved that finally someone was taking him seriously.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako looked up as the ragged bundle of flowers appeared right in front of her face. Her eyes widening, she looked over to Lee's grinning visage. "Lee?"

"For you, because you are as sweet as these blooms. Your life forces burns brighter like a beacon in the fields of existence and I bring you a gift meant to show you your worth! Or I would, but there are no flower shops here, and I gathered the prettiest that I could ..."

"ACHOO!" Rinako sneezed, turning away politely.

Lee's face turned alarmed. "You're not getting sick are you?"

The kunoichi shook her head, backing up slightly. "The flowers are pretty, but the greenery is ragweed."

Lee looked puzzled.

"I'm allergic to ragweed, don't you have any allergies?" Rinako asked, rubbing slightly at her nose to stop another sneeze.

Crestfallen, Lee whipped the offending bunch of flowers behind his back. "No, no I burn with the power of health and vitality that is youth. I have no such allergies."

Rinako sighed. "Well, I do. Now Lee, I know that you're fond of plant and garden metaphors, but I don't know what you're trying to say this time. Why are you bringing me wildflowers and ragweed?"

"The ragweed around Konoha looks different." Lee said, his voice sad and almost quiet. Then he snapped to attention and threw the flowers as far away as he could. "I will protect you from having the sneezing fits!"

Rinako shook her head, smiling. "You're a wonderful guy, Lee. But allergies can't really be protected against. Once I get back to Cloud, I'll have to go to the medics for my usual allergy medication. It works really well actually."

Lee eyed her and wondered if now would be a bad time to tell her that she wasn't going back to Cloud?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What are you up to you old bastard?" Gaara stepped up to the shield, his voice stone cold and darkly threatening. Ebizou sighed and blew out a breath, Gaara eyed him and read the exhaustion there. "What are you hoping to accomplish?" The Kazekage continued.

"Do you know who I am?" The elder asked plainly. "Do you even remember?"

Gaara thought about the question beyond the obvious answers. He knew Ebizou's relationship to he and his siblings. He knew the man to have been a master of spies during the last Great Ninja War. A dangerous man. And a clever one. "Tell me." He said, wondering what the old man was getting at.

"The Third named me a hero in Suna, but I declined the honor. A spy, once honored, is of no further use. Because he becomes known. The Third Kazekage listened and learned." Ebizou sighed. "The Fourth listened to me, but he discarded much of what I knew because of my age and because I'd counciled the Third. So I retired, stepped out of the game."

The red-head nodded. "My father was a fool."

"No." Ebizou shook his head. "But he had blind spots. He wasn't the clear choice for Kazekage at the time, and tried to solidify his power base by discarding the Third's supporters, many of whom didn't like the Fourth much. So he tried to build up power around himself, an image as well as a reality. One way was to make bold moves. Very bold."

Gaara took a deep breath. "Me."

Ebizou nodded. "One of the Fourth's moves, yes. He tried to forge a stronger weapon than the other villages by doing away with some of the protective seals involved in making a host for the One-Tail."

Gaara didn't have to ask what happened next. He recalled too clearly when his father deemed him too unstable and too powerful to live. That's when the assassination attempts had started. He'd still been a small child at the time.

"But what I was, and am ...is a gatherer of information. But I also read that information and project possible moves. A strategist." Ebizou coughed loudly and swayed, obviously struggling to stay standing upright. "And I thought about what you would do if you managed to trap the One-Tail."

Gaara stiffened. "You seek to stop me?"

"I've already stopped you."

The Kazekage looked up at the squared off shields surrounding the old man and the One-Tailed's wooden prison. "This shield will only last as long as you do." He said smoothly, meaning that the old man's strength was waning and that soon this defiance would be over. "And I've already made up my mind."

"So have I." Ebizou sighed and looked over at Baki, who was watching cautiously. "You failed me, one-eye."

"I was tied up." Baki muttered, unsure of how to respond exactly. He couldn't support the old man's defiance, and yet if it saved Gaara's life ...

"No matter." Ebizou held up an envelope and then carefully placed it on the ground. "That's for you."

Gaara stared at the envelope and scowled. "Don't you know I could kill you for this?" He asked, his patience near the breaking point.

"Don't you know that I'm already dead?" Ebizou snapped back.

Baki and Kankuro held their breath as the old man slowly dropped his arms and let his robe slide from his frail shoulders. His torso held a seal with a swirling center of caged energy. Gaara's eyes widened. "What have you done, old fool?" He whispered in shock, and was ashamed to feel some relief. The backstabbing bastard had taken the decision from him.

"Saved Suna's greatest leader since the First from sacrificing himself out of pride and guilt." Ebizou peered around the Kazekage at Kankuro. "Be sure to spell my name right on the memorial, or I'll haunt you and your children to the tenth generation, don't think I won't."

Kankuro nodded mutely, a lump in his throat.

Ebizou waved a blue book with some dark stains in the air. "One more seal and it's done."

Gaara's eyes followed the book, suddenly sick to his stomach. That was his mother's blood that stained those pages. "The vessel ...where ...who? Not you, surely."

Ebizou shook his head. "I'm too old. Plenty of children at the orphanage. Some from Suna, some abandoned by trading caravans. The trick was finding one young enough, healthy enough and with enough potential chakra to survive the merging." Ebizou looked behind him. "I don't have much time left."

"Ebizou-jiisama ..." Gaara's hoarse voice could barely be heard.

The old man leaned in close. "I hate that your choice is from Konoha, but this younger sister fits Suna far more than the older would have. Don't let her go."

Gaara shook his head, barely able to take it all in. "I'm not ..."

"Yes, you are worth it." Ebizou smiled shakily. "Don't forget who and what I am and what I know. Give me that respect at least. And one thing I know is that Suna can not afford to lose you. And while it might be true that you could take in the One-Tail's essence once more and live, the risk is too high."

"But why ...why this way?" Gaara asked, looking up at the shield.

Ebizou sighed and stepped back, his hands moving to form the last seals. "Because you're too stubborn to listen when it comes to this particular subject. Because of your past. And well, because I love Suna too, and dying as her hero has a certain appeal." The old man cackled as his fingers moved through the final motions. "But mostly because I couldn't let my dear sister Chiyo one-up me like she did. My turn."

Gaara stood as silent witness as life fled from the old man's eyes, and as he died the seal in the center of his chest flared blindingly. Blinking his jade-pale eyes, all he could see for a moment was light. His eyes watered automatically in defense and when he was able to see again ...the shield was gone.

He turned toward the wooden cage holding the One-Tail, but the beast had gone silent. No longer was the demon pounding against his cell, no longer were the sutra tags glowing as they held the beast within. No more roars of defiance splitting the air.

"Shit." Kankuro whispered from behind him. "Crazy old fool." But his voice held awe and respect as he stepped up next to Ebizou's body. The puppeteer knelt next to the old spy master and reached out for the man's discarded robe, pulling it respectfully over the remains.

Baki hobbled up, pushing aside the medic who tried to stop him. He stared with one wide eye at the old man's covered body, and then over to Gaara. Deep in his heart he realized that he'd been a fool to underestimate the old bastard. "He's the last of his kind." He said slowly. Ebizou and his sister, Chiyo, had been forged through both war and cut-throat partisan politics. "Suna was what made their hearts beat. Desert sand flowed through their veins, not blood."

Kankuro nodded sadly. "Once he caught me pulling some stupid prank and I told him to hurry up and die." He chuckled and swallowed hard before continuing. "He told me that we weren't ready to take over Suna yet, and he'd stick around until we were. I thought he was nuts. You know, he never did turn me in for that prank either. Instead he gave me a book on battle tatics."

Baki bent down, easily keeping his balance even on one good foot. Picking up the envelope, he turned it over and over in his hand.

Kankuro watched as his brother walked over to the wooden cage, putting one hand onto the sutra covered planks. His face was carefully blank, but the puppeteer could read the subtle hints of tension coiling through Gaara. He stood and walked over to his younger brother, looking up at the high walls of the prison cell meant to cage a demon.

"He stole my decision." Gaara said slowly.

Kankuro nodded.

"Am I a monster that I'm relieved?" The red-head continued. "I'm mad as hell, but still ...part of me is ..."

The puppeteer nodded again. "That only makes you normal."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I'm not sure about this." Rocks muttered, though he shouldered his travel pack.

"He told me to go home." Hanabi firmed her chin and refused to look at either of her teammates. "And he unmasked me as Leaf in front of everyone. Home is Konoha."

Michi sighed and looked over to where they'd need to be heading if they were going back to Suna. Then he turned and looked over at the increasingly rocky pre-desert area that lead toward the forests that housed Konoha. "Shit."

Rocks reached up and fingered the sand insignia on his headband protector draped loosely around his neck. "We don't have travel papers, what if they don't recognize us at the gates to let us in? We should go back to Suna for now. I'm sure Gaara didn't mean for us to leave leave."

Hanabi's face clouded at the mention of the red-head's name and Michi shot Rocks an evil look. The air specialist sighed and rolled his shoulders. "I guess all you have to do is show him your Hyuuga eyes and they'll let us in."

"No." Michi thought about it. "Gaara unmasked Kaji, but we need to keep our disguises as intact as possible for now. And we need to go back to Suna and send a message to the Hokage explaining how our cover has been blown out here."

Hanabi straightened up and nodded swiftly. "Yes. Messages to Konoha."

Michi relaxed a bit. "Good." He turned toward Suna, only to find Hanabi's hand firmly on his arm. "Kaji?"

"Kaji's dead." Hanabi said bitterly. "No, not dead ...just on a mission to deliver messages to Konoha."

Rocks groaned. "Oh boy."

Michi shook his head. "The Kazekage has given us no such mission."

"We're Leaf. Not Sand. That has been made abundantly clear today." Hanabi snapped. "Besides, I'm obeying ...his ...direct order. Go home." Unable to say his name, she sniffed derisively. "Well, I'm going."

With that she took off toward Konoha. Michi and Rocks followed behind closely as they listened to her mumble under her breath about 'damned heart stealing raccoons'.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I've been WHAT?" Rinako screeched.

Kakashi sighed and shrugged as if it made no sense to him either, which was a direct lie actually. "You're our hostage. Surely you've not forgotten that?"

The kunoichi grabbed her hair and pulled slightly, looking perturbed. "But that was until the job was accomplished! Well? The Daimyo Lord is free! Mission complete! What do you need a hostage for now?"

"Continued good will?" Tsume tried to be diplomatic.

"Bullshit!" Rinako snarled and then whirled on Lee. "Did you know about this?"

The green-clad shinobi held up his hands in surrender. "I knew nothing until this morning!"

Rinako's eyes narrowed. "Where those damned flowers a peace offering?"

"No! NO!" Lee protested and then smiled big, his white teeth gleaming. "Those flowers were to show my heartfelt respect for you and your brilliance in leading such an important mission!"

"First, I didn't lead the mission. Killerbee did. I simply sniffed out the right location to attack." Rinako sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Heartfelt respect? That sounded friendly, not lover-ly. She barely resisted sending Sakura a death glare. For just a moment earlier, she'd hoped that Lee had brought her flowers in a romantic rather than friendly gesture. She should have known better, he'd just been giving her support before she learned that she'd been tossed out of Cloud like moldy leftovers.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Son of a BITCH!" Baki roared.

Everyone turned to stare at him as he read through the papers that Ebizou had left for him.

Gaara's face was passive, though his eyes shone intensely. "What? What did he leave you?"

"Harusame and Kochi." Baki looked dumbstruck.

Kankuro looked confused. "The jiisama left you a Spring Rain and the East Wind? Is it some kind of puzzle? A code we need to work out?"

"It's my name." A young girl stamped her foot and all the grown-ups turned to stare at the youngster with varying looks of shock and dismay. "I'm Harusame."

Gaara's eyes showed white all the way around as he stared at her, but could feel ...nothing. This little girl who looked no older than six was not Shukaku's new vessel. His jade-pale eyes dropped to a bundle the girl was holding.

The little girl saw his look and clutched the blanketed child closer to her bony chest protectively, her little lips pressed together as if she'd smelled something bad. "Mine!"

"Actually, according to these adoption papers all thoughtfully filled out and awaiting signatures, you and your little brother are mine." He looked up helplessly. "The old man had them adopted in my name."

Kankuro's eyes widened comically as his mouth dropped open in shock.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Let's go over this one more time." Tsunade looked amused, and was not even trying to hide it. "You were about to throw a kunai to kill our code-breaker and your muscles stopped cold, wouldn't move?"

"For a second or two." Sai nodded. "You see why it's important to find out what's afflicting me. I can not be an effective shinobi unless you can properly diagnose and treat my illness."

"Uh huh." Tsunade bit her tongue to keep from laughing. "And the facial weakness? Tell me again about that."

Sai shook his head. "I've explained it several times. The muscles drooped, it passed, but there was a moment where they did droop."

"Like a frown?" Tsunade prodded.

The artist nin thought about it a long moment, then shrugged. "Somewhat. Though I have to think about it in order to smile or frown. I am trained to feel, and show, no emotional response whatsoever."

"Uh huh." Tsunade steepled her fingers together thoughtfully. "And what if your face frowned without you telling it to do that?"

Sai stilled, as if the idea was foreign to him. "Not possible." He said, though suddenly he wondered. "Though I have been practicing my smile to make it more believable. Shiho had been assisting me with that effort."

Tsunade's face stilled as she noted the ends of Sai's lip turning downwards at the mention of the code-breaker's name. "And were you thinking of Shiho and her safety when you had that ...muscle weakness?"

Thinking about it, Sai nodded. "Possible." He allowed. "It was on the journey back to Konoha and I had hoped to run into Shiho and Kiba so that I might fulfill that mission."

"Ah ...the mission." Tsunade nodded knowingly. "Of course that was your only concern."

"So. Can you diagnose my condition?" Sai asked. "It is important that I get treated so that I can continue being an effective shinobi."

The Hokage sighed. "Sai. I do think I know what's wrong with you. But I'm unsure of the specific treatment course that I'd like to follow."

A knock on the door interrupted her. She frowned as her current chuunin assistant rushed in, dropped off a message, mumbled an apology and beat a hasty retreat all without meeting the Hokage's eyes. "I need Shizune." Tsunade muttered as she opened up the note. Suddenly she smiled. "Fate couldn't be any better." She announced, looking a tad giddy with excitement.

Sai cocked his head slightly and waited.

Tsunade waved the note in her hand and rose, walking around her desk to stare into Sai's face. "I think I have the first step in treating you. A way to confirm my diagnosis."

Sai nodded and continued to wait, his face placid and without expression of any kind.

The Hokage held up her note. "Shiho and Kiba just arrived at the gate with Inuzuka Hana. They're all safe and heading to my office now." Her gaze narrowed on the artist's face, cataloging any and all reactions. And she knew, from his training and from years being his Hokage, that there should be no signs of a reaction at all.

The corners of Sai's mouth drooped slightly, and then upwards. His eyes sparked for just an instant and his breathing hitched very slightly. Then he drew back slightly and touched his lips. "Something happened."

Tsunade nodded and grinned widely. "Yes, yes it did."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Any changes?" The gruff voice demanded.

Hinata sighed and opened her eyes. "Kiseki?

A muffled snort from a medic had Kankuro scowling down at his wife, though he couldn't keep the stern look. "Don't call me that in public." He chided gently, one hand tracing her unbruised cheek. "You look too pale."

Hinata sat up, making her poor husband's eyes widen in alarm. She pushed away his hands, then stilled and groaned. "Maybe I should lay back down." She murmured.

Kankuro pulled a blanket back up to her chin. "I don't want you moving too much. Here." He wrung out a fresh cloth soaked with water and placed it over her eyes. "Feel better?"

"Mm." She said, though didn't nod. Her head really did hurt. "The medic said no real damage."

The puppeteer frowned and picked up her hand. "No damage is good."

Hinata smiled, feeling petted and cared for. "You didn't let me fuss over you last year when you went and got yourself sliced up."

"That was nothing, didn't even scar." He dismissed the old injury as unimportant.

Sighing, Hinata let the moment go knowing that her husband hadn't scarred because she'd taken great pains to make sure his wounds had healed smoothly and evenly. Though he'd grumbled about letting her 'practice' her stitching techniques on his skin. At least Shizune and Tsunade had told her she'd done an excellent job.

"Nanako and Sakue told me that you distracted the One-Tail with a spinning defense that let them drag some injured ninja to safety." Kankuro's voice sounded a bit strained.

Hinata stiffened, was he going to another argument about her retiring as an active kunoichi? She thought they'd left those arguments behind them when she'd started training to be a surgical ninja.

"One of the men you saved was a childhood friend." He paused. "I don't know whether to thank you or throttle you for putting yourself in the demon's path like that."

"Can I choose option number one?" She said meekly.

Kankuro laughed and squeezed her hand. "Do I have to keep you pregnant to keep you out of danger?" He said jokingly, knowing it was only the pregnancy with their twins that had pulled her off of active missions.

Hinata stilled, hearing what she wanted but hadn't brought up yet knowing how panicked he'd been at the twin boy's birth. "Yes, please."

He stopped breathing and stared down at her covered face. Suspiciously he asked her, "do you have the Byakugan on? Can you see me through that cloth?"

"No." She murmured. "My head hurts too much for that."

Kankuro sighed. "You scared me today. Though several people told me how deadly and graceful you moved."

Hinata, feeling brave, squeezed his hand with her own. "Don't change the subject, you offered to get me pregnant again."

Appalled, he shook his head. "I was joking!"

Smiling despite her monster headache, Hinata squeezed his hand again. "I'm holding you to that."

Kankuro frowned sharply. "I don't think it's a good idea to put yourself throu..."

"I've wanted to bring this up for a while now." Hinata frowned and interrupted him. "Can we talk later though? My head hurts."

He eyed her carefully. "You're changing the subject to get your own way." The puppeteer said quietly. "Knowing that I can't argue with you because you're injured."

"True." She admitted. "I'm keeping you to your word."

"I didn't give my word." Kankuro growled low, but not loudly.

"My head hurts."

The puppeteer eyed his wife and the stubborn line of her chin and lips. "You only look sweet and shy, deep down you're tough as nails." He accused lightly.

Hinata smiled gently. "I am sweet. And I want a girl this time."

Kankuro shook his head in wonder. "I don't think I can do this to order." He commented dryly. "And don't think this means that I've agreed!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You'll need to talk to her." Baki said as he winced and shifted his weight so that only his toes touched the ground on his injured side. And that still hurt.

The Kazekage of Suna didn't respond. Yes. He and Hananbi were going to have to talk. And he felt a sinking feeling that he was actually going to have to do the unthinkable and apologize. Not that he'd been wrong exactly. But then she'd not been much wrong either. He winced as he thought of the way he'd unmasked her like he had. At least she'd backed off and had let him cool down. Hopefully she would forgive him quickly and not let the fight linger on.

"We'll be here at least through today, some people can't be moved." Baki mentioned.

"I'll be here, however you have to get back to Suna." Gaara said and nodded toward where the medics were bringing over the infant that they'd been examining. "I'll stay until everyone can be moved. You report to the council."

Baki nodded as both men fell silent, watching as the head medic brought the infant boy over to them. "He's perfectly healthy, the seals are holding strong and everything looks to be in order."

Gaara stared down at the baby the medic was holding and ignored little Harusame as the little girl pouted about the adults taking her little brother from her.

Baki shook his head in wonder. "Ebizou's enclosed note stated that I didn't have to look for a child to adopt, he'd found the perfect two for me. Apparently their mother died of a rare blood clot right after giving birth, and the father isn't in the picture. Orphans with no family."

"Kochi." Gaara stared at the little boy, trying to find some wisp of energy belonging to the One-Tail. But true to the texts, the binding process had driven the beast into quiescence. For now. He reached out to trace the seals on the boy's belly. Seals that had not graced his own body. "Ebizou did the seals properly, didn't he?"

Baki nodded carefully. "Full protection marks, keeping the demon from interfering with little Kochi's mind. He'll have a relatively normal childhood."

"Naruto didn't." The red-head said almost, but not quite, wistfully. Neither did I, he thought, but didn't say.

"My wife and I will make sure Kochi does." Baki said, catching his breath as the week old infant opened his dark blue eyes. Idly he wondered what color the eyes would settle into. He looked over at the little girl staring so intently up at him. Her eyes were blue, but a lighter color.

"His name means 'East Wind'." Gaara said quietly. "Who named him do you think? Ebizou?"

"Mama did!" Harusame pouted as she stared up at the grown-ups. "Mama named him and said that we were family!" Her little face fell a bit as she looked down. "Then mama went away."

Not knowing how to respond, Baki looked helplessly at Gaara. But the red-head was no help, having even less experience with children than his former sensei.

"Wind. East Wind. Wind jutsu." Baki shook his head finally. "That old man is scary. Was. Was scary. With what he knew. I never told him that my wife and I had finally decided to adopt. Never told him. And it's hardly common knowledge."

Knowing how private Baki could be, Gaara could only agree.

Feeling a tugging on his pants leg, the little girl pointed at his heavily wrapped ankle. "The man said you not suppose to be standing on that."

Gaara's lips twitched ever so slightly, though he did not actually smile.

Baki sighed as he looked down at little Harusame. "My wife is going to love you. And I can already tell the two of you are going to gang up on me."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	51. Grocery Lists

"Kazekage-domo?" The messenger sounded out of breath, and a bit frightened.

Gaara looked away from the head medic as they discussed the possibilities of moving the worst injured and the best way to accomplish the task. He frowned sharply, not having slept in ...well, he wasn't quite sure really.

The messenger, a young genin that Gaara recognized but could not recall the name, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. The Kazekage bit back the sharp comment on the tip of his tongue and instead nodded simply.

"Uhm, Saeko-sama sent me ...from Suna that is." The kid couldn't be more than twelve. Gaara supposed he couldn't just kill the boy for being annoying, no matter how tired he was at the moment.

"Where else would she send you from?" The head medic snapped. "Get on with it, boy!"

Gaara mentally sighed as the genin went red in the face and stammered an apology. At this rate he'd never get his message. "Saeko sent you." He prompted, trying for gentle but settling for terse instead as the genin backed up two steps and started staring at the ground in front of Gaara.

"Did the wounded arrive safely?" The head medic asked, knowing Saeko had been in charge of getting the lesser wounded back to Suna.

Gaara's breath hitched. "Baki and the children?" Had something happened to the new demon vessel, Kochi?

The genin looked up, actually relaxing a moment. "Being sent to the hospital when I was dispatched. And arguing about the need to go, actually."

Gaara grunted and his nerves settled down a bit. "Well?"

The kid went red, then pale, then swayed and then his arm shook a bit as he held out a written note bearing the Kazekage's distinctive seal.

The feeling of standing on the edge of a precipice overtook Gaara for a moment as his jade-pale eyes registered what he was seeing. There was a beat of silence, then two. A painful intake of breath. "I sent that message to be delivered to Kaji." His voice sounded harsh, even to his own ears.

The kid swallowed hard and shook his head. "Kaji-sama has not returned to Suna. Not yet. Neither has her teammates according to the guards."

Gaara's head nodded absently as he turned to walk away, leaving a shaking genin and a shocked medic. He looked over the horizon leading to the desert. Toward home. His home, Suna. When he'd told her to 'go home' he should have known this is what she'd do. He'd bet every grain of sand that he had that she was heading for Konoha.

The Kazekage turned to the genin. "Find me a message bird, I need to send a missive to the Hokage of the Leaf Village. Let her know that Shino and Yamato are fine and uninjured, and a report on Hinata's condition." No word did he speak of the missing Kaji. Not one word.

"Hai sir!" The boy snapped to attention, just happy to be alive. He knew Saeko had sent him with this message so that the Kazekage would be considerably less likely to get upset at a mere genin than a higher ranked jounin. And considering the rumors that had been circulating around their Kazekage and a certain masked chuunin for years ...well, he'd expected a different sort of reaction to his news that the kunoichi had not returned to Suna yet.

The Kazekage was taking the news pretty well, actually, the kid thought to himself. He turned his head just in time to see a whirlwind of sand suddenly envelope the empty wooden pen designed to trap the One-Tailed Beast. The kid slowed and watched in awe as sand covered the wooden cage and then compressed.

Splinters flew everywhere, and the kid blinked in alarm. But sand intercepted and stopped every piece of shrapnel, every piece. The genin started breathing again, though shallowly. He looked back at his Kazekage's calm expression and shuddered.

No. Gaara wasn't taking this news about Kaji well at all. Not one bit. Hurrying, the shaken genin raced to do as he'd been bid.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"We ready to leave?" Tsume walked up to Kakashi as the other man perched on a large rock, his feet drawn up and his book in his hands.

The silver-haired ninja didn't even bother to take his nose out of his book when he answered. "Naruto's still saying his goodbyes. That boy can make friends with anyone."

Tsume looked around and then shook her head as she spied Naruto with a crying Omoi and Killerbee as the three were being watched indulgently by Karui and Samui. "He does have a way about him, I must admit. Never thought I'd like the nine-tail vessel, but he's proven me wrong. Many times."

Kakashi grunted and looked up over the edge of his book at his teammate and former student. "Kid has come a long way."

"He still have the desire to be Hokage?" Tsume asked quietly.

"Hai." The copy-nin nodded. "When I first met him, I frankly didn't believe he had a chance. But now ..." He let his voice trail off a bit.

Tsume nodded and looked around for the rest of their group even as she answered. "Now, he's more than a hero in Konoha. Hokage isn't such a far leap anymore."

Kakashi looked carefully over at Tsume, his expression neutral. "Does that mean Naruto has your support in the jounin vote?" He asked, referring to the fact that while the Daimyo Lords elected the Hokage, that election had to be ratified by the jounin of the village before it became truly official. If the jounin refused to follow a person, then they couldn't possibly rule as Hokage.

Stopping, Tsume's eyes narrowed on her fellow jounin. She smiled like a predator, all teeth and fangs. "You campaigning now, Scarecrow?" She, and he, both knew that Tsunade was getting tired. And while a fantastic leader, she was much older than her appearance suggested.

The copy-nin shrugged negligently and went back to reading his Icha Icha novel. "No. Just idle curiosity while we wait to leave."

The Inuzuka clan leader, not a minor figure in Konoha, nodded carefully. "Then, just idly, I might say that the fact that our Naruto has made friends with the leaders in Suna, Rain, and now Cloud would not be overlooked. In the future." She paused discretely. "Idly speaking, of course."

"Of course." Kakashi didn't say anything more. Nothing more was needed.

Tsume frowned and shook her head. "Lee is with TenTen and Sakura being lectured to, the poor guy. But where is Rinako?"

"Still packing." Kakashi said, turning the page in his book.

The Inuzuka clan leader's eyes narrowed suddenly. "Oh, really?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi stopped by the pretty little creek. "Rest break." She announced without looking back at her two companions. Though she didn't need to turn her head to look at them, not with her Byakugan activated behind her mask.

"Technically, my call to make." Michi rolled his shoulders. "But this is as good a place as any."

Hanabi nodded stiffly and moved off into the trees for a bit of privacy.

Rokuro watched her go, then whispered to his teammate. "This is a mistake."

Michi didn't even pretend he didn't know to what Rocks was referring. "We all heard Gaara tell her to 'go home'. And he did reveal to everyone there that her home is not Suna."

Rocks protested. "She's just being stubborn." He sighed and ran an agitated hand through his short spikes currently colored green. "Gaara is going to have some serious fence-mending to do with Hanabi after this."

The water ninja nodded and then stiffened as he watched Hanabi return. She was keeping her back to them. Michi signaled to Rokuro, who nodded.

Being able to see in nearly 360 degrees was wonderful, unless you were attacked by something invisible. Like air. Hanabi cursed as she suddenly stumbled into a block of solidified air and it pushed her so that she turned toward her teammates as they stalked toward her.

Rocks caught his breath and Michi cursed under his breath.

Hanabi's mouth twisted cruelly. "Don't say a word." She snapped and took off toward Konoha.

Rocks sighed and shook his head. "Some SERIOUS fence-mending to do. With us and her both."

Michi growled and agreed even as both young men ran to catch up with the kunoichi flying through the trees as fast as her feet could carry her.

Both chuunin liked Gaara. But seeing Hanabi's mask damp around the eyes tore at them like nothing else. Hanabi didn't cry. They knew her inside and out. And to see the evidence of her misery solidified them as nothing else could.

There was no more talk about going back to Suna. Not yet. For now, they were definitely heading to Konoha instead. And if Gaara didn't come to find Hanabi to fix things? Michi and Rocks looked over at each other. Not good. Not good at all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Are you sure that he's alright?" Temari looked worriedly down at the tired and swaying boy who looked like he could fall over at any moment.

Katsumaru gave her a weak smile.

Shibi grunted and nodded as he stared at the young Aburame. "He's fine."

The blonde kunoichi wasn't so sure. "You've been at this for hours now."

The head of the bug ninja clan shook his head. "He needs to strengthen his chakra pathways and raise his endurance level now, before he enters the Academy. He needs to learn to control the destruction beetles now living in his body. If they should get out and he doesn't have enough energy to command them, then it could be disastrous."

"I found him! I found uncle Saedo!" Katsumaru crowed happily, referring to Shibi's middle son now fourteen and a chuunin. "He's on the east side of the hospital, near the delivery entrance."

Shibi nodded. "Good."

"And he's talking to a giiiiiirrrrl!" The newest Aburame to get a hive giggled despite his exhaustion from training with his grandfather.

"A girl?" Temari smiled as she sipped her tea. "But I thought Saedo was sweet on that girl he went to the Academy with?"

"He is." Shibi said gruffly. "Right now, according to my hive, Saedo is chatting with one of the nutritionists here at the hospital in charge of taking food deliveries. She's at least twenty years older than him. But at least Katsumaru got the fact that she is indeed a female correct."

The little Aburame's smile faded as his lips fell into a pout. Temari hid her smile behind her tea cup and tried not to laugh at Katsumaru's chagrin. "How did you know all that from your bugs?"

Shibi shrugged. "I ordered him to speak with the nutritionist. Therefore, it is most likely her that he is now speaking with."

Temari stiffened. "Because of me? You're checking up on my food supply?" The head of the Aburame clan did not answer her, which was telling enough as far as Temari was concerned. "You're taking 'care' of me is reaching new heights in absurdity." She grumbled.

"Katsumaru?" Shibi studiously ignored his daughter-by-marriage. What was wrong with making sure the food deliveries were of good quality? This wasn't Konoha. Changing the subject, he addressed his youngest grandchild. "So who is approaching our room right now?"

The young boy's mouth formed an 'o' of distress.

Shibi shook his head. "You sent all the kikai you could reasonably control on the search for Saedo, but you forgot to post sentry bugs to alert you if anyone was approaching?" His voice was stern, but not ungentle.

Katsumaru dropped his head and scuffed the toe of his boot against the flooring. "I thought that there were Aburame guards at every entry and exit to this floor."

Temari sighed and shook her head. "Of course there are." She muttered snidely.

"The Aburame guards will let through those I've approved, or hospital personnel." Shibi said quietly. "That means that the hospital floor is not secure."

A soft knock on the door had Temari calling out to whomever was out there. "Come in! Please, I need some fresh company."

Baki's wife, Kimiko, poked her head inside. "Is this a bad time?"

"No!" Temari laughed. "Save me!"

Shibi grunted as the other female entered, signaling to Katsumaru to follow him out into the waiting area. They would stop training for now. The boy was tired, and outsiders did not need to be witness to their training methods anyway.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

Rinako spun, shocked that anyone could sneak up on her. She looked for Kirohu, but her nin-dog had the same shocked look that she was currently wearing herself. "Doing?"

Tsume chuckled, looking relaxed as she leaned against the tree, hidden in the shade of it's leafs that also protected her against the rain now falling. Her own nin-dog was sitting quietly beside her. "You're part of my clan now, little girl. Can't have you go sneaking off to go missing-nin on me. Wouldn't reflect well on the Inuzuka."

The former Cloud kunoichi jerked back as if she'd been struck. "Clan?"

"What? I haven't told you yet?" Tsume yawned. "We still have to hide the fact that you're alive until the current Raikage is deposed. Simple. Where better than to hide a nin-dog and his master than in a clan like the Inuzuka? Perfect. You're now one of my distant cousins come to live with us. We'll have to come up with a new name for both you and Kirohu though, just in case."

"New name?" Rinako suddenly frowned. "I sound like a complete idiot, repeating what you say." Angrily she pushed her wet hair out of her face, though she ignored the rain falling on her even now.

"No argument from me." Tsume straightened up and walked over to Rinako. "I know it seems like Cloud is throwing you away, but you're better off with us right now. Burned your bridges, little girl. Cloud is no longer your home. You knew the consequences when you disobeyed a direct order from your Raikage and betrayed him. And don't tell me that you didn't think of trying to escape from Konoha and return here to search for the others opposed to the usurper. What stopped you anyway?"

Rinako sighed and looked away for a long moment. "To keep my mother and younger brothers safe. If I escaped from Konoha to seek out the Cloud rebels, there was too high a chance I'd be spotted and recognized. If the Raikage had found out that I wasn't dead ..."

"He'd have slaughtered your family. I get that." Tsume nodded. "All the better not to go missing nin now. Come with us to Konoha. Once the Raikage is deposed, then you can send word to your family that you live. And if the Raikage wins, then all the better to stay 'dead' and keep them all safe."

The younger kunoichi sighed and redistributed the weight of her travel pack from one shoulder to the other. Go to Konoha? Just give up and leave? "I'm not a coward."

"Liar." Tsume grinned through her low growl.

Rinako stiffened, her dark eyes sharpening with temper.

"A coward would run away. A brave person would go into exile to save those she loves." Tsume walked up into the other girl's space. "You did it before. Nothing has changed."

Rinako fought the urge to step back, staying were she was, meeting the older kunoichi's gaze head on. What had changed? Ashamed, she realized it was because Lee would never return the feelings she had for him. Not a good enough reason to run off though. She rolled her shoulders and looked over at the leader of the Inuzuka. "I won't marry your son." She snapped, referring to the old broken engagement between she and Kiba.

Tsume chuckled. "Good. Because that would be too close to incest now that you're my young 'cousin' from another part of the clan."

Relaxing slightly, Rinako gave a stiff nod of her head. In the back of her mind, she refused to think about Lee. Konoha was a big place. She didn't have to necessarily run into him a lot. Though part of her wasn't so sure that was a good thing. Still, as long as he was hung up on Sakura, maybe she should avoid ...

"RINAKO!"

The kunoichi grimaced and shut her eyes. "Lee." She whispered.

Tsume chuckled and stepped back into the shadows, retreating. "Seems I'm not the only one to miss you, girl. We'll be ready to leave soon. Are you coming?"

Reluctantly, Rinako nodded even as she turned to face the onslaught that was Rock Lee.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Sai!" Shiho smiled brightly as she entered the Hokage's inner office. "You're alive!"

The artist nin looked at her, blinked, and nodded. "You state the obvious." He said blandly.

Kiba grinned at him from behind the code-breaker. "Made it."

"You're late." Sai said, then blinked as he heard the tone of his own voice. He'd sounded ...odd just then. Almost ...irritated? And had his heart-rate picked up a little? He looked over at the Hokage, thinking to mention this new symptom, but the woman was watching him closely and smirking. He'd keep silent. For now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara stared at the blank piece of parchment and frowned. What to write? A soft sound of a person behind him made the Kazekage scowl. The message bird was ready, but he wasn't ready with the message.

Swiftly he wrote out a brief report of their victory, but did not mention the new demon vessel. Not everything needed to be spelled out to a foreign leader. He ran down the list of Leaf ninja involved and how they were doing. He even added Temari and Kankuro as they were now technically Leaf.

Finally there was nothing left to write except about Team Hyakunan. Gaara shook his head slightly, the team was truly living up to it's name of 'all kinds of trouble'.

What did he want to write? How to handle this? Gaara's jade-pale eyes narrowed as he ran through his options. He didn't like the options. So change them. How? Finally, Gaara grunted slightly and bent forward to finish his note to the Hokage of Leaf.

"Ready." He called out to the shinobi in charge of the large message birds.

Now. How would Hanabi respond when she found out about this? Gaara's mood lightened a bit as he thought about that. She'd take it as a challenge, he was quite sure. And she would be more apt to respond to a challenge than she would to an apology.

The shinobi collected the message and hesitated. "You don't mean to include another message. Perhaps to someone else in Konoha?"

Gaara stiffened and turned, looking carefully blank. The jounin just looked back at him, also with a blank expression. "The bird can carry more than one message." The man spoke slowly and carefully.

"No." The red-head said quietly. "That will be all."

The jounin bowed his head and backed off, leaving to ready the message bird and trying not to look disappointed.

The Kazekage sighed. They knew. At least his jounin did. After he'd unmasked Kaji, and the fact that she'd not returned to Suna after he himself had told her to 'go home' ...they had guessed where she'd gone.

And apparently they wanted her back just like he did.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shibi sent a sleepy looking Katsumaru off to get some rest. The boy had done well enough, though he tended to act rashly and commit all his kikai into a task, rather than reserve some just in case. Shino had been a better strategist at his age, still the youngster had a lot of promise.

As if the thought of his eldest conjured him, Shibi stiffened and turned. The door at the end of the corridor opened and his son and heir was suddenly standing there. The clan leader let his eyes, hidden by his dark glasses, run over the young man and grunted as he saw no obvious injuries beyond a wrapped wrist.

Shino walked up to his father and they two stood there quietly for a moment. "Temari?"

"She's fine. You?" Shibi asked, his tone even and controlled. "The One-Tail?"

"Contained." Shino nodded and held up his wrist. "Cracked a couple of bones, nothing major. Fractured two ribs."

"Your voice sounds different." Shibi cocked his head slightly to the side.

Shino grimaced slightly. "Got a lung full of sand, some damage but it's healing."

Shibi grunted. "She's getting restless, doesn't like to be still or quiet." He said, referring to his daughter-by-marriage. "Katsumaru helps."

If the younger man was surprised that his father had brought along a six-year old Aburame with a new hive, he didn't show it. "I saw several of our clan." And had sensed a lot more, he thought.

Ignoring the question of why he had brought along so many Aburame, Shibi stepped aside. "You'd better check in with Temari. She's not alone though."

Shino nodded and walked over to the door, one knock and then he entered.

Temari and Kimiko both looked up and then the blonde's face lit with joy.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Alright." Tsunade grinned and made grabby fingers at Shiho. "Show me what you brought. Sai said you risked your life to bring back some scrolls that you claimed were hugely important."

Shiho looked to the side at Sai and then at Kiba. This was classified information.

Tsunade shook her head, reading the other kunoichi's face correctly. "I'll debrief you three together, then let Sai go. You and Kiba will be next, then you and I will go over the specifics of what you've found after I let Kiba leave." She smiled wickedly. "And then you can tell me why you're wearing Sai's clothing and looking far better in them than he does."

Kiba grinned and let his eyes roam over the delicious curves of Shiho's backside and legs. Sai merely looked indifferent to the loss of his clothing.

A brief knock on the door and a man with shaggy hair and sleepy eyes looked inside. Shiho stiffened. This was her boss, the head of cryptology for Konoha. "Imamura Genichi!"

"Shiho." The man nodded with a smile. "I just got your message, Lady Tsunade."

"Good, good! Come in!" The Hokage gestured for the man to close the door behind him. "Shiho was about to show me the scrolls she managed to save."

Kiba grinned as he looked at the excited face of the head cryptologist and the Hokage. His girl was something else! He turned to look at her, and stopped. Sai was looking at Shiho too. His face was neutral, but ...Kiba frowned. Something was suddenly rubbing his nerves the wrong way.

Shiho, oblivious to everything, was tugging on one of the travel packs that Kiba was carrying. He took it off for her and set it down. His librarian dug into the packs, but was having trouble with the ties because of her left arm.

Tsunade frowned, seeing the awkward way Shiho was moving. "You're guarding that left arm a lot, what happened?" Referring to how a person will hold back a wounded limb to keep it from hurting.

Kiba grunted. "We were being chased, attacked. Mist shinobi. Her shoulder got dislocated, I've field dressed it but it needs to be looked at."

The Hokage nodded. "Soon as we're done here." She promised.

The dog nin looked back over at Sai and saw that the other man's eyes were on Shiho's left shoulder. There was still no expression on the artist's face, but every instinct Kiba possessed sensed that the other shinobi wasn't happy.

Sai's eyes lifted and met Kiba's in an almost accusatory fashion. The Inuzuka growled a warning. Sai took a step forward instead of backing off.

"HERE it is!" Shiho crowed and pulled out a simple looking scroll triumphantly, putting it carefully on the Hokage's desk.

"Gentlemen!" Tsunade snapped. Both Sai and Kiba stopped and turned to look at their leader almost reluctantly. The Hokage sighed. She'd been so thrilled to find out that Sai was developing emotions. But she'd not reckoned on the debriefing turning into a pissing contest.

"According to Sai, most of the valuable scrolls had already been pilfered by the time you were able to get to the main library." Tsunade said, her cold voice holding a direct warning. Both Kiba and Sai backed off, though still on edge.

"Valuable?" Shiho stuck out her tongue and made a rude noise. "They had gems and gilt scroll work, but I got the REAL prize!"

Kiba grinned at her back, loving how her wild curls bounced with her excited movements as she opened the scroll. "What is it, sweetheart?" His voice was almost a caress as he verbally staked his claim in front of everyone.

Sai stiffened.

Shiho looked back at him, her big blue eyes sparkling. "The Akatsuki grocery lists and accounts."

Kiba's indulgent smile dissipated.

Sai turned his inscrutable dark eyes onto the code-breaker, taken aback slightly. "What?"

"You risked your LIFE for a grocery list?" Kiba's voice was a small roar, his dark eyes growing huge. "A fucking grocery list?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gentle Kimiko, shorter and slighter than anyone else in the room, burst through the door with her dark eyes wide with worry.

Baki shut his mouth, biting back the curse he'd been about to say. The medic looked up from the man's ankle. "You're not supposed to be in here."

"I'm his wife." Kimiko rushed over to her husband, her dark eyes going over every inch of him. He looked fine, sitting there sipping a glass of water. Though she winced at some of the dried blood stains on his shirt and trousers, poking a finger at one of the longer tears.

Baki caught her hand with his own free one. "Those were mostly superficial and are already healing."

The nurses smiled knowingly at Kimiko and one even pulled up a chair for her next to her husband. "Shino said that you were injured." She whispered.

"I'll have to thank him for scaring you." Baki growled and let her take his hand. He knew it was hard on his wife every time he went out on a mission. As a shinobi he should never have married a civilian. He looked at her face and knew he'd never stood a chance against her.

The medic sighed. "There is a lot of damage down here." He shook his head. "The surgeons will need to be consulted, but some of these bones are simply gone. Crushed. I don't know how you walked in like you did. The field medics should have told you to stay off this ankle completely."

Baki said nothing. Looking at him Kimiko sighed. "They probably did tell him that." She said as she gave her husband a long look. "But he doesn't obey well."

The medic clucked his tongue. "Most ninja don't. Unless it's from the Kazekage."

Kimiko nodded. "The only reason he's still not out in the desert with our Kazekage is probably because Gaara-sama ordered him back here."

Baki stayed quiet, not wanting to let them know that Gaara's direct order WAS the basically the only reason he'd returned to Suna before everything out there was taken care of. And one of the two other reasons took that moment to come running into the room.

Kimiko looked startled as a whirlwind of a six-year old girl run up to Baki and pressed a cup of water in his hand. So now he was holding two glasses. Then she turned and without a word ran from the room again.

"Baki?"

The shinobi took a sip of water and wondered exactly how to put this.

"Who was that?"

The one-eyed man shrugged. "Harusame. She was getting underfoot, so I told her that I was thirsty."

Kimiko nodded, though she really didn't understand. She eyed the two glasses of water. "Just how thirsty did you tell that poor child you were?"

"I didn't." Baki sighed. "I think she likes having someone to boss around. Kamiko? About Harusame ...I have to tell you ..."

His wife opened her mouth to ask another question, but stopped as the same little girl came running into the room with yet another glass of water. Kimiko watched with astonishment and even amusement as little Harusame eyed Baki and his full two hands. She watched as the six-year old tried to figure out how to hand Baki the third glass.

Kimiko pointed to a small tray next to Baki's chair. "You can put it there, but I don't think he needs another glass after this one."

Harusame flashed a smile and nodded as she stretched to put the glass on the tray, but stumbled slightly and the glass fell over, splashing Baki's shoulder. The little girl stopped and stared, the oddest expression on her face.

Baki sighed and looked at his wife. "She's trying to come up with a reason that this spill was all my fault."

Kimiko blinked and smiled over at the little girl. "Never mind. Now, who are you?"

Harusame turned wide blue eyes on the pretty lady and smiled, pointing at Baki. "He my new papa."

Catching her breath, Kimiko's wide dark eyes flew over to meet Baki's gaze. He smiled weakly at her. "I have some things to tell you."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako stared up at the umbrella now over her head. She looked down at Lee as the green-clad shinobi grinned happily at her. She then looked down at her already soaked clothing. "A little too late to try and keep me dry." She said snippily, her temper rough around the edges still.

Lee's mega-watt grin faded a bit around the edges.

Seeing that, Rinako stopped. Lee was her friend. He had no clue that she felt more for him than he did for her. And he was trying to be nice. And here she was being bitchy. "Thanks Lee, it's a very kind thing for you to do." Her tone softned completely.

"Anything for you, Miss Rinako!" Lee's smile ramped up again to full brilliance.

Rinako smiled sadly. If only he meant that, really meant that. Slowly she looked at him, so eager and so happy to be of use to her. He'd been acting a bit strange lately, going out of his way to try and please her. Was this to try and help her get over being kicked out of Cloud? Or ...was he starting to have real feelings for her?

Not one to shy away from much, Rinako opened her mouth to ask. Then shut her mouth tightly as Naruto burst outside, followed by a loud and wheedling Sakura.

"Naruto? Tell me! I won't get mad that you're writing the very books that are corrupting my poor mother. I just want to know why! I won't even yell at you!" The pink-haired girl promised.

Rinako couldn't help herself. "You're already yelling." She pointed out.

Sakura stopped and blushed a bit, realizing that the other kunoichi was right. Naruto grinned and flashed her a thumb's up sign before clapping Lee on the shoulder. "Ready to go?"

The dog kunoichi watched as her moment slipped away as everyone else came outside, getting ready to take off for Konoha. And heaven help her, she was now one of them. She looked over at Lee, a bit surprised to find he was still standing next to her, umbrella over her head. Looking at her still.

"Lee?" She asked, her voice soft.

He leaned in toward her.

"TELL ME!" The words rang out through the area, making both Rinako and Lee jump as Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and dug in her heels. Looking up at Lee, she sighed as she saw his attention was now on the other couple.

Or at least on Sakura. Damn it!

o.O.o.O.o.O

"BRILLIANT!" Genichi cried out in excitement, making everyone in the office stop and stare at the man. "Shiho, you are a credit to my staff. That is brilliant!"

Tsunade looked confused and a bit lost. "It is?"

Sai and Kiba shared a look, both wondering what was so great about a grocery list that would make a girl risk her life to grab it. For the moment, they were in agreement, then the moment was gone.

"The other scrolls are full of traps and misinformation. Codes that will take years to break. There were even some genjutsu traps laid in with the scrolls." Shiho smiled and petted the accounts scroll with her hand.

"But if you want to know what a person is doing, or how ...look at what they've bought." Genichi nodded proudly. "Don't read the history texts, it's full of lies and half-truths. Remember the old tale of the Ogre King? And his army of thousands? According to historical receipts, he'd only purchased enough to arm and provide for an army of 1200. Hardly 'thousands'. Don't read the treatise on their philosophies ..."

Tsunade nodded, catching on. "Look at what they actually bought day to day." She fought not to grimace as she mentally took a look at her own accounts. Gambling slips and sake receipts. Shit.

"And if you lay the timetable of what was purchased next to the list of known Akatsuki movements, then you get a more accurate picture of what they were doing." Shiho grinned.

"Such as?" Kiba couldn't help himself.

Shiho nodded and rolled out the accounts. "Here. On this date, recognize it?"

Tsunade looked. "About the time that Gaara was captured." She mused.

The code-breaker nodded with excitement. "And about two weeks before ...this is what was ordered! Extra parchment already blessed at various temples. The kind suitable for sutra tags. Special inks, nails, lanterns, perfumes and ..."

"Yes, yes." Tsunade shook her head, amazed. "What you're saying is that you can decipher the type of holding pen that could hold the various Tailed Beasts by what was purchased to build those cages." She whistled. "Damn."

Kiba shook his own head. His little librarian was beyond merely smart.

"What's more." Shiho pointed to several entries. "Kisame had a fondness for sushi that the others simply didn't share, and by the lack of orders here ...here ...and here ...we can surmise that he was not in the fortress at those time periods."

Sai blinked. He'd had no idea you could track an enemy's whereabouts ...through grocery lists.

"And apparently Hidan had to have a specialized diet, probably for religious reasons." Shiho continued, pointing to other notations. "And after every Beast was captured, the orders for his special foods was put on hold."

"So?" Tsunade asked, but more with anticipation than doubt. "What does that mean?"

"At the same time Hidan's foods stop?" Shiho grinned. "Extra provisions are laid in, a lot of them. With extra orders for temple incense and all the building materials. If I had to guess. The Akatsuki would send Hidan away so they could bring in holy monks to bless and consecrate the grounds where they meant to build a pen for each Beast as they captured it. After the reports of Hidan's religious views, I doubt the man would have sat still for the monk's ceremonies."

"Smart." Kiba eyed Shiho with appreciation, so proud of her.

But the code-breaker sat back, looking a bit sad. "But there are no provisions ordered for the day after the ceremonies. And no travel rations either."

Tsunade sighed deeply, knowing what the other kunoichi was alluding to, unfortunately. "You think they slaughtered the monks after the grounds were blessed?"

Shiho shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that no travel rations were ordered, and none of the Akatsuki appeared to leave to escort anyone back to their temples. Just that Hidan's specialty foods started getting ordered again."

The Hokage nodded. Then shook her head at the rolls upon rolls of accounts that had been bundled up in the scrolls. "This looks like it will take a while to go through."

"And we have to match it up against known Akatsuki movements." The head of the cryptology department nodded, giving Shiho a ghost of a smile. "Good job."

Blushing slightly, Shiho nodded her thanks. "But I think it will also be possible to tell which Beasts are in which pens, if we can find the key to what was ordered for which beast and how it differed from the others. That was what I was working on when the fortress was attacked. I brought my notes with me." She leaned over and grabbed a sheaf of papers still in the travel pack, then winced and grabbed at her left shoulder.

"Here." Kiba reached forward helpfully. "You risked your life to get these back here, the least I can do is get them for you."

Shiho nodded, then pulled out one roll of parchment. "Not this one. It's mine."

Kiba started to nod and then looked up in time to see Shiho cast a worried look in Sai's direction. He stilled. He took the rolled up parchment from her. "You managed to save this during an attack, it must be important."

Tsunade reached over and snagged the rolled up parchment from Kiba. "What is it?"

"It's mine." Shiho said quietly, her eyes wide and earnest.

Tsunade opened it up a little, then shrugged. "Nice likeness of you." She spread out the parchment and looked up at Sai. "Good job capturing her smile."

Kiba looked a bit shocked as he stared at the casual pencil sketched portrait of Shiho. Smiling. At the artist. Which had to have been Sai. A red aura descended over Kiba's vision as he clenched his hands. Akamaru looked up at his master, sensing the sudden mood change.

Sai, looked a bit paler than normal. He looked at the sketch, and then back at Shiho. "You saved that piece of scrap?"

"I like it." Shiho stared at the artist ninja resolutely. "And you threw it away."

Kiba growled low in his throat, a warning rumble of a sound.

Tsunade looked up and stared first at a rather bemused looking Sai, and then at a furious looking Kiba. "Well damn it." She muttered.

The Inuzuka took two steps forward.

Sai's hand went to the hilt of his weapon.

Shiho squeaked as the Hokage abruptly grabbed her and pulled her out of the way. "Wha?"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	52. Friends and Family

Shiho watched with wide horrified eyes as Kiba suddenly disappeared from where he was standing, moving so fast it made her dizzy just by watching. By the time she'd turned to look at Sai, she saw the spinning move the artistic nin made as he evaded a direct hit that would have left deep furrows in his skin if it had connected.

Catching her breath, Shiho noted the taloned hands that had come perilously close to Sai's carotid artery. Then swayed as Sai's weapon struck a glancing blow off Kiba's arm as the dog nin moved just enough to deflect the strike from breaking his bones, sliding off his coat. Taking the momentum from his move, Kiba then swung a foot out and Sai's neck snapped back as he threw himself into a backwards in a leap that not only countered the strike, but sent his own foot out toward Kiba's jaw.

Shiho's stomach cramped with horror as she waited for the sickening crunch of impact ...that never came. Kiba moved just enough to avoid the strike all while moving to better his postion. Her hands drop to her stomach as she watched both young men spring apart. For a blessed moment she thought it might be over. But then Sai's left foot turned and his muscles tightened, a cold look in his eyes. Kiba's eyes burned hot with rage, but also with thoughtful intensity as he gauged his opponent's stance.

"No." The code-breaker whispered, her voice weak and frightened. Then her lips quivered before finally firming. "NO." She said more forcefully, her hands flying to form seals. "Stop it!"

The first thing Sai noticed was that his feet were sinking into the ground. Confused a moment he jumped clear, onto the Hokage's desk as papers and scrolls scattered everywhere. Shiho squealed as she and her boss Genichi both grabbed her notes and scrolls. She protectively hugged the precious Akatsuki scrolls and accounts close to her body.

Tsunade blinked twice and stared. "Is there a pool of mud ...in my office?"

Blinking down at the mud hole now in the center of the office he wondered a moment. "This isn't one of your jutsu." He looked over at Kiba.

The Inuzuka, also having jumped, landed on a narrow window sill, his balance perfect. However, the poor potted plants fell and their pots shattered. "It's hers." His eyes flicked over toward Shiho.

Akamaru, who'd never bothered to move in the first place, yawned and shook his shaggy head. Though his canine eyes watched Sai carefully.

The artistic nin looked curiously over at Shiho. "You have a jutsu?"

The code-breaker huffed in indignity and pushed back her unruly curls with a shaky hand. "Stop it, now!" She ordered heatedly. "What do the two of you think you're doing?"

"You never told me that you had a jutsu." Sai blinked over at Shiho, his mouth drooping slightly.

"Oh, like you've told her all about your various jutsu and moves." Kiba snarled and moved away from the window sill, skirting the edges of the mud pool in the center of the office. "We're ninja, we don't all run off and show all our jutsu to each other."

Tsunade clucked her tongue even as she grinned lopsidedly. "Better she stopped it than me. This way I don't have to heal you afterward."

Kiba growled, keeping a careful eye on Sai even as he rubbed a splash of mud from his chin. "He needs to stay away from my girl."

Shiho's mouth dropped open. Not shocked so much that Kiba thought of her as 'his girl', he'd made that abundantly clear on the journey to Konoha. But that his voice had sounded so damned possessive. It was doing weird things to her nerves. Her skin suddenly felt prickly all over.

"She could do better." Sai commented dryly. "A lot better."

"Like who?" Kiba snapped, his temper starting to spike again.

"Whom." Shiho said, correcting the sentence automatically, then clapping one hand over her mouth. Her wide blue eyes watching Kiba carefully.

But the Inuzuka's focus was only on Sai. "You?" He snarled the word in a low warning growl, his eyes narrowing darkly.

"No." Everyone stopped and turned to look at Sai. The usually expressionless shinobi straightened up out of his combat stance. "At least, I don't ... I don't think so." He looked over at Tsunade questioningly.

"Congratulations. You have emotions!" She said with an almost apologetic shrug.

Sai paused. "I'm in love with Shiho?" His voice made it a question, but to a certain Inuzuka it sounded more like a statement. A direct challenge. One that had even Akamaru standing up, his hackles rising as the canine growled.

Kiba absolutely exploded with a roar of furious anger, his fangs in full sight as his taloned hands started in on hand-seals.

Without even a flicker of a thought, Sai's hands went to his special inks and parchment.

"No!" Shiho yelled, but neither paid her any mind.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari was lying in a half-way upright position, her back pressed up against her husband's chest. His arms were around her, one hand covering her barely rounded belly and the other resting on her opposite shoulder. Her head was back and resting on his shoulder.

"Are you asleep?" He murmured into her ear.

Temari laid there, breathing. Completely relaxed for the first time since they'd left the Akatsuki fortress. Or maybe it had been longer than that. Finally she answered. "No."

Shino pressed an airy kiss to the soft skin behind her ear.

"Your father brought nearly the entire clan. My poor brother will think it's an invasion." Temari tilted her head slightly, giving Shino better access. Which he took.

Nibbling on her skin, he chuckled low and gravelly. "We'll have to talk to him about sending some back home." He paused and nuzzled her neck gently. "When do the medics think you'll be safe to travel?"

Frowning took too much effort, instead Temari merely sighed. "I don't know. They don't know. They said normally that as long as I felt alright, I'd be good to go in a few days. But ...with so many miscarriages in the past, they're not sure."

Shino's arms tightened around her and Temari's pique dissipated. "Mm."

"If we stay in Suna to have the baby, we'll never get my father to send anyone back to Konoha." Shino rumbled softly.

Temari gave a lazy smile and put her hand on top of her husband's as they touched her pregnant belly. "Get him to send some people home, THEN tell him that we're staying here."

Shino grunted, but didn't argue.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara tapped on the door before opening it, his face a picture of stoicism and control. Not even a whisper of what he was feeling showed, not on his features, not in his eyes.

The nurse turned smiling, then that smile brightened a little as she saw who it was standing in the nursery door. She bowed low, her voice respectful. "Kazekage-domo. The child isn't here."

Jade-pale eyes took in the empty crib. "Where?"

The nurse turned and pointed to a door across the hall. "Kimiko-sama is feeding the infant."

Turning, Gaara eyed the door. Did he want to interrupt? Before he could decide, the nurse had hurried over and opened the door for him. The Kazekage bit back a sigh. It seemed like everyone else was making his decisions for him lately. Ebizou, this nurse, even Hanabi. When had he lost control?

Kimiko looked up at him and Gaara froze where he was, half-way into the room. Unable to move in or out.

Baki's wife was no great beauty. Pretty in a plain sort of way, if anyone described her. But her personality had always given her a grace, a charisma that had drawn everyone to her. Baki included. But now, looking at her smile as she held little Kochi, Gaara thought she'd crossed the line into beautiful.

Her smile brought an echo of a smile to his face as he finally moved forward. He stopped to stare down at the new miniature vessel for the One-Tailed Shukaku.

It was a fairly unimpressive sight.

Kochi was more than half-way asleep, sucking absently at a bottle now and again as he fought to stay awake. Every now and again a hand would twitch, or his eyes would blink open before quickly closing again. Gaara looked up at Kimiko and her smile had his breath hitching.

If he'd had any doubts about Kochi being loved, he had none now.

Gaara cleared his throat carefully. How to say this? "You know, I was utterly spoiled as a child. It wasn't a good ..." His voice sounded harsh, even to his own ears.

"Shh!"

The red-head's eyes slid over to the little girl snuggled up next to Kimiko. Harusame, he thought the girl's name was.

"Whisper!" The little girl commanded. "You be quiet!"

Kimiko smiled gently down at the girl. "This is the Kazekage, we don't order him around. Now, will you do me a favor and go tell the nurse that your brother is almost asleep."

Gaara watched the little girl struggle with the need to scold him versus the need to be helpful. Finally the little girl slid out of her seat and ran toward the door, but not before shooting Gaara a look that clearly said that he needed to mind.

Kimiko watched as Gaara stood there, nonplussed. Unsure how to handle a bossy six-year-old that wasn't impressed with him. Or frightened. "Kochi won't be raised as you were, Kazekage-domo." She said quietly. "I promise."

Grunting slightly, Gaara nodded. He'd been so spoiled as an infant and toddler, that he'd expected everything to be handed to him always. Including friends. And when the other children and villagers had not responded as he would have liked, his temper had manifested as a murderous instinct. An instinct that the demon had skillfully exploited, further cutting Gaara off from everyone else around him. Cutting him off from his own humanity. It had taken him a long time, and a certain orange-clad Leaf shinobi, to show him that friendship was given and earned, not taken for granted. And that respect came with responsibilities.

"The seals will keep him sane." Gaara said quietly. And I'll be watching, he didn't add aloud.

Kimiko smiled and tilted her head toward the door where Harusame had disappeared. "I think that one is far more bossy than your Temari ever was. She won't let Kochi get too big for his britches."

Nodding, Gaara kept his eyes on little Kochi who had now lost his battle and was completely asleep. He watched as Kimiko put down the bottle and raised the baby up to her shoulder to burp him. The infant stirred slightly in protest before burping and falling back asleep. "Not much to him."

"Give him time, he's young yet." Kimiko cooed down at the sleeping infant as she held him tenderly.

With a pang, Gaara suddenly felt the need to flee. To run. Here was what he'd never had. It took everything he had not to move away.

"Baki will need to retire from active missions." Kimiko said, and it took a long moment for her words to register.

Coming back to the conversation, Gaara slowly nodded. "I've spoken with the surgeons." Baki's ankle was beyond repair. He'd walk, but he'd limp. And there was no guarantee that even after his surgery the ankle would support him for long periods of time.

"He won't react well to that." The man's wife looked up, worry now in her dark eyes.

Gaara shrugged, not sure what response she was looking for from him. "He's still a brilliant shinobi. I need him on my council." He said truthfully. Did she want her husband to retire?

Kimiko's face lightened as she nodded. "Good. Thank you, Kazekage-domo." Knowing that her husband would not do well with a full retirement. Not yet.

The red-head relaxed, at least he'd done that right.

"We want you to stand as God-father." Kimiko continued. "Baki was going to ask you, but since you're here ..."

Startled, Gaara's breath caught slightly. "Of course." He said almost numbly.

"And ..." Kimiko paused, chewing her bottom lip slightly. "I know it's unheard of ..."

"What?"

"They ARE our allies!" Kimiko rushed her words, looking worried. "And Temari and Kankuro are both Leaf now."

Stilling, Gaara eyed the woman carefully. "What?"

"Baki told me about Naruto. So did Temari, really. And he's a vessel like you were ..."

"You want him to act as a God-father too?" The red-head asked incredulously. She was right, it was unheard of. And yet ...and yet almost perfect. "We'll see. It will have to be run through the council."

Kimiko smiled as the nurse came in to collect baby Kochi. "They say I can take him home tomorrow, that everything is fine. The seals are perfect."

Gaara felt a small hand tug on his tunic. Looking down he met the blue eyes of little Harusame. He looked at her, and she looked up at him.

"That my brother." She pointed.

Gaara nodded absently.

"Kazekage-domo? You'll be God-father to both of them, you know. Kochi and Harusame too." Kimiko said, watching the two.

Gaara's expression froze as he looked back down at the little girl.

Harusame wrinkled her nose at him, completely fearless. "You have writing on you face. Did you know that, huh?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu was in a foul, foul temper.

Kaji wasn't here. He'd done enough spying to know that she lived, but that she'd not returned from the battle. He didn't know why yet. But he would find out, oh hell yes he'd find out.

And why had she gone to Konoha of all places?

Fury welled up within him and he stuck to the shadows as he watched people pass by him, oblivious to his presence.

Now. He needed to calm down. He couldn't kill anyone to rein in his temper. Not yet. That would put people on alert, something he didn't need.

What he did need was information. The best place for information was the Kazekage tower, but he didn't dare. He'd be in far more danger of being discovered there. So where else?

His eyes fell on a young shinobi walking by with his arm in a sling. Yurasu smiled. Suna had just won a major victory against a tailed beast. Of course there would be injured. And a lot of people hanging around the hospital. A gold mine of information.

And if someone who was injured took an unexpected turn for the worse and died? No need to put the entire village on alert. No. This was perfect. The hospital it was.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata smiled as an unexpected visitor dropped by to pay his respects. "Aburame-sama!"

Kankuro looked up from where he was doing joint repairs on Crow in a corner of his wife's hospital room. He was still feeling a bit shaken by her injuries to leave her alone too long. She'd had a pretty bad concussion and it hadn't been pleasant waking her up every two hours that first night.

Part of him had felt guilty for disturbing her sleep, while another part had worried about what if he couldn't wake her? Happily, she was doing much better now.

Shibi stepped into the room. "I have orders to return you to Konoha."

"Right now?" Hinata's eyes widened. "Really?"

"At my discretion, according to the Hokage. Your husband too." Shibi reassured her. "The medics will tell me nothing, as I'm not family. But you look good."

"I'm feeling much improved, thank you." Hinata smiled shyly at her former teammate's father.

"I'm to take your sister back as well. But apparently she's beaten me to the punch." Shibi mentioned dryly.

Kankuro's hand slipped, scratching his fingers with the small tool he was using. He widened his eyes at the Aburame clan leader and shook his head quickly. Hinata didn't yet know that Hanabi wasn't in Suna right now. He'd not thought to stop by and warn the man, as he hadn't been aware that Shibi knew about Hanabi still being alive.

"I'm sorry. Hanabi hasn't been to see me yet." Hinata said, a bit puzzled, and yet obviously relieved that Shibi already knew about her sister not being dead. "Kankuro assures me that she's fine, but is really busy with the clean-up from the fighting. I think she's still out in the desert with Gaara."

Shibi grunted, and kept his mouth carefully shut. But it was already too late.

Hinata stilled, going over everything in her mind. "But that's not what you just said, is it?" Slowly she turned her head to look at her husband, a look of hurt across her face. "She's ...not with Gaaara or in Suna, is she? Left already? But then where?"

Kankuro groaned as he sucked on his bleeding finger. "I was going to tell you, but your head hurt too much already." He reminded her of her concussion, almost pleading with her to understand.

The pale eyes of the Hyuuga turned on her husband, narrowing a bit. "Tell me now, please." It was worded as a request, and the tone of her voice never rose, but Kankuro knew a demand when he heard one.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Where's your husband?" Gaara asked, looking into his sister's hospital room. He wanted to visit with Temari, but he really needed to speak to Shino about how many damned Aburame were currently in Suna. They were making a nuisance of themselves, making his shinobi nervous as they virtually surrounded the hospital.

He looked around her room, frowning to see a few bugs buzzing around in here. Kikai bugs no doubt.

Temari looked up and smiled at Gaara, her eyes wide as she ate up the sight of him. Alive. Whole. And not having that damned beast in him again. Shino had already told her everything.

Suddenly, as relaxed as she'd been before, it all hit her. She could have lost them all. Shino, the baby, Kankuro, the whole of Suna. And Gaara.

In that instant all the emotional weight of her memories of Gaara's 'death' at the hands of the Akatsuki hit her. She'd already lived through the grief once, and now it was just too much. She'd almost lost him again. Pregnancy hormones didn't help either as it all piled in on her at once.

Gaara's eyes widened in shock as his tough-as-nails sister burst into hysterical tears.

Two seconds later, not even having time to react other than to take a step forward, the Kazekage was surrounded by angry looking Aburame.

All taller than him, Gaara looked up and frowned sharply, not intimidated in the least.

"You made Temari cry." One young man accused. "Leave now."

Gaara crossed his arms, sand making a swirling noise from within his gourd. "She's my sister and this is my village."

Another Aburame shook his head. "She's our heir's wife and ...You. Made. Her. Cry."

Temari made waving gestures at everyone, but couldn't stop crying long enough to tell them to leave her baby brother alone.

"I did nothing ..."

"She's in a delicate condition. Emotional stress isn't good." The first Aburame spoke up. "She shouldn't be upset like this. Kazekage-domo, we politely ask you to leave her room for now."

Just then Shino came in, running, having been alerted by the kikai to a change in Temari's emotional well-being. He stopped cold as he eyed the tableau laid out in front of him. Then looked at his wife who was trying to catch her breath.

"War or my wife, sorry." He hurried over to Temari and took her hand. "Slow down, breathe."

Several of Gaara's personal guards were suddenly in the room as well, their eyes pinned to the Leaf shinobi. And the looks weren't friendly.

Gaara shook his head and walked calmly out of his sister's hospital room, coming face to face with the head of the Aburame clan as two medics rushed into Temari's room.

"Kazekage-domo."

"Aburame-sama."

The two men stared at each other, one taller and with his eyes hidden behind dark glasses. One much shorter and looking far scarier than anyone had a right to look.

"You all be quiet! This is a hop-ital! And my papa needs to sleep!" A young voice scolded them all equally and without reserve.

Every eye turned to the audacious six-year old girl as she crossed her arms and looked sternly at them.

Shibi's lips twitched suspiciously. "And you are?"

Gaara sighed, resigned. "My God-child, apparently."

"There's a resemblance actually." Shibi commented dryly. "Scary, in control and not terribly tall."

The Kazekage sneered but let the less than respectful comment pass.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho opened her mouth and screamed when suddenly she was yanked back out of the way, losing her breath as she fell backwards.

Scrambling to her feet, the code-breaker swayed, her mouth agape.

"If you faint, I don't have time to catch you." Tsunade warned, shoving the girl into a chair.

Shiho's boss was equally as shocked as he blinked and pressed his back up against the wall in order to keep out of the way.

"NOW!" Tsunade raised her voice, bringing every eye to her. "This stops now. And by the way, thank you darling."

"You're welcome, Missy Tsunade." The large slug said from the middle of the room, the tail of her body pinning down Kiba as Sai grimaced and tried to shake slug-slime out of his paint brush. The miniature slug princess looked around. "Cramped in here."

"That's why I summoned you, and not your grandmother Katsuyu. Give her my love when you return, will you?" Tsunade smiled happily at the slug that was bigger than a horse now sitting in her office.

Akamaru growled at the giant slug, who turned toward him opening her mouth.

Tsunade rushed forward. "No, don't throw acid over the dog. Please."

Acid? Kiba stilled and signaled for his nin-dog to sit. Akamaru whined and barked his disapproval, but sat.

Sai swiped at the slug residue, but no matter what he tried he couldn't clean it from the brush. And the ink wouldn't stick to the brush like this. His jutsu was useless. He looked up to find Tsunade smirking at him.

"Ever since I found out about your techniques, I wondered if I could stop them. Now I know." The blonde Hokage seemed rather pleased with herself.

"You ...you ...you didn't know it would work?" Shiho sounded horrified.

Tsunade shrugged as it if didn't matter, moving on. She leaned looked down at the pinned Kiba. "You ready to listen to reason?"

"NO!" Kiba growled.

"Sai's not in love with your girl." Tsunade continued, looking down at her cuticles. Polishing her nails on her slacks. "Not that I had any clue before today that you and she were leaning that way."

"I'm not?" Sai asked bluntly.

Kiba growled and Tsunade calmly stepped on his hand, making the Inuzuka lay still as he waited to see if she'd put her full weight on him. She looked down, giving him the evil eye. "Listen for once."

Shiho, tired of watching, turned and handed her precious scrolls to her boss who juggled them comically a moment before sliding to the floor. The kunoichi rushed over to Sai and shook her head at him, then knelt down next to Kiba. She pushed vainly at Tsunade's leg until the Hokage finally moved, freeing the Inuzuka's hand.

Pouting, Kiba glared at everyone until his eyes met Shiho's frightened gaze. Sighing, he let go of his anger long enough to give her a small smile. "Some great impression I'm making on you here."

"Oh Kiba!" Shiho wailed quietly.

"Oh spare me." Tsunade rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Sai pointed at the duo on the ground, one still pinned by a giant slug. "Is that love?" He asked dubiously.

Tsunade shrugged. "Could be. Looks like a good start anyway. Heaven help me, if they breed I'll have wicked smart Inuzuka brats to deal with." She shuddered lightly. "Poor Iruka, the Academy will never be the same."

Akamaru barked in both approval and disapproval of the Hokage's words.

"I'm not in love with her." Sai stated. "I'm not." He looked up as his voice firmed.

"No. Apparently not." Tsunade agreed. "Though I wasn't sure of that for a few moments."

Kiba's coughed uncertainly. "He's not?"

Tsunade petted Katsuyu's granddaughter a moment, murmuring something before releasing the giant slug back to her home. Kiba gingerly picked himself up off the ground, dripping in slug goo as he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Shiho didn't seem to care as she wrapped her arms around the dog-nin, hugging him tightly. Kiba grimaced and hugged her back. "I'm getting you all messy here."

"Don't care." Shiho whimpered. "I thought you'd be squished."

Sai pointed at the duo. "That doesn't make me happy. In fact my facial muscles are drooping again. I think I'm frowning. Are you sure I'm not in love?"

"Want to take his place?" Tsunade asked coyly.

Sai thought about it a long moment, then shook his head. "Not really. I just don't like seeing him there. What does that mean?"

Kiba's arms tightened around Shiho, who 'eeped' a protest that she couldn't breathe. Reluctantly he loosened his grip slightly, though his eyes were still staring daggers at Sai. Who just didn't seem to give a fuck what the Inuzuka thought.

Tsunade grinned and shrugged. "You were with her for two years stuck in that Akatsuki fortress. Is it really that surprising that you made a friend?"

Sai went still, tilting his head to the side as he considered the blonde's words. "I don't have friends."

"Naruto and Sakura." The Hokage prodded him verbally.

The artist shook his head. "They're teammates. I've been assured that forming a friendship bond with teammates is not that uncommon. This is different. Nezumi is not a teammate."

"Her name is Shiho, not 'rat'." Kiba tried to take a step forward, but stopped as Tsunade pinned him with a warning glare.

"Friends?" Sai said the one word, as if testing it out on his tongue. "But I didn't want to be friends."

"Tough." Tsunade walked over and clapped the young man on the shoulder. "It's long past time that you did make a friend. I thought this might happen one day, actually. Once you were out from under Danzo and the Foundation. ROOT doesn't exist anymore. And a lack of emotions is not necessarily an asset."

Sai sucked in a shocked breath. "That's why my arm froze!"

The Hokage frowned. "Yes. You couldn't bring yourself to kill her. Or at least you could have, but you hesitated. Not good mission behavior. But I'm glad she's alive."

Sai nodded. "I ...I am not happy that she's alive." He thought aloud.

Shiho turned wide blue eyes on him and Sai stopped, considering. "But I'm not unhappy that she's alive." He offered.

"Negative emotions are easier to access than happier ones. And easier to recognize." Tsunade announced as she looked around her ruined office. Papers were everywhere. Not to mention a mud pool right in the middle, and a whole lot of slug residue. And if her sense of smell was correct, some slug acid too. Something was slowly burning. "Though, to be honest, I think you are happy she's alive and healthy. That's one of the reasons you're taking verbal shots at Kiba, out of irritation from having been made to worry in the first place."

"Oh." Sai considered that carefully. Then looked over at Kiba. "I still say she could do better."

"Nevermind." Tsunade went to her office door and gestured for Shiho's boss to precede her. "Head to the main conference room, we'll work there." She then turned back toward Sai. "And I'm making it a direct order from this office to leave Kiba's relationship to Shiho alone. Though you're free to be friends."

Kiba and Akamaru both growled. Tsuande slapped the back of the Inuzuka's head. "Your girl has friends, don't be a dog in the manger. Deal."

Shiho pulled away, looking disgruntled. "No one's asked what I think."

Tsuande chuckled dryly. "Little girl. You're covered from head to foot in slime that you got from hugging Kiba. I don't HAVE to ask what you think. And before you ask, no you can't go clean up before we finish debriefing. Now scoot."

Shiho blushed hotly and shut her mouth as she stomped her way out the door after her boss toward the conference room. Along the way she defiantly ran into the restroom to grab some paper towels.

Tsunade gave her an arch look. "I said no cleaning up."

The code-breaker gave a stubborn look of her own. "Don't want goop all over the papers. Deal with it." With that, she disappeared into the restroom.

The Hokage's eyes widened comically and she turned to look at Kiba. "She's not exactly as shy as she looks, is she?"

"No." Kiba and Sai both said together, then turned to stare at one another. But instead of tempers rising, they both nodded to each other and followed along out the office door together.

Tsunade turned and looked at her ruined office as her chuunin assistant ran up beside her. "What did you do? Hear raised voices and hide under your desk?"

The chuunin shook his head in denial. Stammering about protocol and calling in ANBU instead. Who'd decided not to intervene.

The Hokage grunted. "Fine. But I want this office spotless for my afternoon appointments." She said evilly, leaving her poor assistant gaping at the ruined office.

"But ...but ...there's a pool of mud in your office!" The chuunin protested vainly.

Tsunade grinned. "That's not all that's in there. And if something smells acidic? Don't step in it."

"But ...but ..."

From across the room three ANBU guards smiled beneath their masks and went to guard the conference room, unabashedly leaving the hapless assistant to his fate.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara sat next to a now calm Temari, though he looked ready to run at the sign of even one tear. But she seemed better now.

Shibi was outside, picking out the ten shinobi he'd be sending back to Konoha after his 'discussion' with Gaara. Though the Kazekage had wanted to send them all packing, he settled for ten. For now.

Seemed the Aburame weren't real happy with the fact that Gaara had upset Temari earlier, and they wanted to stick around to make sure she was alright.

"Here? For the whole pregnancy?" Gaara sounded strangely miffed.

"I'm not welcome in Suna? You don't want me here?" Temari asked, looking hurt.

Two Aburame stepped forward and several kikai hummed a warning sound. Gaara shook his head. "I want you in Suna, you're more than welcome. I'm just not so sure about them." He pointed behind him.

Temari shook her head. "Don't worry about them, they'll settle down and you won't see them anyway."

"Yes I will." Her brother countered.

"No you won't." Temari pinned him with a hard look. "You won't be in Suna."

Sitting back, Gaara stared at her a moment. "Where will I be?"

"Konoha. And it's pretty empty of Aburame for the moment." She said wryly, waving her hand at her guards. "You'll like it there."

Nodding, the red-head pursed his lips. "That's a plus, yes. How long will I be in Konoha?"

"As long as it takes." Temari looked at him. "Find her. Fix this."

Gaara shook his head. "I'm the Kazekage. I can't just pack up and leave for Konoha. There's a lot to do here."

Temari gestured for him to lean closer to her. Once he did, she whispered. "Go to Konoha and get Hanabi. By the way, I've still not forgiven you for keeping that from me. But go to Konoha and fix this ...or else."

Gaara blinked. "Or else what?"

Temari smiled evilly. "I'll cry again. Maybe start a war between Sand and Leaf. I could do it, don't push me on this."

The Kazekage leaned back, looking warily at his sister as she smiled at him victoriously.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	53. Arriving Home

It was only two days since she'd gotten back to Konoha, but as Shiho blinked wearily at the mid-afternoon sun, she could have sworn it was two years ago instead.

Two days with only a few breaks as she went through debriefing hell. Shiho sighed to herself as she shivered a bit as the wind caught her. It had been deceptively warm lately, but fall was definitely taking a hold of them now.

Looking around, Shiho couldn't help the 'bump' of disappointment in her belly when she didn't see Kiba. But she decided that was stupid. How would he have known when the Hokage, ANBU, and her own boss would let her go? And they weren't done with her, not by a long shot. But they had enough new information to chew over for months to come now, and they'd taken pity on her.

She was free. Sure it was only until they called her back in, which they would, but it was still nice. Or it would be if there had been a certain Inuzuka with a cheeky grin waiting for her.

"Miss?"

Shiho turned and eyed the youngsters. Fresh genin right out of the Academy. She could nearly smell the chalk dust still on their hands. "Yes?"

Three sets of eyes blinked at her before the tallest boy started to hand her an envelope. Then the girl, who topped the boy by a good two inches stomped on his foot. "Baka! You have to make sure she's the right girl!"

The second boy leaned against a nearby bench and yawned. "Of course it's the right girl. She's only wearing half a shirt and her hair is out to here. Just like sensei said." He pantomimed a long distance from his own head.

Shiho stopped, her eyes narrowing as she curled her fingers to try and stop from touching her by now long-past-merely-frizzy hair. At the same time she hoped that the shorter genin couldn't see UP the shirt she'd purloined from Sai's travel pack as she'd had no breast-bindings with her when she and Kiba had made their escape from the attackers.

"Don't call me an idiot, IDIOT!" The first boy hissed, his cheeks going rosy red. "We can see that it's the right girl!"

The two started bickering in earnest as Shiho calmly performed a quick substitution jutsu and replaced the envelope with a nearby leaf. Opening the note she scanned it and then started smiling. Kiba wanted to pick her up at six tonight for dinner. And to dress sexy. Heat filled her heart and she took a deep breath.

"Well, if you can prove you're the right girl, we'll give you the message!" The girl turned to Shiho and then stopped cold when she saw the kunoichi already had the note. She turned to glare at her poor teammate who was staring in amazement at the leaf as the second boy fell over laughing at them both. "Darn it!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu was not a happy man. Ninja guarded the hospital like it was the center of the known universe. And they all had long coats with high collars and dark glasses. And not a single one of them did he recognize.

Being a missing nin from the Village Hidden in the Rocks, he was well versed in knowing most of Suna's shinobi by sight if not by description. And yes, he knew that he wasn't familiar with ALL of the shinobi around Sand ... this was different.

These bastards were all family. The similar outfits, demeanor, and their familiarity with each other all screamed that they came from the same clan. A clan that Yurasu had no knowledge of at all.

And that made for a very unhappy missing nin.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro stood in his brother's office in full bunraku gear. He picked up one of the books on the desk and then dropped it loudly.

Gaara looked up, blinking weary eyes as he tried to focus on something other than written reports. "What is it?"

The puppeteer crossed his arms as he leaned against the desk. "I know that I'm a Leaf shinobi now, but as brothers I no longer rate a goodbye?"

The red-head blinked slowly and then shook his head. "You told me that you weren't leaving until tomorrow morning."

Kankuro sighed and used chakra puppetry strings to pull open the heavy curtains. "It is tomorrow morning."

"Oh." Gaara looked expressionlessly out at the sun as it lit the village down below his office tower. Then he frowned. "When did you attach your puppet strings to my window?"

Kankuro looked up at the ceiling and shrugged. "You weren't paying attention."

Gaara sat back looking shaken. He'd let someone in his office and hadn't noticed? What kind of shinobi did that? True, it was his brother, but ...

The older of the two coughed lightly and then shrugged. "Oh hell, there's no beating around the bush. It's not too late to come with us you know. Hinata would be thrilled."

The Kazekage shook his head. "Go to Konoha? I can't. I have too much to do here."

"Are you working, or are you moping?" Kankuro sighed. "I've never seen you so lost in thought you didn't realize someone was around."

"Go away." Muttered an irate Gaara.

"I am. Going away. Now. Taking my wife with me, leaving my sister. You remember her? The one you're avoiding. She told me to tell you that she is ordering extra tissues, just in case." Kankuro waved his hands in front of Gaara's face. "In fact, if you really want to avoid Temari all together, you should come back to the Leaf village with me."

"Blackmail." The red-head's voice was rough with disdain.

"No, actually. I think it's more along the lines of extortion." His brother smirked quietly.

Gaara turned away from his brother, turning troubled eyes to look out over Suna once more. The question wasn't should he or shouldn't he go to Konoha. The question was, what kind of reception would he get from Hanabi?

The girl he loved had a vindictive streak a mile wide and fathoms deep. He was strong enough to be the Kazekage, but was he strong enough to survive falling in love?

o.O.o.O.o.O

At the stopping point for a rest, Rinako rolled her tired shoulders and tried to avoid looking at Lee. Because every time she DID happen to glance in his direction, he was staring holes in Sakura's back.

"He asked to carry your pack for you." Kakashi startled her as he spoke.

Whirling around, the kunoichi shook her head and shrugged. Lee had offered to carry her pack for her when they'd left. Like she was too weak or still recovering or something. Did he see her still as someone helpless?

"Romantic gesture." Kakashi mused, looking up at the trees with a lazy eyed glance.

Rinako pressed her lips together and shot a certain pink-haired kunoichi a dirty look. "Not hardly romantic. Knowing Lee, it was probably some 'training' exercise or something. Take on more weight as a challenge."

The copy-nin nodded. "Probably so." He allowed.

Rinako started to turn away when the silver-haired man spoke again, his voice so soft she had to strain to hear him. "But Lee didn't offer to carry anyone else's pack."

Turning back to ask him what he meant by that, Rinako sighed when she saw that Kakashi had already moved away. She looked back at Lee and was surprised to see him looking right back at her. And then his cheeks bloomed red and he turned and hurried over toward ...Sakura.

Hmph. Sakura again. Rinako decided the copy-nin wasn't nearly so smart as everyone seemed to think he was. Romantic gesture? Hardly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

At the gates of Konoha, the guards knew before the trio came into view that someone was approaching. They stood there, waiting for them to arrive.

Hanabi never missed a beat, never hesitated as she walked up to someone she vaguely remembered as being in the year behind her at the Academy. In her fabric mask, the bone one having been broken during the battle with Shukaku, she looked the guard right in the eye. "We don't have papers."

Michi turned so slightly that his face was half-hidden by a shadow from one of the gates. While Rocks stood his ground, looking past the guard's shoulder rather than directly at him. Would they be recognized?

"We bring a message to the ..." But her carefully worded excuse was cut off when the guard interrupted her brusquely.

The guard grunted. "An escort is ready for you, you've been expected."

Hanabi's eyes widened, though no one could tell beneath her mask. No other reaction could be seen from the masked girl. Rocks shifted his weight from one foot to the other while Michi stood still, not reacting at all. Yet internally all three were reeling.

Expected?

"Escort?" Michi made the word a question.

"To the Hokage's office, so you can deliver your message from Suna. The Kazekage warned us that you would be carrying papers, that you would need to speak directly with the Lady Hokage." The chuunin frowned, as if this was improper protocol.

Rocks sneered. "Then why are we still standing here?" His voice dripped disdain.

"Stupid sods from Suna." One man muttered under his breath. "Foreigners." He sneered.

Hanabi gave a cocky smile as she waved for the escort to actually escort them somewhere. Foreigners indeed, they'd passed this first test and hadn't been recognized.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"What in the world?" Ino sputtered as her arm was grabbed. She turned wide eyes on the crazy kunoichi trying to drag her away from the nurse's station.

"I need you!"

The blonde medic dug in her heels, pulling the other girl to a stop. It was easy as the person dragging her was putting no chakra into the effort, and only using one arm. "What, who?" Ino stopped and stared.

Crazy wild curls that were past any kind of style and was now frizzing badly. Wide blue eyes in a rather serious face. And Sai's clothing. Ino's mouth dropped open as she looked in amazement at the girl wearing Sai's outfit, half shirt and a ragged hemline where the pants had been shortened by ripping at them.

"I need help!" The black-clad kunoichi begged, tugging on Ino's arm.

"Who is ...this ...person?"

Ino looked over at the broody and possessive teen standing next to her. "Shihei, please." She stopped then as recognition struck, turning back she stared at the other woman. "Shiho? Is that really you?"

The code-breaker tugged vainly on Ino's arm again. "Are you going to help or what?"

Nodding absently, Ino looked over the other girl more carefully. "What's wrong with your left arm?"

"Dislocated it." Shiho murmured. "Please? I need help."

"You shouldn't have to treat the ...commoners. You should tell your Hokage this, I've told you this before." The Lightning noble sneered down his nose at Shiho, wrinkling it to indicate he thought her smell was less than suitable for his presence.

The code-breaker looked over at the perfect profile that was Shihei. "All ninja of the village are obligated to serve the greater Konoha needs as assigned by the Hokage, the elder council, their sensei, or through their own discretion as the case may need."

Shihei sighed and turned liquid, sad eyes up to Ino. "Assign her to another medical person." He waved a hand in the cryptologist's general direction.

As far as Ino knew, Shiho had been gone just about two years now. It stunned her a bit at how different the cryptologist looked. Gone were the long white coat and loose clothing. "Why are you wearing that?"

"Answers later, help now." Shiho turned and looked right at Ino. Blue eyes met blue eyes.

Ino winced. "Of course I'll help you, but any of the medics here could have looked at your shoulder." She said, pulling Shiho into one of the examination rooms as she signaled a nurse as to where she was heading. Then she firmly shut the door in Shihei's face as the teen tried to follow, protesting.

The frizzy-haired woman winced as Ino bullied her onto an exam table. "No! Not this kind of help. Sexy help!"

Ino leaned back, surprised. "What?"

Taking a deep breath, Shiho looked right at Ino. "Kiba is picking me up at six. He wants me to dress 'sexy'."

The mind jutsu specialist nodded. "I'll have your shoulder wrapped and examined by then, but I can't heal it by six o'clock. Well, I mean I can, but it will be healed ...not pain free. There will still be swelling and ..."

"NO!" Shiho jumped down from the table, her eyes frantic. "I have nothing sexy to wear. Nothing! And I looked in a shop or two on the way over here, and I ...I don't know how to dress sexy. If I try I'll look like an idiot, or a slut ...I'm not sure which is worse."

"Oh." Ino nodded, finally 'getting it'. Then she shook her head, finally hearing what the other woman had said. "Kiba? Inuzuka Kiba? Really?"

Shiho nodded in mute horror. "I'll never be ready in time. Never! And my hair is fried. I can't fix it one handed! And even if I could, my straightening iron is still back at ...well, where I was stationed." She finished, not directly mentioning the Akatsuki fortress. Deflated, she slumped against the exam table. "I have to cancel the date. That's all."

"No. You. Will. NOT!" Ino pursed her lips stubbornly. "First. I fix your shoulder. Second. Hair. Third ...shopping."

"But ...but ...I have to be ready by six!" Shiho shook her head. "It's impossible. Come on, I'll let you look at my shoulder tomorrow ...oof!" The codebreaker ran right into Ino, who turned her and pushed her back towards the exam table.

"Shoulder first. How can you dress or act sexy when you're in pain?" Ino ignored the other girl's protest as she unzipped the shirt and gently but firmly exposed the shoulder.

Shiho blushed slightly over her bared chest, holding her good arm in front of her as Ino prodded at her vividly colorful, bruised, and swollen left shoulder.

"Stop that." Ino muttered absently, swatting at Shiho's good arm. "Sexy women don't hide themselves."

"I'm not sexy." Shiho whispered, feeling her stomach turn over. "This is all a mistake. Now that we're back in Konoha Kiba will see that I'm not like the women he usually dates ..."

Ino pulled back and stared at the codebreaker. "Do you think Kiba is stupid? Not just dense, all men are dense at times. But flat out stupid?"

Shiho shook her head. The dog nin wasn't book crazy like she was, but he was in no way stupid. "No." In fact, in many ways, he was brilliant. All those traps he disarmed, the way he'd gotten her back safely to Konoha. Many, many things actually.

Ino nodded. "He asked you out and you want to go. Don't over think it."

The frizzy-haired kunoichi sighed. "This is Kiba, he's so ...he won't ...look, even you were shocked that I said he asked me out."

Sighing, Ino got out her medical supplies, laying them out carefully. "That's because Kiba and you weren't even on the same mission, and yes, I know where you were stationed. The only reason I wasn't sent out there with Shizune this time is because of the twerp outside. No one else will take him. Actually, Shizune took pity on me and assigned him to ANBU for a while."

"What happened?" The cryptologist wondered aloud even as she winced as Ino prodded a tender spot.

"ANBU gave him back." Ino frowned sharply. "Shikamaru was NOT happy about it, let me tell you." She waited for the bookish girl to ask about her husband. But Shiho was staring at over at her shoulder.

"You haven't asked about Shikamaru." Ino commented with a faked nonchalance.

Shiho looked at the clock, biting her lower lip. "Can't we go now? Finding me something sexy to wear will take a while, I don't want to be late." Then she blinked owlishly. "Why, Shikamaru is alright isn't he? Oh, we don't have time for this! Just wrap the shoulder."

Ino smiled as she ignored the other kunoichi's comment, proceeding to heal her shoulder. It looked like the crush Shiho had once held for Shikamaru was over.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu was disguised as a rock, suppressing any hint of chakra as he waited for night. He could have snuck in later, instead of waiting out here in the sun all day long. But those strange ninja bothered him. He needed more information. So he was stuck here.

"I don't know if he'll come." One of the Suna puppeteers was talking to a young woman as they stopped at the water fountain next to where Yurasu was hidden.

"Maybe I can talk her into coming back here." The woman answered. She had strange eyes. Nearly colorless. But then she was wearing a Leaf insignia. Hyuuga. Definitely a Hyuuga. He'd heard that the Kazekage's brother had made a marriage alliance with Leaf.

"She just took off with her team." The puppeteer sighed dramatically. "She's hot headed and hot tempered. Do you really think she'll forgive him?"

The woman shrugged lightly. "I haven't seen her in two years. My sister I know well. Kaji ...I don't know at all."

The puppeteer stopped and looked around carefully as Yurasu stopped breathing. Obviously the man sensed something.

The woman with him raised her hands to form seals, but the puppeteer quickly put his larger hands over hers. "No. Not while you're recovering from that concussion."

"But ...?"

The puppeteer shook his head. "Probably nothing." He commented aloud and then herded the woman away.

As the two moved on, Yurasu's mind reeled. Kaji ...was a Hyuuga sister? Well now, that explained the masks to hide the distinctive eyes. And why the girl was going back to Konoha. It was home after all. And he needed to move. The puppeteer had sensed something was 'off' in the area.

He paid no attention to the beetle that took off from the water fountain next to him as he waited for the area to clear before transforming back into himself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's not home anymore." Hanabi hissed in a fast whisper.

Michi raised an eyebrow at her, telling her to keep quiet. But he knew what she meant.

"Everything is so ...green." Rocks complained.

Their escort turned to look at them. "Actually, fall is setting in, the foliage is changing color."

Hanabi shook her head. It was the green and golds and ...just a sense of ...too much. It wasn't open like Suna.

"Lot of water around." Michi commented, noting the fountains and even a small creek they passed over on a foot bridge. When he'd lived here he'd not even considered how much water actually surrounded them daily. After living in a desert for two years, it was almost like an obscene over abundance.

The three stopped as their escort turned down a side street. The man looked back at them. "This way." He motioned, grunting as they stepped forward almost reluctantly.

Rocks shot Michi a look. Michi nodded. They weren't taking a direct route to the Hokage tower. But they couldn't say anything as Tei, Mizu and Kaji they'd never before been to Konoha.

Hanabi covered her mouth with her hand, coughing a word that sounded close to "school".

Michi nodded as Rokuro pursed his lips. Of course. The escort was taking them this way because the Leaf shinobi didn't want 'foreigners' to eyeball their Academy students. And the faster way to the tower would have taken them right by the school. Leaf and Sand were allies, yes, but no need to give away jutsu secrets before the chuunin exams. Secrets were the ninja way of life.

Suddenly Rokuro's step missed a hitch, though he caught himself quickly. Hanabi turned to look at him, then frowned as she saw him staring to her left. Using her Byakugan, which was active beneath her mask, she focused in that direction and nearly stumbled herself.

Hyuuga Hiashi.

Talking to some old man by a merchant's store. Hanabi frowned. Her father didn't frequent stores, that's what servants, branch family, and even daughters were for. Just then, the man looked up and over at the strange trio.

All three chuunin caught their breath even as they struggled to look casual.

Hiashi's eyes passed right over his daughter without even a hint of recognition and Hanabi was glad, though at the same time, a little peeved. Had he forgotten her after two years? After all, he had a son now. And another daughter. He'd allowed her to be 'killed' and sent into virtual exile.

The kunoichi stopped and openly turned to stare at the man through her mask, a quirked smile on her lips. Hyuuga Hiashi stared right back, his expression cold and slightly baffled by her reaction to him. Rocks poked Hanabi in the back to get her moving. The girl turned to him. "That's Kankuro's father-by-marriage."

Michi hissed as their Leaf escort stopped. "We have several Hyuuga." He told her, as if to say that she couldn't really be sure if Hiashi was the right man or not.

"Icy demeanor? Stick up his ass? Graying?" Hanabi sniffed and walked past the escort. "I'll bet he's the right one. Care to match a wager?"

Their chuunin escort didn't say anything, though his expression screamed disapproval of her attitude. He grunted as he indicated that they needed to continue following him.

With her Byakugan, Hanabi watched her father follow them with his eyes. She saw when he activated his own bloodline limit. And she was still watching as her father stopped breathing for a moment. "He knows." She smirked as behind her Michi merely sighed lightly and Rocks shook his head sadly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shibi looked up as one of his cousins approached. His gaze narrowed in consideration and he motioned everyone else to step back. The man leaned in and whispered something to his clan leader.

Shibi nodded and turned to look at the closed door where Temari and Shino were meeting with the head of the obstetrics department. His daughter-by-marriage was chafing at the restrictions of being here at the hospital and was hoping this exam would let the doctor release her.

He turned back toward his cousin who was waiting patiently. "Double the kikai coverage." He ordered even though he knew the ninja here in Suna wouldn't like it.

But the kikai were sensing a repressed chakra pattern. Manually suppressed. Hiding. But when the Aburame had gone to check out the source, there had been nothing. Whomever it had been was gone. Now chances were this was no direct threat to Temari or any Aburame, but Shibi was taking no chances.

He looked at his cousin. "Take charge here, I need to go speak with the Kazekage."

The other Aburame nodded soberly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's impossible!" Shihei stared at the wild mane of curls as the hairdresser carefully walked around the nervous girl.

"Don't make me regret bringing you along." Ino muttered, like she'd had much of a choice. She turned to the proprietor. "Hair only today. Not a full spa treatment."

"She has lovely skin." The man muttered absently as he picked up a frizzy curl.

Shihei made a disgusted face and headed over toward another area in the shop. "I'm going to get my nails done while you face the impossible task of making her look decent."

The cryptologist cringed, wondering if the pretty-boy noble was right. Was she a lost cause?

Ino grabbed him by the back of his tunic. "No. You and I are going to pick out clothing while Shiho gets her hair done. It'll save time."

"Oh, I do need some new slacks." The teen brightened considerably.

"You're a hostage, try to remember that. We're not shopping for you." Ino sighed and focused back on the hairdresser. "What do you think?"

"I want it straightened." Shiho chirped up.

They all ignored her. "Good body here, needs taming, some shaping. I see curls."

"I see straight." The codebreaker turned her head toward them.

Ino thought about it for a second. "You said you wanted sexy, and that you didn't know how to 'do' a sexy look." Shihei sneered and Ino continued, ignoring him like usual. "You've always tried to hide these curls. Try wearing them for a change, not letting them wear you."

Shiho scowled. "That's nonsense." She whispered, then thought about Kiba's fascination with her curly hair. "Maybe ..."

"She's wavering ...I leave her to you." Ino told the hair dresser. "I need to go pick out some clothes for her date tonight."

"INO!" Shiho's eyes looked panicked as she looked in the mirror to see the blonde behind her stop. Meeting the other girl's gaze in the mirror she gave a weak smile. "Thank you."

Ino flashed a smile of her own. "Let me know what Kiba thinks and then thank me."

All of a sudden Shiho didn't feel so good. Kiba. She had a date with Kiba tonight. A real date! What if it sucked? What if the 'zing' they had on the journey back to Konoha had dissipated? What if he found her boring? She'd been on dates before and it hadn't gone well. Stilted. Awkward. What was she doing?

The hairdresser looked at the girl in his chair carefully. "Your skin is turning green."

Shiho nodded faintly and swallowed hard as the man pushed her head down between her knees. "Breathe." He commanded.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee pulled Sakura to the side. "The magnificent books that Naruto writes are not working!" He mourned, looking so terribly sad. "Perhaps this is not fate, perhaps it is a punishment for giving up on my love for you."

"You're not in love with me." Sakura snapped.

Lee drew up to his full height, ready to expound at length and quite loudly how wrong she was about his feelings. Sakura stomped on his foot to stop him.

"You had a crush on me. Trust me, I know ALL about crushes and how persistent the feelings are. Ino and I wrote the book on it." The pink-haired girl frowned.

"Another book?" Lee brightened. "How clever you and Ino are to write a book! I'd be honored to read it! You are so bright, so smart, so lovely ...so ..."

"So tired of this." Sakura sighed and grabbed Lee's hand. "Stop. If you have any feelings at all for me, just be quiet for a second."

Lee stopped, then grinned. "A second is too short to show my feelings for you. An hour would be better. No, TEN hours! No, a whole day of silence!" He pressed his lips together, pointing at them meaningfully.

"I'm getting a headache now." Sakura mourned. First Naruto refused to listen to reason and just tell her why he was writing those horrid Icha Icha novels, and now this. "Look. Lee. If Naruto dumped me. Broke up with me. What would you do?"

Lee pointed at his sealed lips. Sakura growled and whacked him on the back so hard that he stumbled to keep his balance. "Talk now." She commanded.

"I would speak with Naruto. For he would be a fool to give up someone as precious and lovely as yourself, my sweet Sakura." Lee smiled widely at her.

"And it wouldn't occur to you to woo me? With Naruto out of the picture, you'd try to fix our relationship?" Sakura prodded.

Lee's smile dipped. "Naruto is my friend. I would hate to see him unhappy, and he would be most unhappy if he wasn't with you. And you would be unhappy. And it would break with honor if I did such a thing as you suggested."

Sakura nodded. "What if Naruto asked out Rinako? On a romantic date."

"You'd kill him." Lee whispered, horrified.

The pink-haired kunoichi groaned. Well, actually, that was probably true. "Say that I didn't kill Naruto. Say that Naruto and I broke up and he asked out Rinako. And I was fine with it."

Lee's face clouded, energy boiled around him as his fists clenched. "He wouldn't do that."

"How would it make you feel?" She asked him plainly.

Lee's lips compressed into a hard line as he thought about Naruto putting his arm around Rinako like he often did with Sakura. "I'd fight him! To the last drop of blood in my body, to the last breath that I hold in my lungs! I would ..."

"Yes, yes." Sakura interrupted. "But he wouldn't do that, remember?"

Slowly the fire faded from Lee's eyes and he gave her a sheepish look. "No, Naruto would not do that. For he would never hurt you in that manner."

"And you're not in love with me. You're in love with Rinako." Sakura told him gently. "Your love for me has turned into a beautiful friendship because that love was not returned. Think of me as poor soil for the bloom of love."

Lee stilled. "And Rinako is the right soil?"

"Maybe." Sakura smiled at her friend. "But you owe it to yourself and to her to go find out."

Drawing himself up proudly, Lee nodded and then slumped again. "But I have been trying!"

"No. You've been trying to act like a character in a cheesy book. Go be yourself! Tell her of your feelings like you did me that first day."

Lee shook his head. "It didn't work with you."

"Wrong soil. Try her." Sakura urged him gently. "Though don't do it on the trip back to Konoha. Wait until we get home. Get her alone. And then just be yourself."

Lee nodded, looking thoughtful as he turned to watch as Rinako repacked her travel rations. "Are you sure that the books won't work? I haven't tried giving her a chocolate candy heart yet. Or taking out a billboard ad declaring my love. Or bought her a real present or anything."

"Time for all of that after you start dating her." Sakura paused a second. "Except for the billboard thing. Don't do that."

Looking at her, Lee asked her curiously. "Why not? It's wildly romantic."

Thinking fast, Sakura shook her head. "Taking out a public ad is a bad thing for a ninja. We have to stay secretive. Stick with being yourself. And chocolate is NEVER a bad idea."

Lee nodded happily as he rocked back and forth on his heels, mentally planning a new strategy to win his girl.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kankuro looked up as Gaara approached them. "The guards delayed our leaving, said it was orders."

"Mine." Gaara said bluntly.

Hinata eyed the travel pack. "You're coming with us?" She asked in a hopeful voice.

"Temari wins." Kankuro smirked, then choked as sand flew into his face. "Hey!"

"This isn't about Temari's little threats." Gaara said coldly.

Kankuro stilled. Something was wrong. "What is it?"

"Someone may be after Hanabi. Or her teammates. Disguised himself as a rock or something, we think. At the hospital." Gaara scowled sharply. "And before the battle, Michi was attacked. He didn't get a good look though."

"Rock?" Hinata stilled, looking at her husband. "We were outside the hospital earlier and Kankuro felt something was off. There were large rocks everywhere."

"Gaara already knows that, I sent him a message." Kankuro sighed. "But I didn't think he'd been disguised as a rock."

"The Aburame sensed him. Their bugs actually." Gaara looked up as Hinata sucked in a shocked breath. "All the little pieces mean nothing until you realize that Hanabi and her teammates faced off against Yurasu earlier, and lived to tell the tale."

Kankuro's eyes went big. "The man sometimes has been known to fixate on a target."

Gaara nodded and shouldered his pack. "Also before the battle, there was an incident with dead animals and things being left in Hanabi's room." He turned towad the Suna gates. "You coming?"

Hinata hurried along to follow, as did Kankuro. Their minds spinning. An S-class killer who was certifiably crazy, stalking Hanabi? Not good. Not good at all. "I'm surprised the Aburame aren't with us." Hinata mused.

Gaara shook his head. "They've completely surrounded my hospital. No one can get near, much less in or out without their knowledge."

Kankuro looked amazed. "You allowed that?"

"I demanded it." The Kazekage smiled without humor. "At least if they're protecting Temari I don't have to worry about her. And since they're all at the hospital on guard, they're not bothering the rest of Suna right now."

"Oh." Kankuro mouthed, amused. "I wonder how Temari is feeling about the added security just when she hoped to be let out of the hospital.

Gaara grinned evilly.

The puppeteer sighed. "You did that to her on purpose."

The Kazekage shrugged lightly. "Serves her right for threatening me."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"The Kazekage explained." Tsunade yawned, having not been getting a great deal of sleep lately. So much going on. Demons on the loose, attacks on her people, and Great Wars to avoid ...

"Oh? What exactly did the Kazekage explain?" Hanabi asked silkily.

Tsunade frowned and looked up speculatively. "Is insubordination the reason he sent you back to Konoha."

Michi stepped forward before Hanabi could respond. "No. We were fine until the Kazekage decided that he wasn't going to allow the One-Tail to be put into a new vessel. He was going to use himself."

The Hokage drew in a shocked breath. "He'd die. Again, I mean. And this time there might not be any coming back. Is he an idiot?"

Hearing the slap against Gaara, Hanabi's mouth drew into a sharp line. "He is not an idiot!" She defended. "His chakra pathways had already been molded by the One-Tail. In theory this might have worked."

Tsunade looked over at the younger kunoichi carefully. "So. You can criticize him but I can't?" She asked slowly.

Hanabi didn't answer, just stood her ground.

"I see." The Hokage nodded and picked up a message from her desk. "The Kazekage writes that during the battle with the One-Tail that your disguises were penetrated."

Penetrated? Hanabi scowled. More like the jerk had ripped her mask off in front of everyone. Then again, Ebizou-sama had figured it all out, and she'd shown Saeko her Hyuuga eyes all on her own. Still. It was all Gaara's fault. He hadn't needed to treat her like that.

"He says he's sending you back here to relate the details of the battle and then wants you to return to Suna."

Hanabi stiffened. "Oh he does, does he?"

"But that's not necessary." The Hokage held up a packets of letters. "We've had great success in Cloud country. Two years of planning and preparations, and the upsurper fell in just a couple of days. Without the Daimyo Lord as a hostage, many of his followers turned on him. Killerbee is the new temporary leader of Cloud until things settle down."

Michi and Rocks both froze. "What ...does that mean?"

"It means you won't be heading back to Suna after all. The dead can now come back to life." Tsunade grinned at them, then her smile faded as she didn't get the jubilant responses she'd anticipated. "Don't you get it? It's over. You can take off those Sand headband protectors now. Wash off the make up and hair dye."

Rokuro touched his Sand insignia, feeling shocked. "So soon?"

"Soon? It's been two years!" Tsunade looked at them all carefully. "Welcome back to Konoha."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	54. Home Sweet Home

Ino blinked in amazement, then smiled. "So that's what your hair is supposed to look like!"

Shiho flushed and fought the urge to touch the loose curls floating around her head. "He straightened it, then curled it again. I mean, what's the point in that? Really?"

Ino grabbed the other kunoichi and spun her so that she could see herself in the mirror. "THAT is the point."

Pursing her lips, Shiho had to admit the hairdresser had done a good job. "I've always done my own hair." She protested. "It seems a waste to spend so much on getting it done."

Shaking her head, Ino smiled happily. "Think about Kiba's reaction tonight and you'll forget about paying the hairdresser, trust me. The guy smoothed out your curls and tamed them, then gave you big bouncy curls instead of frizz. You look great! I'm just glad you didn't look like this before I married Shikamaru last year."

Blushing, Shiho shook her head, still amazed at how much difference a professional could make on her untamed hair. Looking objectively in the mirror, her new hair style softened her face but she would never approach 'pretty' like Ino. Her features were still on the plain side of the equation. Still, it was an improvement. "Sorry that I missed your wedding."

Ino shrugged. "Most everyone did who is an active ninja. We went with small and family only. Don't worry, when most people are back in town we'll throw a big party over at our house. And don't think this lets you off on the whole present giving part of it!"

Shiho cracked a smile at that.

"She looks a little better. Very little." A bored voice turned both girl's attention to the young man with the salesgirl behind him, her arms trembling under the strain of clothing. Shihei wasn't carrying a single outfit himself, leaving for those 'lesser' than himself. "Still not up to snuff, though." He sniffed derisively at the cryptologist.

Ino walked over and picked up one of the outfits that Shihei had brought to them. "These are all for guys, male clothing. Around your size." She gave him a hard look.

"Not true!" Shihei snapped his fingers and the salesgirl groaned, but managed to shift the weight of clothing she was carrying to hand the young man a lilac colored gown that swept the floor. It was a masterpiece of elegance with wispy straps and a fitted bodice. He gestured toward the dress triumphantly. "The only thing in this dump that I have deemed worthy."

"It's the wrong color for Shiho." The mind jutsu expert sighed. "And not an appropriate dress for a dinner out. That's a ball gown basically."

"Shiho?" The teen asked, truly lost. "Who is that?"

The cryptologist held up one hand and gave a wisp of a smile as she waved at the annoying teen.

Ino shook her head in despair. "The person that we're shopping for? So she can go on her date tonight?"

"Who would date her? A blind man? This dress is fit only for an angel, and that's you Miss Ino. I picked it out just for you." Shihei sniffed and turned toward the salesgirl. "I'll try those on in a minute."

"No, you won't." Ino turned to the harried shop girl. "I'm sorry, but he's not shopping today." She turned to give a hard look at the mutinous looking teen boy. "You're a hostage, try to remember that and act like one!"

"Even hostages need clothing." Shihei plucked at his plain but still elegant ensemble. "And these clothes are out of date now, nearly a month old!"

Ino sighed and pointed toward a chair in the far corner. Reading the resigned look on his 'angel's' face, Shihei sighed in return and went to sit down. Though even in his tiff he didn't slump, but managed to pose in his seat.

Shiho eyed the sulking youth and shook her head. "Is he always like this?"

"Unfortunately."

The code-breaker shook her head. "I can't believe that you and Shikamaru put up with him."

Ino smiled sadly. "The Hokage has to threaten Shikamaru with torture. Daily. Just to keep the boy alive. Once a month ANBU takes him off our hands for a week, but that's about it. They always send him back. ANBU doesn't seem to want him either."

All of a sudden Shiho felt a bit bad for the young man. "That's sad."

"Don't pity him!" Ino looked up in a hurry. "He feeds off that! Seriously! He's spoiled and manipulative, not outright stupid." She shook off the moment and turned to the salesgirl. "We need to see some sexy new styles for my friend here. Important date."

The salesgirl put down the male clothing and ran an experienced eye up and down the cryptologist. Shiho felt awkward and gauche, standing there in the hacked up remains of Sai's clothing. "Not a huge cleavage, so we'll emphasize the legs and possibly the back. Very slender. What styles do you prefer?"

Ino answered for the other girl. "She's nerdy, reads a lot, and hides in baggy clothing and shows off nothing."

The salesgirl winced. "I may have some things that will help. Wait here. Bookworm to Siren. We'll see."

Shiho watched the salesgirl leave and turned wide, unsure eyes on Ino. "What are you about to do to me?"

Ino merely smiled. "Now. How serious are you about him?"

The cryptologist swallowed hard and all of a sudden found it difficult to look Ino in the eye. The medical kunoichi whistled low, smiling happily. "How does he feel about you?"

Shiho shrugged slightly though a slight stain graced her cheeks as she blushed. "He acts like he's very serious."

Ino turned to look at the salesgirl who was bringing in a very pretty dress in green that had a fitted bodice and a sweetheart neckline. "No. Sexier than that." The salesgirl looked uncertain and cast her eye on Shiho once more. Ino smiled. "She's a kunoichi, trust me, she can handle sexy. Go find something better."

Shiho's mouth felt drier than cotton as she sent a wide-eyed stare at Ino. "No I can't."

"Trust me, you can." Ino winked.

The cryptologist shook her head, feeling on the edge of panic. "But what if he gets the wrong idea? He's already said ...well, he said ...and he'll expect to be invited inside."

"And you don't want him like that?" Ino asked curiously.

Shiho shook her head, then nodded, then shook her head. "Not yet ...I mean ...this is a first date and all. And I've ...well ..."

Ino nodded knowingly and turned back to the salesgirl who was walking up with a backless blue dress with criss-crossing straps. "She'll try that on, but for tonight? Pants and a sexy top. Definitely pants."

The codebreaker eyed the dress like it was an exploding tag about to go off. "Why pants for tonight?"

"Two reasons. One is that it will be harder for Kiba to get his hands under." Ino murmured absently.

Shiho's jaw dropped for a moment before she regathered her wits. "And the second reason?" She squeaked.

"To hide the fact that you've not shaved your legs." Ino looked up and grinned. "And you're not going to shave them tonight. Got that?"

Nodding, the other girl looked confused a moment, then her face cleared as she smiled. "So that even if Kiba manages to cloud my mind and make me want to invite him in, I'll still turn him away at the door so that he won't see me so unkempt." No woman wanted her lover to see her as less than perfect. And she didn't want Kiba turned off by hairy legs.

"See. You are smart!" Ino giggled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Home sweet home." Michi looked around at the bustling street in front of him as the three stood in front of the Hokage tower.

One of the Leaf shinobi guards saw them and frowned, looking around for their escort. Rocks whistled loudly and pointed to his headband protector which clearly showed the Leaf insignia. The other shinobi looked confused for a moment, then looked to his superior who nodded.

"Now what?" Michi sighed. "I guess we head home and see our families. We can send for our stuff that we left in Suna."

"Screw that, I'm not staying here long." Hanabi pursed her lips as she scanned the area with the use of her Byakugan through the mask she still wore.

Rocks cut his eyes toward her. "You've not already forgiven Gaara, have you?"

Michi snorted. "Not likely. She probably thinks Gaara will come here after her."

Shrugging, Rocks looked back down the street. "He's the Kazekage of his village. And the man has pride, he's not going to be chasing your skirts."

Hanabi smiled bitterly. "My sneaky raccoon went to some effort to send that message to the Hokage. To make sure that the three of us didn't get in trouble when we got here. Sent a message on ahead to expect us."

"Girl has a point." Michi nodded. "We'll have to see. But he's going to have to work hard to get through us to get to you." His mouth firmed as he remembered his teammate's silent tears on their journey home.

"She's already forgiven him." Rocks did some frowning of his own. "She's not staying here 'long'. You heard her."

"Whether or not he comes to Konoha, I'm still going back to Suna." The lone kunoichi in their team announced.

"That right?" Michi looked over at Hanabi.

She smiled brightly. "He comes here and I manage to find it in my heart to forgive him, then I'll be heading to Suna. And if he doesn't come here? Well then, I still have to go back to Suna. How else could I make his life a living hell until he sees reason?"

Michi and Rocks laughed as the three headed down the road leading toward the main streets of Konoha.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho had her newly styled hair under a shower cap and was about to step into her steaming shower. She was so looking forward to the luxury of feeling clean again. And she was truly relaxed for the first time in two years. At home. No one under orders to kill her if she got too close to the foreigners. And she was about to go on a date. With Kiba.

As shaky as that made her feel, it also seemed that she could dance on air right now. Smiling, she drew back the shower curtain and then froze. Was that the sound of her front door opening?

No. Surely not. Not when ...Shiho stopped and used her chakra to sense patterns. She started smiling. "Mom? I'm in the shower!" She quickly grabbed a robe, but didn't have time to put it on with her sore shoulder, all she could manage was to hold it in front of her.

"You're home! Oh by heaven, you're HOME!" Miho threw open the door and stood there grinning at her only child, tears in her eyes. "Why is your shoulder black and blue! So swollen!" She shrieked, her smile fading into concern.

"Mom! Mom! MOM!" Shiho tried to push her mother away as Miho tried to get a good look at the injured shoulder, but couldn't with just one good arm. "Please, my arm hurts!"

Shiho was released so quickly that she nearly fell over. Her mother's blue eyes ran up and down her only child, her face creased with worry. Quickly she explained about her shoulder, and watched as her mother clucked over her.

"Your poor arm should be wrapped, or in a sling!" Miho tsked.

"I have a sling, but I can't wear it in the shower. And I really don't need it actually." Shiho tried to reassure her poor mother. "I need to take a shower now, though. I'm going out to dinner."

Her mother smiled, though her face clearly showed that she was still concerned. "Out to eat? What a lovely idea. I made some hot dishes for you and froze them. I brought them over tonight, for when they finally let you out of the debriefing. Some kind man in a mask let me know that you were back safe, but that was two days ago!"

"No mom, I have a date to go out to eat." Shiho tried to push her mother out of the bathroom before her shower ran out of hot water.

"Date?" Miho stopped and stared at her daughter. "You're not picking back up with that trader who smelled like cologne so much it made your poor aunt gag?"

"No." Shiho frowned.

Miho looked confused. "You've been back less than two days after being away for two years. Whom could you have met? The accountant that your aunt fixed you up with before you left got married three months ago. So not him, though I still say you could have been nicer to the man."

Sighing, the daughter looked heavenward for patience. "No. You haven't met Kiba yet. He's a shinobi."

Miho shook her head, staring. "No. Not that fellow from the Academy?"

"No." Shiho muttered. "Not him. This is someone I met out on my mission, well, technically we met before that but ...anyway, you'll like him. Good family, strong, and he saved my life on more than one occasion. Oh, you did see him once actually. He's the guy who carried me out of that restaurant two years ago."

Her mother opened her mouth, then shut it again, clearly at a loss for what to say.

"Don't act so shocked, I have dated before." Shiho muttered under her breath as she closed the bathroom door on her mother's protesting face. "Now let me shower before the water turns to ice."

"He saved your LIFE?" Her mother protested through the closed door as Shiho finally slipped into the shower.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Psst. Daddy?"

Baki came awake between one heartbeat and the next, one moment confused and the next moment blinking into the wide blue eyes of his new daughter.

Harusame cocked her little head to one side. "You were asleep." She announced.

Wincing, Baki looked up at the doorway where his wife was standing there with Kochi in her arms. "Problem?" He asked.

Kimiko shook her head. "You were supposed to be watching her. Seems more like she was watching over you instead."

Sighing, Baki scooted up in the hospital bed as much as he could without disturbing the traction that held his left ankle. "Left-over anesthesia from the surgery." He yawned.

"Oh?" Kimiko smiled at her husband and leaned down to kiss his exposed cheek. "It wasn't because Harusame wore you out instead?" She tilted her head to where the little girl was perched with a book so thick the little six-year old could barely hold it. "Reading to you, is she?"

"He needed to rest." Harusame announced. "But Daddy was letting me read to him."

Kimiko settled into one of the comfy rockers that the nursing staff had put in the room for her as she held the sleeping Kochi. "He was awake, but fell asleep on the way over here. He's so adorable. Anyway, we came by to pick up Harusame now that her room is finished."

"It is?!" The little girl fairly thrummed with energy as she jumped up, the huge book she was reading from falling to the floor with a thud. "Is it pink?!"

Baki groaned as his wife nodded, smiling at the little girl. "It is indeed pink, just like you asked for."

Harusame crossed her little arms, looking suspicious. "The right pink?"

Kimiko chuckled, but nodded. "As requested. Pink like a bunny's ear but not as pink as the dress we saw in the shop window." She turned to look at Baki. "That pink was TOO pink. According to our daughter."

The little girl squealed and spun in a circle, clearly excited.

"Pink." Moaned Baki, sighing like a man faced with something he couldn't fight against. "There is a pink room in my house."

"Come on, we'll go see it." Kimiko stood and walked over to her spinning daughter. She bent her knees while keeping her back straight so as not to jostle the sleeping infant too much, reaching for the book Harusame had dropped. Frowning, she looked at the title and then shot her husband an accusing glance. "Energy Pathway Management For Repairing Damaged Chakra Centers?"

Baki stared stonily back at his perturbed wife. "It was the only book on chakra that the nursing staff had on hand."

Frowning deeply, Kimiko hissed, then turned to her adopted daughter. "Harusame? Go thank the nurses for me, and tell them goodbye for the day."

"Okay!" The little girl ran off, clearly in a hurry to get home and see her pink room. Bunny-ear pink.

"Baki?" Kimiko started, but her husband held up one hand to stop her.

"Harusame was asking questions." He frowned. "A lot of questions. Tons of them. I sent her to ask for a book about chakra, that was the only one we could find on this floor."

Kimiko shook her head. "That is too advanced for a six-year old!"

"You'd be surprised." Baki muttered under his breath. "Besides, this is all your fault."

"My fault?" His wife protested, looking surprised.

Baki nodded. "You told her to stop bossing around Gaara, that he was the Kazekage and that no one got to tell the Kazekage what to do."

Kimiko shrugged as if asking what that had to do with anything.

"Well. Harusame thinks it's great that there's a job where no one gets to boss that person around. She's decided that SHE wants to be the Kazekage next." Baki sighed. "And she would NOT shut up about it. Not once."

"Oh." Kimiko's eyes lightened with humor as she smothered a grin. So the little girl had driven her poor wounded husband crazy with questions, had she? "Well, then why didn't you teach her some basic chakra control techniques? Things that she could understand at her age. This book is far too advanced."

Baki scowled. "I did. She caught on too quickly. After she broke a few items in the room practicing, the nursing staff asked me to find a quieter way to teach her."

Kimiko's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

The one-eyed shinobi sighed. "In a few years Gaara might need to look over his shoulder. Harusame might actually be aiming for his job. She's still clumsy right now with it, but she was really catching on before the hospital staff put a stop to her training in here."

"Oh." Kimiko mouthed, stunned as Harusame whirled back into the room.

"I'm ready!" Harusame scampered over to the book that Kimiko had put down on the table, picking it up she hugged it to her bony little chest and grinned. "And they said I could keep the book."

Both parents shared a look of resignation. They were in for it now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You didn't warn the guards at the gate to the Hyuuga lands." Hanabi said, leaning against the open door to the library where her father was reading some papers with her cousin Neji.

"Of course I did." Hiashi said, placing a checkmark next to one item on his parchment before looking up at her. "I merely told them to expect a kunoichi from Suna. You are supposed to be dead after all." He pointed out with utmost calm.

Neji looked stunned, absolutely stunned. "You knew she was back?" He asked hoarsely.

Hanabi spread her hands and wiggled her fingers slightly. "Surprise. I'm alive."

Hiashi frowned as he stared at his daughter. She didn't sound terribly happy about being home. "Are you trying to ruin your disguise?"

"Disguise over. The Hokage brought us back to life." She twisted her mouth into a semblance of a smile. "I'm home. All three of us, actually."

The sudden relief he felt made Hiashi turn his face away, hiding his reaction out of habit. He grunted. "Good."

Neji though was smiling, showing his genuine pleasure at having his younger cousin back home.

"I'll pack my things this time, before going back to Suna." Hanabi said, deliberately telling him what she planned on doing rather than requesting. "It will be nice having some of my own stuff back."

"Back to Suna?" Neji protested.

Hiashi stiffened and turned. "You and the Kazekage have reached ...an agreement between the two of you?"

"Yes and no." Hanabi's voice sounded slightly bitter, but though he waited a moment, she didn't elaborate on her answer..

Hiashi didn't break her silence at first, instead staring at her and taking in how much she'd changed in the last two years. He frowned sharply at the outfit she was wearing. Then looked at the mask covering her eyes and the upper part of her face. "You can see through the material?"

Hanabi shook her head. "No. I just keep the Byakugan on a low level almost all day now."

Her father blinked rapidly at that, but showed no other reaction. "Headaches?" He asked about the usual side-effect of overuse of their family's bloodline limit.

"They were a bitch for a long time." Hanabi admitted ruefully. "But gone now unless I push too hard."

Neji whistled. "Nice job." Trying to ease the growing tension between father and daughter. He didn't understand. He knew Hiashi had missed Hanabi, why was the man acting like this? Why was she?

"You won't need to pack your things, you'll stay here for a while." His vocal tone made it a statement, not a question. "In fact, without a formal marriage contract with the Kazekage, you won't be going back to Suna at all now that you can coming out of hiding."

"Death." Hanabi snapped, irritated by his authoritarian ways. She'd forgotten what it was like not to be in charge. "Hiding makes it sound so feeble. I was dead."

Hiashi frowned at her own tone of voice. "Don't be silly." He snapped back.

"I'll stay in the village." Hanabi nodded arrogantly to her own father, something that two years ago she would never have done. "Until I leave for Suna."

"You'll stay in your own room. Here. In my house." His voice rose only slightly, but it was no less a command. As he spoke, Anko walked into the room, took one look and turned around and walked back out again.

Neji scowled after her. "Coward." Anko raised one hand and made a rude gesture in his direction.

Hanabi shook her head, her whole body thrumming with pent up frustration. "You're forgetting something. I'm over the age of consent. While I was 'dead', I grew up. I can go where I please."

"And I'm now head of the Hyuuga clan." Neji spoke placatingly. trying to find common ground between father and daughter. "This is something that we can discuss."

"Not to Suna." Hiashi growled, ignoring his nephew's words. "Not without the permission of the Hokage or the council. And I sit on the Elder Council now." His voice made it perfectly clear that she would not be getting travel permission to leave the village any time soon.

"Fine." Hanabi pulled away from her perch leaning against the open doorway. "I'll stay in Hinata and Kankuro's house, they won't mind. Just until I can rent a place short term. But I won't stay under your ..."

"Roof?" He supplied when her voice trailed off.

"No. Your thumb." She said coolly. "You killed me off, and while I was 'dead' I became an adult legally. You no longer have any say unless I choose it."

Hiashi drew up sharply, temper narrowing his eyes dangerously on her.

Neji shook his head grimly. "It was a ninja ploy ..."

"Like I don't know that?" Hanabi widened her eyes, affronted. "Like we couldn't figure that out, not that there was ANY word from either of you, either secret or overt."

"I couldn't risk your life by calling attention to where you were hiding." Hiashi deliberately didn't mention the letters he'd written her, but had never sent. Most he'd burned, but some where in his desk.

Hanabi sneered. "At first, sure. But after a few months? A year? Two years? Did you even know when I made chuunin?"

"I had only assumed you would have made jounin by now." He frowned at her.

Neji held his breath. This conversation was degenerating fast.

Pride stinging, she stepped back. "Gaara didn't want to test us for jounin without permission from the Hokage. Tsunade sent word to hold off, not to put us too far out in front where we might be recognized." With that, she turned to leave the room without seeking his permission to do so.

"Hanabi. HANABI!" Hiashi raised his voice, as several servants turned to stare in wonder and shock.

His daughter stopped in the middle of the entrance hallway, every eye on her as she put one hand on her hip and lifted her chin. "Hanabi is dead." She announced loud and clear. "You can call me Kaji or not at all."

With that, she turned toward the main door and yanked it open, much to the shock of Katashi as he'd been about to enter the house.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Hiashi roared, shocked to the core of his being. Where had his slightly willful, but usually quiet daughter gone? He shook his head at her forcefully.

Kaji turned and smiled brightly at him. "I'm going to get a tattoo. If you're lucky, I may show back up for dinner."

Katashi stared at her in shock. "H ...H ...Hanabi?"

Neji mouthed the word 'tattoo' in shock. His eyes flew to his uncle, wondering at how bad the reaction would be.

"Missed you too." She bussed Katashi's cheek with a kiss and walked down the steps and away from the main house leaving her younger brother gaping at her as she left.

Anko stepped up to a fuming Hiashi. "Well trout. Mushrooms do sprout up overnight, you know."

He started to move to stop Hanabi's departure, but Anko's hand was firmly on his arm and he stopped. "Not a battle to fight, wag-tail. While you weren't looking she grew up, she's not a child anymore."

Hiashi frowned sharply, but allowed his wife to stop him. "I can not allow her to tattoo herself ..."

"Like ANBU? Or more than half the village ninja?" Anko clucked her tongue. "She's just trying to get your goat. And she can't get an appointment for today anyway, not with anyone decent. She'll calm down and you can talk her out of it at dinner."

Neji grunted and nodded in agreement.

Hiashi's temper settled a bit and he too nodded. "You're right. She's too smart to just rush into something silly. And if I chase her, it will only make her more stubborn. Push her into doing something she can't take back."

"Exactly."

He grunted, then paused a moment. Looking at Anko he frowned. "Wag-tail?"

"It's a bird." Anko said as Katashi walked up to them, still looking stunned. "Yes, your sister is back and since she's not hiding her identity, I'm assuming there's no further need for a disguise?"

"No. The Hokage told her that she could come back from being 'dead'." Hiashi shook his head at the spiky-haired woman he'd married. "Why a wag-tail?"

Anko shrugged. "It has a long black feathered tail that it 'wags' ...and you have long dark hair that was 'wagging' as you shook your head at your daughter. There was a resemblance there for just a second or two."

Katashi gave a weak smile even as Hiashi frowned more sharply and Neji turned to hide his own smile at the expense of his uncle.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari frowned down at her plate. "This sucks."

Yukiko frowned at her. "It's good for you." Shibi's elderly aunt pushed the dish closer to the young blonde kunoichi. "It's good for the baby."

"It's mush." Temari wrinkled her nose and closed her mouth, not willing to endure another bland meal. "I want a steak." The moment she said it, an image of a nice juicy steak popped into her head and would not leave her alone.

"Red meat is tougher to digest, and you've had some heartburn lately." Yukiko murmured soothingly.

Shino pursed his lips, speaking diplomaticaly. "You said to indulge her cravings, that it would be her body's way of saying what it was she needed."

Temari perked up at that. "I want a steak!"

Unsure, Yukiko looked at one of the nurses on duty. The nurse shrugged. "There's no medical reason not to give her a steak."

Frowning, the elderly woman threw up her arms in defeat. "Fine. Shino, go tell someone that we need a steak in here."

Temari's mouth watered at the thought.

Shino turned to his wife. "Is a steak what you want or is there something else that you would pre ...erk!" He stopped as his wife's hand moved with lightning speed and grabbed the top of his coat. He nodded. "I'll go find you a steak."

"No." Temari purred roughly.

"No?" He questioned, confused.

"Find me two." Her smile was feral as she gave him a hard look. "Two steaks."

"I'll go get those." Yukiko smothered a smile as she slipped from the room. "I'll be right back with two steaks."

Shino chuckled. "You are something else." He told his wife fondly.

Temari sneered at him as she released his coat, then blew him a kiss. "Yes I am."

"You need to eat something green with your steak. Something from the vegetable category." He said lightly.

Her stomach turned over at the thought. "Bite me, bug-boy."

Shino leaned in and bit her earlobe. "Okay."

She shivered and about melted on the spot. "You don't play fair." She leaned in for a kiss, which he gladly gave. Their lips clung together as she whispered against his mouth. "Nothing green."

"Orange?" He asked, nibbling on her mouth. "How do you feel about carrots?"

Temari leaned back and thought of carrots, picturing them in her mind. Her stomach did not rebel. "Carrots would be fine, I think."

"Tomatoes?" He watched her swallow hard and shake her head. "Satsumaimo?" He asked next, mentioning a sweet potato dish.

She stopped, thought about it, then started to nod slowly. "Maybe."

"Sweet garden peas?" He offered.

She licked her lips, her teal eyes brightening considerably. "With pearl onions." She ordered.

Shino nodded and went to the door, about to relay the message to one of the many Aburame outside.

"No." Temari grinned. "Send your kikai."

Both Aburame males gave her a long silent look. Then they glanced at each other, and back at her. She waved at them, still grinning.

"The last time I sent the kikai with a message to spell out the words in the air, the cafeteria workers ... objected." Shino reminded her.

"Freaked." She tutted under her breath. "They freaked. Come on, it'll be fun."

"You are a troublemaker." Shino sighed.

Temari shrugged and crossed her eyes at him. "You married me."

"I did indeed." Shino paused and then sent the kikai down to the cafeteria with the message for his aunt. Two steaks, garden peas with pearl onions, and carrots.

Temari shook her head as the kikai took off on their errand. "You really did it."

"You asked me too."

She looked at him and took a deep breath. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you. And I have no idea why you indulge me so."

Shino walked over to her and pulled down his dark concealing glasses, staring into her teal eyes. "Because you are my queen."

Right then and there she lost her breath as she smiled fatuously at her husband.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho stared at herself in the mirror feeling the need to fidget. She frowned. She wasn't the type to fidget. The butterflies in her stomach were driving her crazy.

"You look beautiful." Her mother cooed proudly.

The cryptologist met her mother's gaze in the mirror and forced a smile. She'd tried to get her mother to leave, but Miho refused to go until she'd met her daughter's date.

"I need to change." Shiho muttered as she eyed the top she was wearing. "I liked the first one better."

"It covered more." Her mother smiled wickedly. "And it's nice, but I like the one you have on now." Even so, she held up the top her daughter was reaching for.

Shiho took the blouse. It did cover more, but it was tighter and the dual colors of the top had unexpected benefits. The dark color had gone around her waist and up over her shoulders, while the white part had covered basically just her bosom. Calling attention to that area while the tight fit pushed what little she had in that department, up. "Help me put it on." As tight as the shirt was, it was difficult for Shiho to manage with her swollen and still painful shoulder.

There was a knock on the door just then and Shiho's eyes went huge as her mother snatched back the shirt and smiled. "Too late! Now go answer the door."

"He's early!" Shiho turned to stare at the door, then protested weakly as her mother gave her a push. She decided that she'd have to keep her back hidden and turned so that she was facing the door full on since she didn't have time to change her top after all.

"Better than late." Her mother smiled and opened the door to the young man standing outside. "Hello! I'm Shiho's mother."

The cryptologist nearly fell over as she looked at the man silently looking back at her. "Sai?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko walked into the tattoo parlor, looking around with interest. It was bright, clean, and covered with colorful drawings of all kinds of interesting things.

Hanabi looked up from where she was lying on the reclined chair. "You here on his behalf?"

"No." Anko shrugged. "I have him half-convinced that you wouldn't go through with this. What gives, Mushroom? You have to know that these past two years has been hard on him as well as you."

"He had you and the rest of the family." Hanabi drew in a breath as the tattoo artist hit a sensitive place on her lower back.

"You had Gaara and your teammates." Anko pointed out reasonably as she leaned back against the wall, crossing her legs and arms. "What's really going on?"

Hanabi started to shrug.

"Hold still." The man working on her back ordered her until he finished a section and then leaned back, stretching. "There, you can talk now. I'm going to get a cup of tea."

Anko looked at the design on her step-daughter's back and raised one eyebrow. "No room for equivocation, blue-jay."

Hanabi pressed her lips together. Blue jay. Ill tempered birds that appeared angry a lot.

"Who are you really mad at?" The older kunoichi pressed. "Gaara?"

Pressing her face down, Hanabi sighed.

"Thought so." Anko sounded smug. "You've grown up. But your father still sees you as a fourteen year old genin. This Kaji person will take him a while to get used to, you know."

"He's going to be upset about the tattoo." Hanabi smiled ruefully. "And I'm not sorry."

"Didn't ask for you to be sorry." Anko looked over at Hanabi's back and smiled. "It's nice work. Not terribly complicated. The message is loud and clear though."

"Good."

The spiky haired woman pushed away from the wall and looked at some of the sample art on the wall. "This guy's reputation as an artist is excellent. Best tattooist in Konoha. Booked up for months. How did you get in?"

Hanabi looked up and gave a chuckle. "His appointment never showed. And my tattoo is quick and easy."

"Never showed?" Anko shook her head and laughed. "What did you do to him?"

The younger kunoichi shrugged. "He'll live, better yet ...he can't identify me either."

Nodding, Anko gestured at the man in the back drinking tea. "You have time to fit me in too?"

The tattoo artist was no fool. He took one look at the feral gleam in Anko's eyes and nodded. "What do you want?"

Hanabi looked up, shocked. "Father will have a cow."

Anko grinned and pointed to a place on her hip. "A king-fisher bird. Right there."

The man frowned. "Detailed work to do the bird right. And I have a trader's son coming in an hour."

Anko looked at him and licked her lips, looking every bit as dangerous as she was. "Reschedule him. I'll triple your price."

"Done." The man nodded and shook hands with the kunoichi. "Now. Let me finish with this young lady first." He gestured toward Hanabi's nearly completed ink-work.

Hanabi chuckled, barely believing what Anko was going to do. "You've adjusted to being rich, throwing money around like that."

Anko shook her head. "Not really. I got pissed off the other night, and wore the exact wrong color to an Elder Council member's party. Strictly black and white affair."

"You wore red." Hanabi guessed.

"Scarlet red." Anko nodded. "The next night we went to another party and half the women there were wearing that same color. Scarlet red was everywhere." She shuddered. "Heaven help me, I've become a fashion trend-setter."

"Heaven help you?" Hanabi choked. "Heaven help Konoha would be more appropriate. Just think of the mayhem you could cause. White shoes in the winter. Stripes in clashing colors. Mismatched patterns."

Anko paused, an arrested look on her face.

Hanabi groaned. "Shit. I should have kept my mouth shut."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"This ...this isn't my date." Shiho stuttered as her mother fawned over an oblivious Sai. Thanking him profusely for saving her daughter's life.

"Date?" The artist asked with a frown, interrupting Miho's monologue mid-stream. "Do friends allow their friends to date?" He looked over at her, his dark eyes taking in the silky black trousers that rode low on her hips, with wide legs and the stylish boots with the slender heels. His gaze traveled up to the matching black top that draped becomingly in front and had soft capped sleeves that covered most of Shiho's bruising on her shoulder. He decided it was demure enough.

Shiho slapped Sai's arm. "Yes, and you know it. You've already told me about Naruto and Sakura dating."

Sai's expression cleared and he nodded. "I just wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed now that you're back home. Since Kiba allowed you to be wounded and all."

Miho stiffened. "He did what?"

Sai started to walk around her, looking at her from all sides. Turning to keep her front facing him, and her back hidden, Shiho watched him carefully. "You did something to your hair." He said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Shiho nodded as she deliberately kept facing Sai. "Don't say things like that, stirring the pot. You know Kiba saved my life. It's not his fault that I hurt my shoulder."

Sai opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

Her mother turned to open the door with a steely look in her eyes. Shiho spun to face the door, realizing belatedly that Sai was now at her back. She stiffened.

"Now ...is THIS your date?" Miho asked, confused as she looked out at the shinobi now at the door. She frowned as she took in his facial tattoos.

"Yes." Kiba said, his eyes sliding past the woman in front of him and settling ...on Sai.

The artist shrugged and gave a fake grin. "Friends just drop by on occasion, or so I'm told."

"No they don't." Kiba said in a gravelly voice.

Desperate to avoid a scene, Shiho smiled wanly. "Ready to go?"

Kiba smiled and looked over at Miho. "You must be Shiho's mother. I'm Inuzuka Kiba and I'm pleased to meet you."

Easy charm and a winning smile had the older woman smiling back. "I hear you saved her life, young man."

Sai interrupted the pleasantries. "You're not dressed."

Shiho barely managed to keep her smile in place as she grabbed her new wrap. "Yes. Yes, I am."

"We have reservations." Kiba piped up. He looked over at Sai. "You can go now. The reservations are for two. Only two."

"Boys." The warning came from Shiho's mother. She looked back and forth between the two alpha males and then glanced at her still frozen daughter. "Shiho?" Clearly, her mother was telling her the choice was hers and hers alone.

The cryptologist gulped, took a deep breath and smiled. "Sai? It was nice of you to drop by, be sure to lock up when you leave but how about lunch another day? Friends do eat lunch. Mother? I'll talk to you later. Kiba? You mentioned reservations?"

Sai stepped forward, only to find his path blocked by Shiho's mother. "Have a good night dear." She shot Kiba a warning glance that only a mother could pull off. He nodded and reached for Shiho's wrap, taking it from her and holding it up for her to step into.

No help for it, Shiho turned and gave Kiba a good look at her back. Her bare back. The decorous top in front had only a strap at the nape of the neck and a half-inch wide ribbon connecting the two sides. His eyes widened with instant lust as he traced the curve of her back with his gaze. All that creamy smooth skin going from her neck down to where her pants rode low on her hips. His palms started to itch.

"A polite young man would tell his date that she looks lovely." Miho told him bluntly. "And keep his hands to himself."

"Not a chance in hell." Kiba whispered under his breath where only Shiho could hear him. She shivered as her body reacted instinctively to the sensual promise in his voice.

Miho frowned. "What was that?"

"She does look lovely." Kiba said more loudly as he settled her wrap around Shiho's shoulders.

Sai shook his head. "That's not what he said."

Shiho gave a wave to her mother and nearly flew out the door, desperate to get away. Kiba flashed an evil grin at Sai and then looked at his librarian's mother. "I'll grow on you." He promised.

Miho stared at him a moment. "You plan on being around that long?"

Kiba grinned widely and turned to shut the door behind him. "Like the lady said, be sure to lock up when you leave."

Miho watched and then shook her head in wonder. Looking over at Sai, she frowned. "Who are you again?"

"Nezumi's friend."

Her frown deepened. "Did you just call my baby a rat?"

o.O.o.O.o.O


	55. Strategy

"Where is Akamaru?" The nervous kunoichi asked, looking around. Not that the large nin dog could have been hiding anywhere. Still, not knowing what to say, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

Kiba didn't seem to notice how awkward she was feeling, instead he merely chuckled lightly. "We're going to Yuuyake to eat, and Akamaru is banned from there."

Shiho blinked, startled. The word 'yuuyake' literally referred to the color of the heavens when the day glowed just before turning into night, it meant 'burnt evening'. And the restaurant by that name was a very fine dining establishment in Konoha. The best in the village. Her mouth literally watered at the thought, and at the same time her feet stopped working altogether.

When his date stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at him with huge blue eyes, Kiba turned to give her a wide grin. She shook her head slightly. He nodded slowly.

Shiho took a deep breath and shook her head again. "We don't have to go there. I hear it's expensive."

Kiba's grin grew. "I got a huge bonus for getting you back in one piece with your extremely valuable information. Hazard pay for doing it alone, plus the usual hefty paycheck for a high ranked mission. I can afford it. Besides, it's strategy."

"Strategy?" Shiho echoed, suddenly suspicious. Strategy to get inside her apartment? Into her?

The dog nin shrugged and walked up to her, leaning into her personal space to whisper in her ear. "No, that's not the reason."

Startled, she pulled back to stare at him. "You can't read my mind!"

Kiba cocked his head to one side and winked at her before linking his arm through hers and pulling her forward. "No, you're right, I can't read your mind. I'm just getting better at reading you."

Shiho's stomach dropped to her feet. He was getting better at reading her? While she still had NO clue how his mind worked? "That's not fair." She said huskily.

He patted her hand as he answered, facing forward even as his eyes cut to the side to watch her face. "Strategy. Like the fact that you don't think you measure up to my usual dates."

Appalled, Shiho snapped at him. "I'm better than your usual dates, I just didn't think you were smart enough to see that."

Kiba laughed outright and shook his head. "I concede the point only in that you ARE better than the girls I've dated before, but not that I'm too stupid to recognize the real thing when it comes along. It just takes me a while to get there."

"Two years." She huffed.

"To be fair, we were separated by missions." Kiba retorted and squeezed her arm gently. "But, to continue ...Strategy. I wanted to take you to a place that you know I would never take anyone that I didn't think highly of."

"Yuuyake?"

"Yuuyake." Kiba murmured.

Shiho thought about it then frowned. "You have so been there before."

"No I haven't." Kiba looked at her, his face clouding slightly.

The kunoichi stopped again, pulling her arm from his, her blue eyes snapping with temper. "You said that Akamaru was banned from this restaurant. Ergo, you HAD to have been there at least once in order for that to have happened!" She finished triumphantly.

Kiba's face cleared and he grinned, making her triumph fade. "No. My mother took Kuromaru here once, when she was meeting with Hana's future in-laws. It seems Yuuyake is famous for it's suzuki no osashimi. Sea bass. And they're very particular about their 'special secret' recipe."

"Oh?" Shiho asked, intrigued in spite of herself. She'd heard of the dish of course, most of Konoha had.

"Well. The chef came out to meet the diners and when he got to my mother's table he was going on and on about his 'secret' ingredient." Kiba started laughing, not able to help himself. "Kuromaru sniffed the air and announced 'truffle oil and yuzu, big deal'."

Shiho blinked uncertainly, then bit her tongue to keep from laughing outright. She still remembered her own shock when she'd discovered that Tsume's nin dog could actually speak. On their journey to the Akatsuki forest she'd asked a question absently, and then had dropped her dinner plate into the dirt when the dog had quite calmly answered her before any of the humans could.

Kiba shrugged. "Well, ever since then all Inuzuka nin dogs are banned from Yuuyake." He watched Shiho as she processed the story.

The code-breaker looked down at her booted feet and then looked up sheepishly. "I'm sorry that I doubted you."

The dog nin looked into those earnest blue eyes surrounded by soot dark lashes, her scent teased his senses and her lips ...weren't nearly close enough. Kiba rectified that problem and leaned in quickly, stealing a kiss and making her gasp out loud.

Shiho had a second to register his intent when she saw his gaze narrow on her lips, but even if she'd had time to move away, she probably wouldn't have. Her heart speed up as his lips swept sweetly across hers, then returned and pressed closer.

"Hello? You know normal people wait until the END of the date to kiss."

The voice startled Shiho into breaking away, flushing red as she moved so that the person behind her could pass on the sidewalk without stepping out into the street. Peeking, she saw no one that she knew.

"Nice kiss though."

The mocking tone of voice had Shiho looking away, into the lit window of a closed shop, not even particularly caring what she was seeing at first.

Kiba chuckled. He swept a bow and smiled. "Lady Anko and ..." The dog nin stood up straight, his nose flaring as he caught the scent of the masked kunoichi. His mind raced. "You're dead." Kiba said stupidly.

"You're dumb." The masked young woman teased, her smile taking the sting out of her words. "Do you always believe everything they tell you?"

Shiho turned to look more carefully at the two women, but still didn't recognize either. Though both looked dangerous.

Kiba's face broke into a delighted smile as he looked back and forth between Anko and Hyuuga Hanabi of all people. "Secret?" He asked.

"Not anymore." Anko crooned and shook a finger at the Inuzuka. "But don't go spreading it around too fast. Hear me?"

Curiously Shiho wanted to ask what was going on when she stopped, her breath catching as she stepped closer to the store window, finally actually seeing what was on display. She looked over to the store's posted hours and sighed. Closed. Of course.

"I can't believe she's alive." Kiba murmured as he came up beside Shiho, putting one arm around her back as he looked into the shop window too. "What sparkly trinkets will we find here? What feminine doodad has caught your fancy?"

Shiho looked in the window with true longing, then sighed as she turned to look up at the man with an arm around her. Only to find him grinning down at her. She'd been so lost in thought that he'd been waiting for her to notice him. "What?" She tensed, waiting for the ridicule.

Shiho felt a bit ill. This had happened to her before. A date offended when she'd found herself suddenly focused on something other than him. This never went well. What had she been thinking? How could she have let herself get so distracted by a ...

Kiba cocked his head toward the window. "See something you like? Let me see if I can guess." The dog ninja crossed his arms and tapped his lips with one finger as he looked into the book sellers shop. "I don't think you were looking at the crafting books. Unless you knit?"

Feeling his teasing as lighthearted and not derogatory, Shiho started to slowly relax, barely believing that he wasn't miffed at her. "Yes, but not very well. I tend to get distracted and the rows get messed up." She admitted, chagrined.

"Still, you weren't looking at the crafting books, I can tell." Kiba quirked an eyebrow at her. "And the books on farming don't look like you."

She shook her head mutely, feeling limp with relief. He wasn't upset!

Kiba pretended to stare into the store with it's presentation of new books. "Educated Guesses, The Breaking of the Perfect Cipher." Kiba turned big dark eyes on her and smiled. "Could THAT possibly have any interest for you?"

Shiho wrinkled her nose and shrugged.

"Ah!" He raised his arms in victory, throwing back his head. He looked so handsome and so strong, and so ...virile. Shiho caught herself admiring him with more than casual interest. He was making her itch deep inside. Kiba looked back down at her and grinned and she nearly melted at his feet. "Don't you get enough of ciphers at work?"

The kunoichi shrugged helplessly. "This one is by Koizume Chie. He's been working on these theories using nomenclature and writing in vertical grids and rows with ..." After a few minutes going on like that, Shiho finally stopped and started blushing again. "Sorry, I get carried away."

Kiba swallowed and nodded, finding it difficult to talk. "You're beautiful." He'd been watching her as she'd started rambling on about numbers, letters and charts and things. Her whole face had lit up and her normally rather plain features had fairly glowed. He knew he'd wanted her before, but at this very moment he'd have fought heaven and earth to be at her side. Right where he was right now.

Shiho smiled and nodded as Kiba offered her his arm again. "Reservations. Sea bass sashimi." He reminded her in a hoarse whisper that made her skin tingle hotly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Over Kiba?" Anko asked with interest, not even bothering to fake nonchalance.

Hanabi shrugged. "Young girl's crush." She brushed off the hint of sadness of seeing the Inuzuka so head over heels for someone else. She really was over him, though her pride still stung a bit that he'd never seen her as anything but a child.

The spiky-haired jounin laughed. "You have grown up! Your mushrooms are no longer stuffed. Or are they? Hey!" Anko let go of the zipper of Hanabi's top and jumped to the side to avoid an elbow to the ribs. "Attacking a jounin, you could get in serious trouble that way."

"Not as much trouble as we'll both be when dad sees our tattoos." The younger kunoichi sighed.

"Second thoughts?" Anko asked, openly pressing for information.

Hanabi shook her head. "Not about the tattoo. But I pushed father too hard earlier. Suna. The thing with Gaara, it just piled up on me."

Anko shook her head and held out her hands, palms up. "Don't tell me. Tell him."

In silence, lost in their own thoughts the two women turned down the street leading to the Hyuuga family compound. Hanabi mulled over her next steps in her mind, trying to come up with some sort of strategy in order to avoid fighting with her father again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade ran down the hallway, intensity burning like flames in her eyes as she nearly knocked over a med cart, the ward nurse moving hurriedly out of the way. The Hokage slid to a halt in front of one door and grabbed the handle, rushing inside. Her face lit up happily.

Shizune looked up, startled by the sudden intrusion as she twitched the sheet into place over the chest of her grumpy looking husband.

Tsunade smiled happily for a moment, then let her face go calm, even. She closed her eyes a moment, then snapped them open with a hint of temper. "You're late."

Sighing, Shizune reached over for the water pitcher and poured a cup.

"I don't need a drink of water." The Hokage said irritably. "I need you back. That chuunin you stuck me with is worthless!"

"The water is for Ibiki. Morino Ibiki. Remember? I married him?" Shizune spoke with utter calm as she handed the cup to the man lying in the hospital bed.

Ibiki didn't really want any water, but caught the look in his wife's eye. He accepted the cup without a qualm and drained it. Ever since she'd discovered that he'd been injured she'd turned into a little martinet. Bossy. He was finding this side of her to be quite intriguing. Unfortunately, she wouldn't 'play' with him, considering him too ill. Well, now that they were back in Konoha, he'd just have to see about that.

Tsunade blew out a frustrated breath. "Of course I know you got married! I paid enough money for the cake and flowers, bets that YOU suckered me into!"

The vein at Shizune's left temple throbbed for a moment as she fought the desire to yell at Tsunade that the blonde had suckered herself into those bets. Instead, she turned to Ibiki and smoothed the already wrinkle-free blanket over his chest and sat down next to his bed.

This time it was Tsunade's temple that started to throb. "What are you doing sitting down? I need you! That chuunin has made a mess and I need you!"

Shizune didn't even look at the blonde kunoichi as she smiled. "You mean the new chuunin assistant didn't do all the boring paperwork for you, and actually put it on your desk to be done. By you."

Hissing, the Hokage drew back as if stung. "You told him to do that?!"

The darker haired kunoichi shrugged and gave a small smile. "That's the actual job of an assistant you know. I'm sure he does his job well."

Horrified, Tsunade looked at Shizune in sheer disbelief. "You ...you're not coming to help me?"

"I want a raise." Shizune studied her nails as Ibiki avoided looking at the fuming blonde.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can use my Byakugan."

Kankuro frowned fiercely at his wife, but as shy as she was, she wasn't cowed. She simply looked right back at him and gave her husband a sweet smile. It didn't work. The puppeteer frowned deeper. "You have a concussion." He reminded her.

Hinata looked worried as she looked around their camp site. "We need to know where this criminal is, and if he's heading toward Hanabi."

Gaara frowned as he concentrated on the sand traps he'd laid out in a wide perimeter as they'd traveled. "Either he's not there, or he's avoiding the traps."

"I can help." Persisted Hinata.

Kankuro growled and grabbed her hand. Hinata squeaked slightly. He held her gaze and shook his head. "Not with your headache, you heard the medics. And before you argue that you're a medic too, I already know that. But ..."

"It's Hanabi." The elder sister whined slightly, looking miserable.

Gaara looked back at the duo and sighed. "Technically it's not, she grew into Kaji. And trust me. Kaji has her Byakugan activated. Her guard is not down."

Kankuro grunted in satisfaction. "See? Gaara agrees with me."

"No I don't."

Both ninja turned to stare at the red-head, who frowned back at them. Hinata parroted him. "You don't?"

Gaara shook his head slightly and took a deep breath. "I know Kaji. Hanabi. Whatever, I know she'll have her Byakugan on. But this is an S-class criminal. I know what the medics said, but there should be no permanent damage if Hinata uses her own Byakugan to look. If she's willing to put up with the strain and the headache, I'm willing to let her."

Kankuro jumped up, looking ready for a fight. "Now just a minute! This is my wife's well-being that we're talking about, and you yourself said that Hanabi will be on alert. Michi and Rocks too, they won't be easily caught off guard."

"Yurasu." Gaara pointed out grimly, the one name conjuring a multitude of hideous crimes.

The puppeteer moved toward his brother, his face turning red with temper. But before he could say anything, Hinata whimpered.

Both shinobi spun and looked at her paler than usual face as she swayed, holding her hands to her head. The veins around her eyes showing that she'd done what she wanted no matter what the two men thought was right.

"Hoshi!" Kankuro fisted his hand, gritting his teeth.

Gaara just waited.

Finally Hinata released the bloodline limit, breathing hard as she fell forward onto her hands and knees. "I see no sign of anyone." She said shakily.

Kankuro let his head loll backwards as he looked up into the night sky. "If you'd waited, I would have explained that Yurasu is a master at disguising himself. Rocks, trees, whatever. An expert at suppressing his chakra. If Hanabi hadn't spotted him earlier, then there really was no need for you to make yourself sick like this."

Hinata's vision was swimming and her stomach was threatening to rebel openly.

Gruffly, Kankuro handed her a container of water as he waited to see if she was going to throw up. "Stupid."

The kunoichi managed to keep the contents of her stomach on the inside, where it belonged. Though it was a close call. Sitting back up, she waited for the world to right itself. "I'm ...I'm not stupid." Hinata said, taking deep breaths to try and ease the now vicious headache.

"It was a stupid thing to do." Kankuro backed off, and sighed. He turned to glare at his brother. "And you were no help whatsoever."

Gaara didn't even bother to respond. Inwardly he was wondering where the hell Yurasu was, or if his calculations were wrong altogether.

"I still want a baby."

The soft words threw both men for a huge loop. Kankuro actually stumbled mid-stride and nearly fell flat on his face, only barely catching his balance.

Gaara's eyes went huge and his mouth actually dropped open.

"Wh...what?" The puppeteer fairly choked on the word, his mind in a complete stall.

Hinata looked up and pinned her husband with her pale-lilac gaze. "Calling me stupid is not getting you out of making me pregnant."

Kankuro's face flushed as he looked pointedly at Gaara. "We're not alone, Hinata." He hissed through gritted teeth.

Her chin firmed, though her face was even redder than her husband's at the moment. "You called me stupid in front of him."

"I don't need to be here." Gaara turned away, prepared to leave the clearing altogether. "You're married to her, you deal with this."

Kankuro growled and sneered. "Oh yeah? Well think about this, baby brother! I married the sweet compliant sister. So where does that leave you for in the future, huh? You have the firecracker."

Gaara stopped, shuddered at the thought of what Hanabi might have put him through if she'd been the one here. Still, his heart was suddenly aching. Did he have the firecracker? Did he?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're testing the twins without Kankuro or Hinata here?" Hanabi's voice rose in shock.

Hiashi and Neji frowned as they looked up at her from where they were seated on the floor with the twin boys. Boys that were currently in a tug of war over a wooden toy.

The former head of the Hyuuga clan frowned. "Are you here to argue again?"

Chagrined, Hanabi shook her head. "Actually came to apologize." Spotting the look of shock on Neji's face she sneered. "I do know how, you know."

Hiashi grunted and waited.

Hanabi looked at Nowaki and Ryusei as the older twin stamped his foot and yowled in displeasure. Ryusei let go of the toy, his little lip trembling. Nowaki looked at his younger sibling's face and dropped the toy to pat him on the arm. "It okay. It okay."

Neji sighed. "They just won't fight each other. Or at least they will, but not for us. Two boys, one toy. It should have been a no-brainer."

Hiashi though, was distracted. He continued to stare at his daughter. "Well?" He demanded.

The kunoichi's lips twisted. "You're actually going to make me apologize, father? Not just let it slide that I said I was going to apologize?"

Hiashi just stared at her.

"Pfft. Fine." Hanabi took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for losing my temper."

Hiashi kept waiting.

Hanabi frowned at him. "Not enough?"

Her father raised one eyebrow.

"Fine. I'm sorry for being disrespectful to my father, my elder."

Neji sniffed. "She even managed to sound sincere."

Hanabi turned to smile at the twin boys. "They won't remember me." She said, her voice mournful.

Behind her, Hiashi stiffened. "What is the bandage on your back?"

"To cover my new tattoo." She told him bluntly, not bothering to try and hide anything from a man who was the master of the Byakugan anyway.

Hiashi's face went beet red and he opened his mouth to blast her when Hanabi interrupted him. "It's not nearly as nice as Anko's tattoo though."

Neji wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry as he watched his uncle's face go from bright red to pale white in an instant.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho felt like a pampered princess. Kiba was behaving like a perfect gentleman. He'd seated her at the table in a smooth move and hadn't even lost his temper when the snooty waiter had made a crack about nin-dogs not being allowed in the restaurant. As if Kiba had managed to sneak in Akamaru somehow.

He'd asked her what looked good on the menu to her, letting her choose her own meal and then had ordered for her. Though he'd made sure to ask her opinion on everything first, making sure that what was ordered was what she wanted. He'd even gotten the wine right.

Shiho watched as between the courses Kiba took a sip of his wine, wondering where her crass and brash young shinobi had gone.

"What?"

Startled from her contemplations, Shiho focused back in on the here and now. "What, what?"

"You're staring at me." Kiba looked down at his shirt. "Did I spill any of the dressing from the salad on me?"

Shiho smiled and shook her head. "No. You ...you just surprised me tonight, that's all. The meal, the restaurant, the wine ..."

"What? A dog ninja can't know about wine?" Kiba opened his dark eyes wide, looking hurt.

Shiho wasn't buying. "Any dog ninja? Sure. Possible. But I never took you as a fine wine kind of guy."

Shrugging, Kiba waited as the waiter served the sea bass sashimi. "I'm not really." He continued as the waiter left them alone. He sniffed deeply. "Kuromaru was right, it does have yuzu and truffle oil."

Grinning, Shiho chuckled and took a bite of her own food. The delicately sliced fish nearly melted on her tongue, she moaned happily. The sound drew Kiba's eyes to the long line of her throat and he swallowed wrong, suddenly coughing and reaching for his wine again, gulping it.

"Kiba?" His date asked in a worried voice.

He shook his head at her as he regained control of his breathing. "Swallowed wrong." He didn't say that he'd swallowed wrong because of the sudden onset of lust that had overtaken him just from watching her eat. Damn. He had it bad.

In desperation to change the subject to something more benign, Kiba flashed her a grin. "What did you think of my new assignment?"

Shiho stopped, her chopsticks half-way to her mouth. She straightened up, looking very worried. "You're leaving on a new mission? For how long? Not that I have any right to ask, or anything."

Kiba fought the groan that threatened to come out of his mouth. She looked so ...upset! Upset that he might be leaving the village for another prolonged mission. Upset to be without him. Something deep inside of him hummed with satisfaction. If he had it bad, at least she did too!

"You have the right to ask." Kiba grinned and swept a hand out over the table. "We're dressed up, eating at a fancy restaurant, and later I'm going to kiss you so deeply that you'll be seeing double. Sweetheart. We're dating."

Shiho put her chopsticks back down, suddenly not sure if she could swallow anything past the sudden lump in her throat. Her heart rate had just tripled.

"And if you're wondering how long that will last." Kiba's grin grew. "That's up to you. Which is why I'm making an effort with the food and wine tonight. Even had to go to a friend for a little coaching on what kind of wine to order. Well, my sister really. And trust me, that was hard. She kept laughing at me. Would have asked Shino or Hinata, but neither is in town."

"Hana?" Shiho murmured, still stuck on the 'dating' word. She looked around, feeling off center. "It's a little warm in here."

Kiba chuckled. "No, it's not. It's just that you're the hottest thing in this room."

Shiho flushed, looking unsure. "There are a lot of really pretty women in here."

Shrugging, the dog ninja had his eyes solely on her. "I said the hottest, and I meant it. All I can think about is the skin you have showing on your back and how I damn well wish the wall behind you had mirrors."

Squirming uncomfortable, Shiho searched for another topic. Anything. "Wait. You said your were leaving on a mission."

"No." Kiba took another bite of his excellent meal. "I said I had a new assignment. You've already met them."

"Them?" Shiho asked, her mind racing as she put together the clues. "The genin team that gave me your message?"

Kiba nodded. "I think the Hokage is punishing me for making a mess and a fuss in her office. She had me assigned as their new sensei before I'd even washed the travel dust off my boots."

"Oh." Shiho said vacantly, looking lost.

The Inuzuka frowned, then his face cleared as he thought he understood. "You were never on a genin team, were you?"

Mutely the code-breaker shook her head.

"I'll have missions later, but for the most part we'll be sticking around Konoha for the better part of a year as the team learns to work together. D-Ranked missions all the way. At least for a while." Kiba smiled at her. "You're stuck with me."

"Oh." Shiho repeated, but this time her eyes were shining happily.

"Except for tomorrow." Kiba shrugged. "I've got to take them to a farm outside of the village to help with some of the chores. If there was such a thing, I think this one would be ranked below "D". Can't be helped though. I don't know what time we'll be back. Depends on the genin and how fast they do the work."

She might not see him tomorrow? Shiho fought not to let her disappointment show. And she did an admirable job at it too. Except for her heart rate, which Kiba could clearly hear.

He grinned and winked at her. "You'll wait for me, right?"

Shiho looked at his cheeky grin and thought about all the trouble he'd gone to in order to impress her tonight. Her heart fluttered and skipped a beat.

And all of a sudden she wished that she had ignored Ino's advice and had gone ahead and shaved her legs.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade fumed as she watched Shizune straighten out the paperwork that had so befuddled her. The ease with which her assistant went through the stacks had the Hokage frowning sharply.

"A raise." She muttered gloomily. "You held me hostage for money? Money?!"

Shizune looked up and handed the Hokage three sheets of parchment. "These were in the wrong pile and need your immediate attention."

The blonde grabbed the papers and scowled at them. Damn. Shizune was right, she should have seen these three days ago. Feeling put upon, she tossed them on her desk like so much confetti. "I have half a mind to cancel your raise."

"And I have half a mind to quit and go back to sit with my ailing husband." Shizune retorted without pause.

Tsunade crossed her arms, glaring. "He's healing."

"He'd heal better with me there." Shizune continued. "Here. This one isn't urgent, but you'll want to read it." She handed her boss another scroll message.

"You don't gamble or carouse. What do you need money for?"

"Cheapskate. I'm worth every yen." Shizune sighed and pushed the threat. "Or I could leave you with your new assistant."

Tsunade shuddered in horror. "Don't you dare."

"I deserve that raise." The darker-haired woman continued. "And it's long past due."

"Why?" Demanded the Hokage. "You've never demanded a raise before!"

"We need a house." Shizune said, looking up and giving a ghost of a smile as she stuck to the strategy she'd thought about for months now.

"We do?" Tsunade asked curiously.

The assistant sighed. "We. Ibiki and myself. Not you and me. My husband."

Pursing her lips, the Hokage snarled. "Why do you two need a house all of a sudden, I thought you liked your apartment."

"We do. But ..." Shizune paused, watching her boss carefully. "Children need room."

Tsunade flicked her fingers. "That's a stupid reason if I ...if I ...ever ...heard ...oooooneee ... SHIZUNE?" Her eyes widened comically. "Noooooooo!"

The assistant waited for the news to settle.

Tsunade coughed. "You mean that you and Ibiki are thinking of starting a family? Okay, Okay. I can deal with that. Though don't make me picture you two together, I don't want to lose my dinner."

Shizune waited, remaining quiet.

The Hokage began to look panicked, her pupils dilating as she grew more and more agitated. "You are talking FUTURE children? Right?"

Shizune nodded and Tsunade started to relax, but only for a moment or two before the assistant spoke up once again. "Future. Six months is in the future."

Tsunade swayed and planted a hand on her desk. "I need a drink. Come buy me a drink."

Her assistant scowled and threw a letter scroll at the Hokage's head. "I can't drink in my condition!"

The blonde nodded, still looking shocked. Reeling actually. "Then I'll drink mine and yours both."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho moaned bonelessly in Kiba's arms as they stood on her front porch. His hands were hot beneath her cloak as one traced the line of her spine and the other cupped her buttocks, pulling her closer to his heat.

Had she thought he'd been the perfect gentleman? Pfft. Not anymore. Throwing back her head she groaned and held onto him so that she didn't fall. She couldn't have stood on her own right then, she was burning up. Her knees felt like jelly and would have never supported her weight.

Kiba nibbled on her throat, something he'd been thinking of all through dinner. His tongue laved out to soothe any sting his teeth caused.

His hand slid from her back to under her top, drifting closer to her chest. Shiho nearly wept at the sensations, gasping for air.

"No way you could wear a bra under this top. I love this top." Kiba growled, his voice so hoarse with desire she had a hard time understanding him. "So silky."

"Ino picked out the clothes." Shiho said breathlessly, her vision blurred with desire. "I tried to tell her silk wasn't practical." Silently she thanked Ino for winning that argument.

Kiba chuckled. "I meant you, librarian. You are so silky." His fingers traced the line of her ribs closer to her breasts and Shiho shivered, now unable to breathe at all.

The Inuzuka's clever fingers were a hair's breadth from her breast when Shiho pushed at him with what little strength she had left. Panicky over the way he made her feel, she struggled to keep him at bay. "My mother may be waiting up for me."

Kiba chuckled and nipped at her bottom lip. "No one's home. The scents are gone. Just you. And just me." He said suggestively, though he didn't push her. He wanted her badly, but he didn't want to scare her.

"I'm not inviting you in!" Shiho said in a rush, looking at him with wide eyes, her lips plump and swollen from his kisses.

He'd not really expected her to invite him in tonight. But he was a red-blooded male and right now he just couldn't back away. Not completely. "At least tell me that I kiss better than your first kiss. Mystery guy."

Completely caught off balance by the question, it took Shiho a moment to realize what Kiba was talking about. She was nodding without even thinking about it. "He said I kissed like a dead fish." The moment the humiliating words were out of her mouth, Shiho wished the ground would open up beneath her and swallow her whole.

Kiba pulled back, looking stunned. "He said what?"

Shiho shook her head. "It's in the past, forget it."

"Tell me." His eyes narrowed on hers.

"No." She set her chin stubbornly and pushed him away, backing into her apartment door, leaning on it for support. "I didn't mean to tell you that much. And I'm still not inviting you in tonight."

Kiba caught her chin with his hand and brought their lips together, just a breath apart from each other. "You want me."

Shiho whispered so low it was barely audible. "I didn't shave my legs."

The Inuzuka looked at her, blinked twice, and then grinned so wide she could see his fangs. "Don't care."

Looking appalled, Shiho reached behind her to open her apartment door. When it opened she nearly fell inside since she'd been leaning on the door in the first place. Kiba caught her wrist.

"You have to care!" She nearly wailed. "My legs are all hairy."

Kiba laughed at her outright as he helped her to stand. "Run away and hide, little librarian. But when you dream tonight, it will be of me." He promised and leaned inside her apartment to steal another kiss. His hands and body stayed outside, only his head inside her apartment. His lips clinging hotly to hers.

Shiho moaned and nearly gave in, part of her wanting to drag him into her apartment. She backed away slowly, eying him like he was a wild animal about to pounce.

Kiba grinned at her again, cocking his head slightly to one side. "I'll find you tomorrow if we get back from the farm at a decent time."

The code-breaker nodded absently, her fingers drifting up to touch his lips. He nipped at her fingers, making her shiver with something far different than cold.

"And Shiho?"

She looked into the intensity of his dark gaze.

"I can shave your legs for you." His voice did heated things to her inside and she nearly fell to the floor right then and there as she stared at him in utter shock. The very idea of him in her bathroom, running his hands over her legs. Shaving them. She shivered again.

Taking in her shocked expression, her date gave her a wink. "Perhaps next time." Kiba licked his lips and finally pulled back and locked her door for her before pulling it closed. "Dream of me tonight."

Shiho moaned, staring at her now closed door. Dream of him? Like she'd be able to get any sleep tonight at all!

It took several long moments before she could look away from the door. And even then, her first thought was to run to the door and invite him inside. Inside her apartment. Inside her body? Shiho put her hand to her forehead. Was she running a fever? She felt so damned hot!

What was the big deal? Why hadn't she invited him in? He wanted her, that was abundantly clear. Her skin still tingled where he'd touched her bare skin. And did she want him? Well ...yeah. She did. She really, really did.

Instead of heading home alone, he could have been right here with her. So what if the idea both inflamed her and terrified her? Even if this didn't last forever, why couldn't she grab life by both hands and do what she wanted?

First thing tomorrow she'd shave her damned legs!

Shiho grinned and headed down the hall, her mind racing with the possibilities. She needed something sexy. Lingerie. And did she need a scent? Kiba's nose was so sensitive, maybe she should skip any perfumes. What else did she need. Laundry. So mundane, but she needed new sheets! Just because it would be her first time, she didn't have to act like a complete idiot about this. She needed a seduction strategy. The idea made her giggle out loud. Like she needed to seduce Kiba. Hah! He was a walking talking hormone already!

Still, she was good at organization. She could do this! Shiho flopped down on her back, staring at her ceiling as she smiled. What else would ...oh ...shit.

Shiho sat straight up, her stomach roiling. She wasn't on the contraceptive brew! And she'd forgotten about that until just now! What if she'd given in to him? Invited him in? "Damn it!"

Lingerie could wait. She needed to see a medic first!

Shiho shuddered at her close call.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	56. Chocolate Cookies

Shiho blinked groggily as she turned on her shower. She'd overslept. Yawning, she waited for the water to heat up and wondered when her landlord was going to replace the clunker of a piece of junk that passed for a water heater.

Frowning, the code-breaker stepped into the luke-warm water and reached for her soap. She wasn't a morning person in the best of circumstances. And today was worse than usual. The headache was fading around the edges as she took something for it, but the medicine didn't touch the cause of her tension.

Kiba.

Inuzuka Kiba. He'd told her to dream about him, and she had. Blast his shaggy-haired hide!

Did she get sexy Kiba in her dream? Noooo! Playful Kiba? Again with the nooo! In fact, he actually hadn't been in her dream. Shiho frowned as she realized that she hadn't actually seen Kiba in her dream at all.

Only her and a litter of four puppy-children. Cute as a button with their father's eyes, but with doggy ears and noses all scampering over and around her on all fours while she tried to read a book. And then when she'd tried to talk to the little tykes, they'd barked. BARKED!

In her dream she'd had to turn to Akamaru to translate what her own children were saying to her!

Shiho sighed as she rinsed off and reached for a towel. It was no wonder that she'd woken up with a headache.

And there was no way in this world that she was ready to be a mother. She had just accepted the fact that she was actually 'dating' only last night! Before Kiba stepped one foot into her apartment, she was going to be on some sort of protection. And while she knew that her dream was ridiculous outside the realms of possibility, she was still visiting the medics first thing this morning.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Karehasu." Anko yawned and stretched.

Hiashi looked at her blandly as she smiled up at him in their bed. "Are you ready to talk about it yet?" His voice was morning-gruff and she figured he was still in something of a snit.

The spiky-haired woman scooted up in bed to sit with her back against the ornately carved headboard. She smiled at him wickedly. "You're the one who didn't want to talk last night." She reminded him. "Not me."

Scowling Hiashi moved out of bed, ignoring his wife's appreciative whistle as he pulled on his robe.

"Don't dress on my account." She fairly moaned as she licked her lips.

"You just called me 'karehasu'." He reminded her coldly. "A withered lotus."

Anko shrugged and stuck her tongue out at him. "I could bring your lotus back to life." She told him suggestively.

Hiashi shook his head at her. "Childish. You're acting like a child."

"Compared to you I am a child." Anko exaggerated, pointing out the difference in their age. "That makes you a pervert."

Hiashi headed to the bathroom. "That's two disgusting names you've called me this morning. What exactly is it that I've done to make you angry?"

Anko rolled out of bed and padded nude into the bathroom, watching as Hiashi turned on the shower jets. "Oh karehasu." She said, once more calling him a withered lotus. "I'm not angry at you." She crooned softly.

Hiashi gave her a disbelieving look as he stepped into the shower, letting the hot water beat down on him. "No?" He questioned.

"No." Anko assured him with a distinct lack of respect in her tone. "If I were angry, you'd be leaking blood. Everywhere." She narrowed her eyes and focused on his groin threateningly.

The former Hyuuga clan leader and current Konoha council member fought and won the urge to cover his groin with his hands. Still, as he resisted looking down at himself, he hoped he didn't now resemble the 'withered lotus' she'd called him twice now.

Anko walked over to the full length mirror and squinted her eyes at herself as she patted her stomach. "Baby fat. Ugh. It just won't go away. Your fault for giving me the 'flu' bug."

Hiashi sighed, snapping. "You have no baby fat!" He'd tried to convince her that her belly was flatter now than when she'd first gotten pregnant two years ago. "Stop fishing for compliments."

"A girl can never have too many compliments." Anko said absently as she turned to look at the bandage over her hip. Slowly she peeled it away and smiled. "The man is an artist, I'll give him that."

Closing his eyes in frustration, Hiashi gritted his teeth. "And how could you not only encourage Hanabi to mar her skin, but to get a tattoo yourself?"

"Mar?" Anko clucked her tongue. "What, do you think Hyuuga blood is above being inked?"

Hiashi wisely shut his mouth and didn't answer that pointed question.

Anko strode over to the shower and turned so her husband could see her hip. "Look at it and tell me that you don't like it." The unbending man looked away until she caught his wrist and tugged. "Look at it."

Hiashi looked down, and paused. A bird? A ...kingfisher. In brilliant colors and details. Stunned, he traced the lines with his pale Hyuuga eyes. She might as well have tattooed his name on her hip. She was blatantly calling herself his.

The kunoichi smiled and patted her rear end. "I'm going to need you to put ointment on it after we shower. Before you go downstairs and beleaguer Neji about how to run clan business despite how well he's actually doing the job."

"I still don't like tattoos." Hiashi said gruffly as his wife put her hands on his chest and pushed him back far enough in the large shower stall so she could get in too.

"I know kingfisher, I know." Anko said soothingly.

Hiashi frowned sharply, even as his wife began lathering up the soap ...and then him. "This doesn't mean I've changed my mind about Hanabi."

"I know." She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Sighing, Hiashi knew a lost cause when he saw one. Besides, what could he possibly do about it now? Tattoos were permanent. He'd just have to retreat and regroup.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho opened her front door and nearly stepped on the neatly wrapped gift sitting on her welcome mat. She felt her heart go 'bump' inside her chest. Eagerly she reached for the box and then scrambled to catch the note that nearly fell off. Feeling breathless, she flipped open the small note.

Like she'd guessed, it was from Kiba. He was going out of the village today on a mission with his new genin team like he'd told her, and while there was no danger to the 'D' ranked assignment, she knew she'd be thinking about him until he got back. And he was leaving her a small 'something' just to let her know that he was thinking about her.

Looking at the box from all sides, Shiho eyed the pretty bow and fancy paper. Smiling, she knew Kiba had not wrapped it himself, rather had the shop keeper do it for him. It didn't matter that he hadn't done the wrapping personally though, that was just Kiba for you.

Smiling, Shiho carried the unopened present back into her apartment and neatly slit the tape, saving the paper and the ribbon. It felt so girly and so stupid to save mementos, but she couldn't help herself. This was her first gift from Kiba and she meant to remember it always, no matter what silly trinket he ...he ... "Oh!"

The code breaker opened the box and felt her eyes go really wide. A book. Not just any book either. But the one she'd been looking at last night in the shop window. He'd remembered! And he'd gone back to the book stall and had bought it for her first thing this morning. Her vision blurred for a moment as she tried to see the title.

"Educated Guesses, The Breaking of the Perfect Cipher. By Koizume Chie." Shiho traced the words on the dust jacket gently, suddenly finding that her breathing had sped up.

Looking up at the clock, the cryptologist put down the book and ran to get her jacket. She needed to get to the medic and get on a contraceptive as soon as possible! She grabbed an apple her mother had stocked in her kitchen for her and ran out the door with her meager breakfast.

A moment later she ran back into the apartment and grabbed the book, muttering under her breath about how she could read it while waiting to see the medic.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Ino stared at the Hokage with a very strange expression, then turned to look at her husband of just over a year. Shikamaru was smirking happily.

The blonde kunoichi poked her husband in the side. "This is not good!"

Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged, his smile not dimming one iato. "The brat is heading back to Cloud as we speak. No more hostage. No more teen age noble angst in my home."

"Our home." Ino correct automatically, looking worried.

Tsunade's hazel-brown eyes narrowed on her former student as she tilted her head pugnaciously. "You act like you want to keep Shihei around. Weren't you the one begging me to let ANBU keep him?"

The blonde nodded quickly. "Oh, that part is good news. Very good news." It had been funny at first for the young noble to think of her as an 'angel' who deserved only the best. But that had palled quickly. She should feel like she would miss him, but the truth was, she was glad he was heading home.

Shikamaru looked puzzled, bored ...but mostly puzzled. "Then what? The new assignment? At least we get to be together, going out to support Genma at the Akatsuki fortress. We have more people out there now that the Cloud situation has been diverted."

Ino chewed her bottom lip slowly and shrugged.

An irritated Tsunade drummed her fingers on her desk. "What's wrong?"

"N... nothing." Ino grimaced, then sighed. "But that's where Temari got pregnant. Shizune too."

Shikamaru stiffened then rolled his eyes. "It's not in the water or something! Just coincidence!"

Tsunade looked startled as she started thumbing through some paperwork. She frowned. "Nothing would surprise me about the Akatsuki. Possibly they were looking into something with fertility, growing their own new demon hosts or something."

The Nara shinobi stilled, his eyes narrowing speculatively.

Ino caught her breath. "You don't think they'd do something like that, do you?"

The Hokage shrugged. "Best to stay out of the showers while you're there, Ino. And purify your water before drinking anything."

Shikamaru sighed as he watched Ino's face reflect both disbelief, and a hint of worry.

"You don't really think that, right?" Ino asked uncertainly.

Tsunade crumpled up a blank sheet of paper and nailed her former student in the forehead with it. "No, I think you're being a twit. Now get moving!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi turned just as Anko ran up to him outside his study. She kissed him and smiled, looking like she was up to something. He grunted. She probably was. He cocked one eyebrow at her questioningly.

Anko smirked. "Going shopping, I need a dress for the reception tonight."

He frowned. "You don't like shopping."

Anko shrugged and headed for the door.

Hiashi shook his head. "And I thought you turned down the invitation for the reception tonight?"

"Changed my mind!" Anko cackled and flew out the door. "And now I have a dress to find!"

"Changed your mind?" Hiashi echoed, not sure quite what was going on. He opened the door to his study and walked in. He needed to regroup.

How to deal with Hanabi? If Gaara came for her, that was one thing. But if not? She wasn't acting like he thought a Hyuuga should. Yet, she was an adult, technically anyway. How to bring her back into the fold?

He walked over to his desk, and then froze in mid-step. Hiashi turned and glared at the curtains hanging full length over the windows. His eye twitched as he gritted his teeth. "KATASHI!" He roared, calling for his son.

The youngster cam running from the hall where he'd about to head out to the Academy for classes. "Father?"

Hiashi, unable to say anything right then, merely pointed.

Katashi followed the line of his father's finger to the bottoms of the curtains. Shredded curtains, the bottoms of them looked like a feather duster. Completely ruined. And in front of those curtains?

Asobu the cat. Who was currently licking his paw as if he were totally innocent, though his gold-green eyes never left Hiashi.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai looked out over the landscape from his perch on top of a delivery warehouse. His fingers flew as the drawing took shape on his paper. It was a nice day and the breeze wasn't bad at all, just enough and not too much.

All should be perfect.

He looked down at his pad, and frowned. It was flat. He looked up at the landscape, and it was beautiful. But ...he didn't ...feel it? Feel? Was that right? He didn't have feelings, he drew what he saw. That was the way it worked.

But at the moment, he felt ...okay, yes ...he felt. Empty. And the landscape wasn't appeasing that emptiness. It wasn't begging to be drawn.

Cocking his head to one side he studied his fingers, then set them against his paper. He had feelings now. Friends. Even a friend outside of the bond of teammates. How strange.

Feelings. So. What did he feel like drawing?

His fingers started to move independent of his wandering thoughts. Bemused, he watched a shape take place. Shiho? That made sense she was his friend. But no. It was an older face. One of the elders who played shogi down in the market. A perfect stranger.

Sai frowned, but continued drawing. Wrinkles. A cock-eyed grin. Rheumy eyes. Arthritic joints. It all came together in a quick portrait. When done, Sai continued to frown down at his work. Why this guy? Looking at the picture objectively, he decided the man had an interesting face. That was all.

Interesting. Hm. Sai's fingers began to fly and he watched as another face took shape in the upper corner of the page. Tsunade's new chuunin assistant looking horrified by the office he'd been ordered to clean up. Sai's mouth quirked slightly and he stopped. Had he been about to smile?

How ...odd.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi peeked into the room and frowned. "You're at it again." She accused lightly.

Neji looked up and shrugged. "Not really, not this morning. Just observing." He then settled back to watch the four children play. Katsuro, his own son was a solid two year old now. The toddler sat in the middle of the room and played with a box and the wooden shapes that went into certain holes. Currently he was trying to stuff a round circle in the triangle slot. Neji let no expression escape him, but his eyes traced his son fondly.

Hiashi didn't even acknowledge his daughter's presence, not sure what he'd say if he did. Instead he focused his eyes on his youngest child, Jishin. The little girl was currently bossing around the twin boys. Yet the two were paying absolutely no attention to her at all.

The young kunoichi moved silently into the room and gracefully sat on the floor next to her father who'd been ignoring her all morning. She too kept her focus on the children playing.

Jishin pushed Ryusei, and then Nowaki pushed Jishin back as little Katsuro ignored them all, his concentration still on his little puzzle. Neji's son frowned and turned the box, now trying to stuff the round circle into an oblong.

Neji grunted happily. "He's learning." He said with pride.

A angry squeal came from Jishin as she tried to take back the small toy horse that she'd originally stolen from the twins in the first place. "SHARE!" She yelled, looking as mutinous as her mother could.

The twin boys looked fairly unimpressed with their small female cousin. Nowaki babbled something to Ryusei, who babbled back cheerfully. Nowaki then handed the toy over to Jishin who grabbed it and held it to her little chest.

Hiashi frowned sharply. "The other two are talking, using real words. Why won't these two? I know they can, but ...they won't."

Neji let his lips quiver slightly. "To be fair, while Jishin may know HOW to say 'share', she doesn't know the meaning. She just thinks it means 'give me what I want now, it's mine'." He nodded as the only little girl in the group ran away from the boys and hid the little toy horse under a bucket and then sat on it, crossing her little arms.

Hanabi laughed outright as she watched, shaking her head. "She's a little tyrant."

"That makes me the big tyrant, I suppose." Hiashi said out loud, though still not looking at his recently returned daughter.

"I never said that." Hanabi sobered, then shrugged. "As for the boys, I've heard that twins usually develop their own language that only the two of them know. It's called twin-speak."

Hiashi actually turned to look at her now, though his face was still expressionless. "Nonsense. My twin and I shared no such language."

Carefully, Neji stepped into the conversation. "You and my father were not raised together, as these two have been." He kept his voice neutral, still not comfortable talking to his uncle about Hizashi. Despite all the years and all the healing, it still hurt.

The eldest Hyuuga in the room didn't say another word, simply kept his eyes trained on the twin boys as they babbled together in a corner. Neji wondered if the man regretted not being close to his own twin or not. It was something he just couldn't bring himself to ask.

After a moment, Nowaki went over to Jishin and pointed at the bucket. The little girl poked her lip out and said quite clearly, "Mine."

Nowaki shook his head and stamped his foot, then reached out and pushed the little girl. Jishin got up and pushed back, harder. Nowaki fell back a step or two, then pushed her again. Once more Jishin followed suit. But as she attacked Nowaki, little Ryusei simply walked up to the bucket she was no longer sitting on and pushed it over, having been distracted, and taking back the toy horse.

"Teamwork." Hanabi spoke blandly. "Impressive."

The moment his brother had the toy in hand, Nowaki abandoned the battle and walked back over to play with his twin. Jishin howled and dropped herself to the ground, throwing a fit as she yelled at the top of her lungs and kicked her little feet against the floor.

Katsuro, Neji's son, looked up in annoyance. He got up and went over to grab the toy horse from the twins. The twins grabbed it back, then Katsuro pushed Nowaki and gained possession of the toy once more.

Nowaki looked at Ryusei, who brushed his hand down the arm of Neji's son. They glared at Katsuro as the toddler held the toy out of their reach before turning to head over to Jishin. Tiny veins popped out around the eyes of the twins and then halfway to his destination, Katsuro suddenly dropped the toy to the floor. He stooped to pick it up, then dropped it again.

Hanabi sucked in a shocked breath as Nowaki ran up and grabbed the toy horse and took it back over to the twin's side of the room.

"Did you see that?" Hanabi murmured, shaking her head in wonder.

Neji sighed. "He's only two, he's allowed to drop an item or two, Hanabi."

"And you said that you weren't training them." The masked kunoichi clucked her tongue, chiding the two grown men. "Liars."

Hiashi, stung, turned to look at his daughter for the first time. "We're not training them. Yes, I saw them activate the Byakugan, but the twins can't see through items. They can see chakra in a person's body, but that's it."

Hanabi frowned. "Then you didn't see that?" She pointed at where the twins were playing with their toy as Jishin wailed and Katsuro was frowning down at his hand.

Neji looked at his cousin, then back at the children. His eyes went to her mask. "You have the Byakugan activated." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Neither he nor Hiashi had been watching with the family bloodline limit.

Nodding, Hanabi grinned. "Now THAT was interesting to watch."

Hiashi glanced back over a the twins with new interest. "What did you see?"

"Something to make a father proud." Hanabi said with great pleasure, being deliberately vague. "Though I still say Kankuro and Hinata will both be angry that you two decided to test the twins without them."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hinata sneezed, making her husband look at her in concern. "Hoshi?"

The long-haired kunoichi shook her head. "I'm fine." She exaggerated, not telling her husband that her headache still lingered. There was no reason for alarm, and as a medic she knew that. He didn't. So no need to tell him and make him worry over nothing.

Gaara looked annoyed, but he slowed the pace of the trek to look at his sister-by-marriage. "Need a break?" He offered reluctantly.

"No. I'm fine." Hinata assured him.

Grunting, Gaara nodded and turned his focus back on the journey.

Kankuro watched his wife for a long moment, but her smile seemed genuine. When she looked at him, he nodded and then deliberately sped up half a step. Close enough to hear her if she needed anything, but not close enough that she could bring up making a new baby again.

The puppeteer frowned, his feelings on the subject all mixed up. He adored the twins. And two boys was plenty. Why would Hinata want to go through all that again? He'd been a wreck while she'd been in labor that one time already.

On the other hand, having a little girl who looked just like Hinata teased at the corners of his mind. Then again, there was no guarantee that any new pregnancy would be a single child and not another set of twins. Nor was there any way to make sure the baby was a girl. He frowned sharply. No. Getting Hinata pregnant again was not something he was wanting to think about.

Still ...

She wanted another child.

Kankuro slowed down again to fall into step with his wife. She gave him a curious look, but only smiled. His heart flip-flopped as he saw her smile. Not a nervous smile, no blushes and no stammering. She loved him. And he her. There were no games with Hinata, you knew where you stood. Could he deny her what she wanted? Kankuro was determined to try and talk her out of a second pregnancy, but he was also sure that if she pressed the issue ...he'd give in. He smiled back at her as they traveled onward toward Konoha.

Toward Hanabi.

Kankuro frowned at his brother's back. Was he worrying about the wrong person? Hinata was recovering. But exactly what would Gaara be facing once they reached the Leaf village?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba was in a foul mood. His genin team had been forced to yield the 'D' ranked farm mission to Aoba's genin team at the last minute. Some clunkhead chuunin in the Hokage's office had gotten the assignments all screwed up. But at least with Shizune back things had been caught and straightened out before anyone had left the village.

But now it meant that he and his team were heading to the port town instead for a different 'D' ranked mission. They'd be gone longer because it was father to travel, but due to shipping schedules they were leaving a few hours later than anticipated. So with some free time he'd headed over to tell Shiho. Only she wasn't home.

His gift wasn't on her front step anymore, so she must have gotten it. At least he really hoped so. He'd left her another note explaining the change in his schedule, but he'd really wanted to see her in person.

Kiba had swung by her office, but her boss had told him that she had the next two weeks basically off. She was on twenty-four hour call to answer any questions or to be called in on all the Akatsuki stuff she'd been working on, but other than that she was free.

He'd tried the local library, but could find no trace of her scent. He'd even walked past Shikamaru's house to see if she was visiting with Ino or something. But no one had been home.

Akamaru barked up at him and Kiba tried to wipe the scowl off his face. "No, no, I'm fine." He muttered. The large and shaggy nin-dog whined as if he wasn't so sure.

Suddenly Kiba stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. He sniffed the air and his scowl faded. He'd given up looking for her, but as he'd been heading out to meet his team ...he found her! Eagerly he and Akamaru raced around a corner just as the scent faded a bit. Like she was inside somewhere and the door that had opened was now shut.

Frowning he looked around, then cackled as he spotted her honey-colored curls in one of the shop windows. Whistling he made a gesture for Akamaru to wait for him at the entrance as he hurried to see Shiho.

The bell on the door jingled cheerily as he entered, smiling as he eased up behind Shiho without her being aware. He grinned and was about to tap her on the shoulder when he caught sight of what the salesgirl was holding up.

The sudden gasp of air behind her made Shiho squeal and spin, her eyes widening in horror when she saw Kiba. His eyes were glued to the lacy concoctions that she'd been looking at just then. Her cheeks flamed red and the color went all the way down her neck.

The salesgirl, seeing a big commission held up one light blue lacy froth of a gown that was so sheer it was nearly transparent. Then she held up a black lace baby-doll piece that nearly had Kiba's tongue lolling out of his mouth. "A male opinion perhaps?"

Shiho put her hands on Kiba's chest and with a lot of effort managed to push him back a few steps, then grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out of the store. It was almost funny the way his head turned to look back over his shoulder at the tempting lingerie that the salesgirl was still holding.

Finally outside, Shiho looked down at Akamaru. "Big help you were." She muttered.

The nin-dog looked at her questioningly and wagged his tail, happy at least to see her. Relenting, since it wasn't the canine's fault anyway, she petted him and rubbed his ears.

"Me next." Kiba said breathlessly.

Shiho looked up at him and bit back an oath. "You're incorrigible."

"And all yours." Kiba replied leaning in to sniff her neck appreciatively.

The code breaker shrugged her shoulders defensively because his heated breath on her neck did strange things deep inside her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, though she wasn't cold.

The dog-nin frowned at her and tapped her glasses. "What happened to your contacts?"

"I was in a hurry this morning and didn't want to take the time ..." Her voice trailed off and she didn't want to tell him that she'd thought he'd be safely out of town with his genin team and wouldn't see her without them anyway. That would only feed his ego. Instead she changed the subject. "I got your gift."

Kiba's smile grew lazily as he reached out and touched one of her springy curls. She'd done her own hair this morning and while it wasn't as nice as when the hairdresser had fixed it, it wasn't too bad a job even if she did say so herself. "Oh?"

Shiho nodded. "Thank you, I love it. It really was very thoughtful of you." She smiled, feeling awkward though she really was thrilled about the book. "Anyway, I love it." Was she being too formal? Was she bold enough to lean in and offer him a kiss instead?

"Buying me a thank you gift?" He murmured hoarse and so low she had to lean in to hear him.

"Uhh ...?" Shiho looked lost and then followed his gaze as he stepped aside and looked longingly back at the lingerie shop. Her face flamed again and she slapped his shoulder. "Stop that!"

"I wasn't the one shopping there." He said, his voice sounding suggestive. "For me?"

"Gift for a friend. Bridal shower." She lied without a qualm. Shiho felt sick about it, but ...she'd just been to the medics this morning and while they did have an alternative contraceptive to the brew most kunoichi used ...this one was in a pill form. A daily pill. And it would take a whole month of taking it in order for her to be deemed 'safe'. A whole month!

On the one hand, a month was good. It gave her a damned good reason to keep Kiba out of her apartment and gave her at least a month's breathing space. Except ...it meant that she had to wait a full month too! And he made her want him so much that she hadn't slept well last night, and she had the horrid feeling that this month wasn't going to be any easier on her than it was going to be for him.

Kiba looked back at the lingerie shop and then back at Shiho with a sheepish, lopsided grin. "Too bad, though it's probably a good thing. See, if I had to think about you in one of those numbers while I was out on my mission, it could lead to problems."

"Oh." Shiho's head was buzzing as she basked in the warmth of his gaze. With great effort, she managed to pull herself together, wetting her lips with her tongue so she could actually talk again. "Out of curiosity, which ...for my friend ...of those two outfits would you choose?"

Kiba's grin turned feral as he chuckled. "For your friend, don't know and don't care. Whatever. Now for you? Both, either, none ...it doesn't matter as long as you're there. With me. On a bed, or in a tub, or on the floor, maybe even on the table. My hands on you, hearing you moan and cling to me as if your life depended on ...oomph!" Kiba laughed and jumped clear of the sudden mud puddle that appeared on the sidewalk right where he'd been standing not a second before.

"You ..." Shiho waved a shaky finger at him, unable to form a protest.

Kiba grinned at her, completely unrepentant. "Yes sweetheart? Was it something I said?"

Said? Shiho felt like her skin was so hot right now that she may ignite! How was she supposed to keep him at bay for a whole month when she couldn't even control her own reactions! None of that made it to her lips though, the best she could manage was an outraged squeaking nose as even Akamaru started laughing at her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee looked up at the horizon and then over at TenTen. He smiled brilliantly. "We'll be back in Konoha by tomorrow!" He crowed happily and sped up the pace of the group, making everyone behind him groan.

TenTen smiled and looked at Sakura, jerking her head to one side in the universal sign language for 'we have to talk'.

Sakura slipped back in the grouping as they trekked through the tree limbs. Quietly TenTen slipped back too, joining the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Lee is going to mess this up if we don't help." TenTen sighed. "He's still talking about hiring a billboard to declare his love for Rinako."

Sakura sighed and squeezed her eyes shut for second. "I thought I'd managed to talk him out of that one."

TenTen shrugged helplessly. "Apparently Naruto doesn't think it's such a bad idea."

"Oh, like Lee should listen to Naruto!" Sakura hissed, trying to keep her voice down. "Why is Lee listening to him rather than to us?"

Shrugging, TenTen gave a small sigh. "Because Naruto managed to win you. And you are apparently a huge prize as far as Lee is concerned. And if YOU chose Naruto, then of course Naruto must have all the answers! So you see ...it's all your fault."

The pink haired medic winced. "Thanks a lot."

o.O.o.O.o.O

An hour later and nothing had happened. Hiashi and Neji watched intently with their own Byakugan abilities activated. Hanabi sighed. "They're young, they may have used up what energy they could already."

Neji got up and went to kneel in front of the boys. He held up a cookie in each of his hands that one of the servants had just delivered. The cookies were chocolate and gooey and smelled delicious.

Jishin and Katsuro were already devouring their treats, though Neji's son had managed not to smear his face and hands with chocolate unlike little Jishin who was fairly covered in goo.

Both Ryusei and Nowaki were fairly bouncing on their little feet in front of Neji has he held up the two cookies. "Come on, show me what you two tykes have got." He whispered, keeping the cookies just out of reach of the twin boys.

"Talk about torture." Muttered Hanabi. "Did you do this to me as a baby?"

Hiashi shook his head. "You were no difficulty, very compliant." He frowned sharply as he thought about her tattoo and recent behavior. "Suna has ruined you."

The kunoichi shook her head. "No, I was always like this deep inside. Being away from home just gave me a chance to be myself with no judgments."

"If you expect to marry the Kazekage, a modicum of decorum will be ..."

"Entirely misplaced." Hanabi interrupted with a smile that bordered on the edge of being disrespectful. "Gaara likes Kaji as she is. And that's me."

Hiashi grunted, but didn't pursue the conversation. He'd sent out a perfect Hyuuga daughter and a hoyden had returned in her place. And she thought a fine shinobi like the Kazekage liked her like this? "You'll set a bad example for Jishin."

Hanabi glanced over to where the two-year old little girl was covered in chocolate and was now stalking Katsuro for the half of his cookie that he'd not eaten yet. "She has Anko for a mother, I don't think any example I set will even be noticed. Besides, of the two of us, I'm probably the more refined."

Hiashsi didn't even bother to respond to that, not sure what he'd say in the first place. It was an unfair double standard, but what was fine in a wife was untenable in a daughter. Even he could see the hypocrisy in thinking like that, but he couldn't really help himself.

Hanabi turned to Neji, her voice unsure but thoughtful. "Let them touch your hands or arm or something. I think I remember that one of the boys touched Katsuro's arm before anything happened."

Neji nodded and lowered his hands enough that the boys each were able to touch them, but not get the cookies. A moment later he raised his hands back up high once again.

Tiny veins popped out around the eyes of both twins as they wailed, stretching for the cookies that were being held just out of reach.

All eyes turned to them in interest. Suddenly, Neji's left hand opened and the cookie fell into Nowaki's hands. A second later his right hand opened and Ryusei caught the other cookie. Both boys quieted and sat to munch on their victory spoils.

Hiashi sat back and pondered what he'd just witnessed.

Neji looked back over at them. "I didn't open my own hands. How?"

The former clan leader shook his head. "They took over your chakra with chakra strings of their own. It was unrefined and untrained, like bashing your hand with a blunt object made of chakra."

Hanabi nodded, smiling. "A blending of puppetry and Byakugan. They can't see through things, but they can see chakra patterns within people. You said that, right? So ...they can attach puppetry chakra strings and take over an opponent's chakra?"

Neji nodded. "I wasn't resisting. If I had been, I could have stopped them. With proper training though ..."

Hiashi grunted. "With training it could be a formidable weapon. Not a traditional Hyuuga, but still impressive. If the twins could manage to become experts, then they could conceivably take over an opponent's body and make them do whatever they want."

"Once they reach jounin level, maybe." Neji looked down at the now happy twin boys as they looked up at him, smiling through the chocolate. "At the genin level it might be too dangerous. Having to get close enough to touch an enemy in order to make it work, and then how far away can they operate from a victim?"

"How long can they hold the other person's chakra?" Hiashi added thoughtfully. "And how much control over the other person can they actually manage? Also, it's not like the Yamanaka mind control jutsu, while the boys might be able to control someone's right hand, they could still be attacked by that person's left hand."

Hanabi stood and brushed off her slacks looking sour. "You two are too much. We've just discovered a new jutsu, or at least new to us. Don't get too far ahead in your thinking, right now, let's focus on the children."

Neji nodded. "She's right. Basics first. We need to set up a training regimen. One that focuses on both puppetry and Byakugan skills, seeing where they can conceivably overlap. Find out if this is all the twins can do, or are there other applications?"

"No." Hanabi muttered in disgust as she signaled for a servant. "Go get the nannies." She looked back at her cousin and father. "When I said let's focus on the children, I meant use your noses. Someone has to be changed."

Hiashi and Neji sniffed the air and both made a face.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	57. Making a Good Impression

Lost in her book, it took Shiho a moment to realize that she wasn't alone. Glancing up curiously, she lowered the book a bit and gave a small smile. "Sai."

The artist nin looked at her and nodded, his expression didn't change. He then turned to study the area around them. "I can't work here, let's find another spot."

Shiho too looked around. She was sitting in a secluded area beneath a large tree, her coat acting like a blanket. The fall weather was beautiful. The wind was gentle and cool, but not chilly, not yet. "Why? What work?"

Sai held up his sketch pad, a frown on his face. "I usually sketch while you eat lunch." He pointed out reasonably.

Except, it wasn't a reasonable statement. Shiho cocked her head slightly as she studied Sai standing over her, blocking the sun. Yes. While they'd both been stationed at the former Akatsuki fortress and he'd been her guard, he had sketched often while she'd eaten. Actually, he'd sketched almost all the time that he wasn't actively doing something else. She guessed that sitting there watching her read through books and crack codes couldn't have been all that exciting.

But ...now they were back in Konoha and he was no longer her guard. Shiho looked around and didn't call him on the fact that they were no longer on a mission. He'd recently come to grips with the fact that she was a friend. And she didn't want to tease him too much about that. Sai was not comfortable with emotions, either having them or showing them. Instead she shrugged. "Nice landscapes here. Didn't you tell me that you preferred drawing landscapes?"

Sai shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. "I've been sketching people lately."

Shiho blinked. Was this the same guy that had once informed her that he ONLY drew landscapes? Which is why when he'd done a quick sketch of her smiling, she'd saved it from the trash bin. "Oh." She managed to say.

Looking around, Shiho climbed to her feet and brushed off her new slacks and picked up her coat and book. "Where are we going then? And if I'm going to lunch while you sketch, we need to stop someplace for something to eat." She said blandly.

Some indefinable tension fled from Sai's shoulders and he nodded back at her, his eyes softening slightly. As if he hadn't been sure of what her answer would be. He really was new at this 'having a friend' thing. Shiho smiled at him as she willingly changed her plans to suit his. It wasn't like he was a big talker, she'd eat and read and he'd sketch.

Sai grunted softly and they both headed off toward the main part of the village, not speaking, but then they didn't really need to fill the silence. Shiho wondered if that was one of the things that helped to make the two of them friends in the first place. They were both comfortable with silence and didn't feel the need to fill the air with nonsense chatter.

Walking beside the shorter kunoichi, Sai took a deep breath and just enjoyed the company. Something he wasn't used to enjoying at all. He felt ... happy? Was that right? Yes. It felt right somehow. "Where is Kiba?" He asked out of curiosity, wondering why she'd been by herself.

Shiho smiled softly and shrugged. "On a mission. He's been given a genin team."

Sai stopped and stared at her mouth curiously.

Shiho stopped too, looking at him. "What?"

"You smile like Sakura does when she talks about Naruto." He said simply.

The code-breaker blinked and shrugged. "I've met Naruto, and Sakura. Did not know they were together though." She shrugged, she didn't know either very well.

Sai shook his head slightly. "It doesn't matter. And those two fight a lot, but ...when her voice goes soft and she smiles like you just did ...she really likes him. Like, as in loves him." His dark eyes focused on her face. "You just looked the same way."

Shiho blushed and turned away, clearing her throat. "Let's go find somewhere else for you to sketch, and where I can read." Her tone left no doubt that she had no interest in continuing the conversation he'd started about Kiba.

Sai watched her walk away for a moment before catching up to her. He didn't say anything further and noted that she relaxed after a moment as she realized he was willing to let the subject go.

For now.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko peeked into her husband's study and didn't see him. A wicked smile crossed her lips as she walked in, rubbed one finger over one cushion on the couch. Turning to leave, she stopped and smiled. "Just looking for you." She crooned silkily.

Hiashi looked at her from the entrance and then walked over to his desk, putting down some correspondence. "Interesting dress you wore last night." He commented dryly.

Anko shrugged and pretended to brush non-existent lint from her sleeve. "Glad you liked it."

"I didn't." He said coolly. "Neither did our host."

"The host did so like the dress." Anko looked back up at him and smiled. "It was the hostess that looked like her face was going to turn permanently red."

Hiashi rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "That reception was important for political reasons. What did you think you were doing?"

Anko shrugged. "No harm, no foul. The host tried to pinch my ass enough to let me know that he wasn't appalled by my dress."

"He did what?" Hiashi looked up at her, anger stirring behind his usually stoic expression.

Laughing, his wife winked at him. "He didn't manage to make contact, if he had I would have had to gut him. That would really have put a damper on the evening ...and your politics."

Hiashi sighed and rolled his shoulders. "You're the one that wore a dress that showed one entire side except for those little ties. Everyone could see the side of your breast, your hip ..."

"My tattoo ..." She laughed at him and stuck out her tongue. "I had at least fifteen matrons ask who the tattoo artist was. I may have just made him a very rich man."

"I think I liked it better when you refused to attend any of these functions." Hiashi mumbled and went over to his desk, taking a seat. Suddenly he stiffened, his eyes narrowing on the floor near the door.

Anko followed his gaze and started grinning. "Hello Asobu." She greeted the cat warmly, walked over to pet the cat as he arched his back into her hand and purred. "In three days we have to attend the betrothal ball for that Elder's nephew. What's-his-name, oh well. We'll see what happens there."

"Moroku." Hiashi supplied the name automatically, then winced. "What happens there?" He repeated her words even as his cold eyes narrowing on his son's errant pet. The cat ignored him completely, rubbing himself on Anko's lower leg and then padding silently over toward the couch.

Anko paused at the door, looking back at her husband with a gleam in her eye. "Just testing the waters, Kingfisher. To see how much of a fashion influence I am on Konoha."

Hiashi's eyes left the cat to watch his wife in growing horror. "You wore that dress just to see who would follow the fashion trend?"

"Later, lover." Anko purred and slipped out the door without any admission of guilt or regret.

Sighing, the former head of the Hyuuga clan looked over at his son's cat. Asobu was licking the couch cushion and purring in contentment. Hiashi's eyes narrowed in speculation. That was the cushion his wife had been touching when he'd first arrived at the study door.

"Hmmm." Hiashi glowered and leaned back to watch the cat as he wondered how in the hell he'd come to this. Oh yeah. He'd gotten married.

Now his daughters were no longer compliant and his wife was a scandal waiting to happen. And his son had a cat that lived to torture him. Hiashi sighed and didn't say a word as Asobu stretched, yawned, and curled up on a sunny spot on the floor.

On the other hand, he now had Neji as the leader of the Hyuuga clan, and the boy was doing a good job. And now he had Jishin too, Hiashi's expression softened as he thought of his youngest daughter, his very own 'little earthquake'. And grandchildren. Not to mention, Anko herself.

It wasn't all bad, he thought with satisfaction.

Hiashi looked down at the cat who was feigning disinterest as he eyeballed the hem of the former clan leader's robes. "Don't even think about it, cat."

Asobu sniffed, yawned, and turned his butt to Hiashi as he padded away quietly with his tail raised high.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Welcome back." The gate guard smiled at the group in general.

Tsume ignored the man even as Kakashi flashed a thumb's up in response.

The guard wrote down everyone's name that had returned, routine stuff. Then he looked up and eyed Rinako questioningly.

The former cloud-nin gave a small sneer and shrugged. When she'd left the village she'd still been a secret. Now she was returning openly. What was she supposed to ...

"She's with me." Tsume growled and handed over a sheaf of papers. "Inuzuka Rinako, she and her nin-dog actually. Family. I'm taking her into the main family."

"Congratulations." The guard dutifully looked through the packet of papers and found the Hokage's signature allowing the immigration of one Inuzuka Rinako to join the main family of her clan. "Welcome to Konoha." The man smiled and handed the papers back with a small bow.

Rinako blinked. "It can't be that easy." She muttered unintelligibly.

"Huh?" The guard leaned forward, still smiling at her.

Lee rushed up behind her and grabbed her around the shoulders, trapping her arms at her sides as he grinned from ear to ear. "THREE CHEERS FOR THE NEWEST INUZUKA!"

All heads in the area turned to stare and Rinako went red in the face.

Across the entrance way, one quiet young man kept sketching, oblivious as his female companion looked up as if startled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi looked over at Michi as he sighed, his head resting on his hand as he leaned on the table. She sipped her tea and looked over at a gloomy Rocks. "What's with the two of you?"

Michi sighed again, his face the picture of despondency.

Rocks shrugged and let his eyes slide away to the side as if watching the door. "My mother has a new boyfriend. They're talking marriage."

Hanabi blinked, surprised. "That's a bit ...sudden."

Rokuro shook his head and rolled his eyes. "They've been seeing each other over a year. Not really sudden at all. Mom didn't write me about him because she 'didn't want me to worry'." He sneered as he put air quotes around his mother's words. "Yeah right."

The Hyuuga kunoichi put down her tea cup looking worried. "Do we need to do anything about this creep?" Her voice dipped threateningly.

Michi sighed again.

Rocks shook his head, looking a bit lost. "No. He's a great guy. He owns his own shop that's doing well and he and my mom have known each other for years. He's a widower, and after he heard about my 'death' he came over to support my mom with whatever she needed fixed around the house. After a while they just got closer and closer and now they're almost engaged."

Hanabi smiled and settled down. "That sounds sweet."

"Sweet. Sure." Rokuro smiled weakly. "My mom doesn't need me anymore. The house is all fixed up, Ani is happy with her job and this guy is great with my younger sibs too. My mom is all ...oh well. She wanted to know if I needed help finding an apartment for myself." His voice sounded bewildered.

Hanabi nodded and took another sip of tea. Rocks had become the man of the house ever since his dad died. He'd shouldered a lot of responsibility at a very young age, and now that he was home again he'd found out that while he was still loved, he wasn't as needed as he'd once been. "At least your paychecks helped your mom while you were gone."

Rocks smiled oddly and shook his head. "No. Mom was so proud to give me a bank account where she'd been depositing it all for me. With Ani's paychecks from the Hyuuga and all, she's only used about a fourth of the money I sent back. The rest she saved for me." His smile faded. "Hanabi, she has already lined up three dinner dates for me. FOR ME!"

Michi sighed without saying a word.

Hanabi frowned and turned toward their team leader. "What's with you? Your parents are still together and you're the apple of their eye."

Michi straightened and shrugged. "It's not the same, or actually ...it's EXACTLY the same. 'Don't stay out late Michi', 'don't set a bad example for your little brother, Michi', and 'don't laugh so loud, you'll wake your brother'. Then there's 'don't eat too fast', 'watch your language', 'don't track mud', and my favorite 'put on a shirt or you'll catch your death of a cold'."

"I don't believe this." Hanabi sat back looking stunned. "I know you said your parents were 'replacing' you when they decided to have another baby, but it's not true."

"It's worse." Michi sighed. "They still think of me as a young genin. It's like the past two years mean nothing. I was away for a short visit and now I'm back, the exact same age as when I left."

Hanabi bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. "It's not that bad ..."

"Say's you." Snapped Michi. "They set a curfew. A CURFEW!"

"My mother figures I'm an adult now and is trying to move me out of the house, while your mom is trying to keep you a child." Rocks snorted and his lips curved up in a cock-eyed grin. "What about you Hanabi?"

"I have to go back to Suna before I give my father a stroke." The kunoichi reported glumly.

Silently they all lifted their tea cups in a mutual salute. Then a deep breath as they looked at each other for a long moment. Michi finally raised an eyebrow. "It'll get better, right?"

Rocks gave a small smile and poked Michi in the side. "Guess what? The girl at the market screamed when she saw me."

Michi brightened slightly. "The cute one you were mooning over before we 'died'? She must have really missed you."

"No." Rokuro's smile widened. "She thought I was a hoodlum and that I was about to rob the store." He pointed to his green spiked hair. "Didn't recognize me at all."

They all laughed as the tension drained away in the warmth of friendship.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Heard you were back."

Tsume turned and her frown faded as she saw her daughter. "Hana." She acknowledged, though her gaze took in her eldest child's good health and then slid behind her, but didn't see whom she was hoping to see.

The Inuzuka vet turned to smile at the woman behind her mother, then stopped. She sniffed the air, then her gaze sharpened, fully alert. Her fangs grew pronounced and her fingers tightened as she fell into a defensive stance, at least until her mother stepped in front of her prey.

"She's Inuzuka Rinako now." Tsume sighed. "And don't react until we're alone. Much to tell you."

"But ...but ..." Hana pointed at the other girl in horror. "She killed ..." Her words stopped as Tsume growled and back handed her, knocking her down.

"I said, don't react until we're alone." Tsume growled at her heir. "Now. Any word from your brother? He left us on a short mission but didn't return and ..."

Hana got back up, frowning as she brushed herself off. "Kiba's here."

Tsume stopped, her expression freezing. "Here? In Konoha? Why that brat!"

Hearing the tone in her mother's voice, Hana relaxed and read beneath the anger to the worry underneath. "He's fine."

Tsume growled low and mean. "I'll kill him!"

The clan leader did not appear to notice as a young kunoichi with honey-blonde hair and large blue eyes stopped approaching them at Tsume's words and then turned around to walk away again.

Unfortunately for the young woman, Hana did notice.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara put away the cold rations into his pack and looked up at the sun, judging how much travel time they had left in the day.

Kankuro walked up beside his younger brother. "Tomorrow. We'll be in the Leaf village by tomorrow." He said simply, then kept walking, moving over to pack his own rations back up.

The red head frowned sharply, then forced himself to relax. He had no say or power over time and space. Three days were still three days. And besides, why hurry? What was he going to say to Hanabi? What could he say?

It's not like he was willing to apologize. He'd been doing the right thing and she'd been the one who'd gotten all angry about it ...Gaara sighed and shook his head. No. He'd been wrong too. Not in his plan, but in exposing her the way he had.

Damn.

And did it even matter who was wrong more than the other? Was there anything that he could say that would leech the anger from Hanabi?

At one time he would have bet that he could get around her anger. But that was before they'd slept together. Now his actions could be seen as an even bigger obstacle. Sex changed everything. Would she see what he'd done and said as ...as a betrayal?

For all his abilities and stature within Suna, none of it granted him an understanding of the female mind. No, not just any female ...Hanabi wasn't like anyone else. She was unique.

Gaara clenched his hands.

She was not only unique. She was his. And she'd best not be forgetting that! His jade-pale eyes narrowed as he took off toward Konoha, not caring if either Kankuro or Hinata were ready yet.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade snarled and made a rude comment along with a ruder gesture.

Shizune paused and looked up in concern as she mentally gaged her boss' flagging energy. The blonde's eyes looked swollen and had dark circles under them, almost making her look like the current Kazekage. Shizune's eyes dropped to the Hokage's cleavage. Well, maybe not exactly like Gaara. She grinned.

Tsunade sneered, baring her teeth at her assistant. "You've had me at this paperwork all damned day, I'm exhausted! You're supposed to be the one to get fatigued right about now." She said, referring to the early stages of Shizune's pregnancy. "What's your secret?"

The brunette kunoichi shrugged and saw that Tsunade's penmanship was worse than usual, slanting off to the right in an odd way that showed her fatigue. "I'm tired too, perhaps a break?" She offered.

The Hokage nodded, rising to stretch without any more cursing or rude comments. Shizune eyed her boss in alarm. This wasn't like her at all, even with her heavy schedule.

Tsunade yawned. "I need a drink and a nap. I was up all night going over texts to try and find a way to remove that growth from the trader's daughter. It's so close to the artery, surgery will be tricky. And with Hinata injured ...it'll be a bitch to operate."

Shizune nodded, knowing this all to be true. But the fact remained, the Hokage was slowing down. And she wasn't nearly as young as she looked. Not even close. "Why don't you go take a nap, I can finish up in here."

"Really?" The Hokage asked hopefully.

Shizune nodded, looking a touch worried.

Tsunade suddenly grinned from ear to ear. "And I hear that Aoba and Iruka are having a poker party tonight!" Her eyes gleamed wickedly as she hurried from the office.

Shizune sighed and shook her head. "I've been had." She muttered and looked at the stack of paperwork she'd been stuck with.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi whistled as he eyed Hanabi's tattoo. "You don't play around do you?"

Rocks gritted his teeth and glared at his feminine teammate. "That's tempting fate. You've just screwed yourself."

"Since when did you turn into a superstitious ninny?" Hanabi growled and turned around to face the boys once more as she tugged down the white shirt she was wearing beneath her usual jacket.

Michi pointed at the shirt and raised an eyebrow. "A sop for you poor father's sensibilities?"

Hanabi nodded reluctantly. "He doesn't think a bared midriff is classy enough for a Hyuuga."

"Nor a tattoo." Rocks coughed out the words.

The kunoichi grinned. "That too."

Michi shook his head in wonder. "I'm surprised you gave in and are actually wearing that. It's not like you, Kaji." He used her Suna name deliberately.

Hanabi made a face and shrugged. "I'm trying to be nice to him since I let him have it pretty badly that first day I came back."

Rocks whistled and then laughed at her fondly. "Bitch, you lie. You're doing it to soften him up for the blow of you doing something else. Bigger. Like going back to Suna?" He goaded her.

Kaji shrugged and nodded. "Maybe." She allowed. "Just maybe."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Whoa!" Hana laughed and was suddenly blocking Shiho's path. The cryptologist stopped and looked at her blankly. The Inuzuka kunoichi put her hands on the younger woman's shoulders and spun her around to face Tsume. "This is why Kiba didn't return to his original mission."

Shiho's eyes widened. "It wasn't like that!" She insisted, sorry that she'd been spotted by the eagle-eyed Hana.

"Wasn't it?" The Inuzuka heir laughed, having heard the entire story from her own baby brother. Though she highly suspected he'd left out several pertinent facts. "He was on his way back to your location, mom, when he overheard a plot to attack the fortress."

Tsume nodded, though her eyes still looked frosty cold. "Go on."

"This is Shiho, she's a ..." Hana stopped as her mother interrupted her.

"We've met previously." Tsume crossed her arms, her foot tapping out an irritated beat on the ground.

Rinako looked back and forth between everyone and stepped back out of the way, looking around for Lee. Frowning she saw that he wasn't anywhere to be seen. And neither was Sakura. Rinako frowned. That was just ...peachy. She sneered and sighed at the same time.

Shiho turned to look back at Sai as if silently asking for help. He simply watched from the sidelines, his eyes taking in every nuance.

Tsume pinned Shiho with a piercing gaze. "Didn't you say that my son was poorly raised?"

The cryptologist managed a weak smile though her knees were no longer exactly steady. Hana, though, laughed outright. "Kiba IS poorly raised! Though I know you tried your best. But he's a pest!"

Stiffening, Shiho's blue eyes narrowed as she turned her head to look at the woman behind her. "He is not!" She sounded huffy.

Hana laughed and Tsume clucked her tongue in surprise. "Well, well, well." The code breaker was now defending Kiba? "I think there's a story behind this."

Shiho shut her mouth, her blue eyes turning to frost.

Tsume sighed and shook her head. "I'm not looking for you to gossip or tell secrets. But I would like to hear about where my son has been since he left his original mission."

The code breaker thought about that and then shook her head mutely.

Tsume leaned in close, her fangs showing as Shiho's eyes grew bigger. Their faces a mere inch apart, the Inuzuka growled.

The cryptologist's chin quivered and then firmed as she met Tsume's glare head on, though the younger kunoichi was starting to sweat. "I ...I won't tell you a thing about my mission or Kiba's part in it. Not unless directly cleared to do so from the Hokage's office." Shiho would have sounded braver if her words hadn't come out so hoarsely.

Hana chuckled. "Mom, she's been out of the village for two years. Threat of torture and dismemberment won't work on her. Code-breaker training and all."

Shiho gulped. Dismemberment? They were joking. They had to be joking! Only ...Tsume looked all too feral at the moment.

Tsume looked down at her current prey. "So. Nothing without clearance. How about personal then. Are you dating my son?" She asked with the threat of violence evident in her tone of voice.

Jerking her head in a nod, Shiho indicated that yes, she and Kiba were dating.

Drawing back, Tsume stared down at the blue eyed cryptologist. "Really?" The threat gone, she just looked stunned. "Seriously?"

Shiho's face flamed.

Hana choked and shook Shiho's shoulder. "She doesn't mean it the way it sounds. It's not that she thinks you're bad for Kiba. It's that she's shocked that he suddenly turned up with good taste for once in his flea-bitten life."

Tsume's eyes narrowed. "You sleeping with him?"

Had she thought she'd blushed before? Shiho's face went so red that she wasn't sure that she didn't rival a tomato or a beet in color. Her eyes were wide with shock and her mouth dropped open, but all that came out was a 'eep' kind of sound.

The Inuzuka clan leader smiled. "I'll take that as a 'no' then, shall I?"

"You're scaring her off, mother." Hana sighed and awkwardly patted Shiho's shoulder again.

Tsume shot her daughter a disappointed look. "Don't you get it? She's prepared to stand up against me and not give me a single bit of classified information, no matter how trivial. I'm not scaring her off. She's unscareable."

"That's not a word." Shiho said, then mentally kicked herself for bringing Tsume's attention back down to her.

The older kunoichi actually threw back her head and laughed in delight.

Shiho watched and wondered if this was a bad time to ask about the 'new' Inuzuka. The one with the same name as Kiba's former fiance. And the one with the same description that she'd heard about during her time at the Akatsuki fortress. Who was Inuzuka Rinako. And just what was she to Kiba?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako's eyes were passing over the area, taking everything in as she waited for Tsume to finish with her conversation. Although she'd been a kind-of hostage in the Leaf village for two years now, this was the first time she'd been actually allowed inside the village itself.

A flash of pink made her frown, then her expression faded into puzzlement. Sure there was Sakura, but she was with her boyfriend, Naruto. And Lee was no where to be seen.

Despite the crowds, Rinako sniffed the air, hoping to catch his scent. But it wasn't working. She'd found out, to her utter dismay, that Tsume was far better a kunoichi than she herself was. Rinako would have to work hard to make it as an Inuzuka it seemed.

Feeling nervous she moved closer to her nin dog, Kirohu, who licked her hand while her eyes scanned the crowd once more for Lee.

Wait. No.

She needed to start her life over again. She had a fresh start. And she wasn't going to begin by leaning on someone else, not even Lee.

That decided, she moved closer to Tsume. The honey-blonde girl with her stiffened as she approached. Rinako wondered what that was about.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Naruto! You promised to tell me once we got to Konoha!" Sakura smiled at him, her voice wheedling as she leaned closer to him.

The blonde shinobi flashed his cheesiest grin. "Tonight. I promise to tell you why I'm writing the Icha Icha books tonight. And that's a PROMISE!"

He gave her a huge thumbs up and Sakura sighed. Looked like she was just going to have to wait a little bit longer.

Movement to her side had the kunoichi whipping her head around. "Kakashi!"

The infamous copy-ninja stopped in mid-step and turned to look at her with a crinkled-eye smile. "Yes, Sakura?"

"You're not off to visit my mother, are you?" Her voice fairly dripped with venom.

"Truthfully? No." Kakashi promised her, and then vanished in the blink of an eye.

Sakura sighed and rolled her shoulders. "He's up to something."

Naruto chuckled uneasily and wisely didn't say anything.

o.O.o.O.o.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know Hana is a female. And as such is probably an 'heiress' and not 'heir'. It's a personal choice of mine to call her the Inuzuka heir though, not heiress. It sounds less demeaning to me. Like how many females in Hollywood and Broadway consider themselves 'actors' and not 'actresses' ...it's a connotation thing. Genderless in their eyes. If it doesn't make sense, sorry. Just know that it wasn't a mistake, but a writer's choice of word ...


	58. One Step Forward

"Not exactly the Inuzuka you were hoping to see, hm?" The teasing tone took any sting out of the words as Hana leaned against the railing on the tiny porch outside Shiho's apartment.

The honey-blonde kunoichi blinked and tried to smile as if Hana WAS the very Inuzuka she wanted to see standing on her porch first thing in the morning. Kiba must still be out with his genin team. Shiho tried not to look too disappointed. "Good morning." She managed.

Hana let a smile quirk up on one side of her lips, her dark eyes fairly glowing with vitality and humor. "Mother wants to see you." She said smoothly.

Shiho's blue eyes widened slightly for a moment as her breath caught. Tsume wanted to see her? Her first-rate problem solving mind went to work. What could the Inuzuka clan leader want with her? Discuss her and Kiba's one and only date? Not likely. It wasn't like Kiba hadn't dated others before. Information. Shiho gave a soft grunt. "I still can not speak about Kiba's mission, or any other details of what happened once he left his original mission."

Hana's smiled widened to light up her whole face. "What makes you think that's all she wants to see you about?" She let her voice trail off suggestively.

Shiho shook her head, not want to get pulled into verbal sparring when she was pretty sure she would be on the losing side anyway. "Your mother already embarrassed me enough yesterday." She said almost gruffly, remembering how red she'd gotten after Tsume had asked if she and Kiba were sleeping together already.

Throwing back her head in laughter, Hana shook her head. "Little girl, you have no idea how badly mom can embarrass you." She pinned Shiho with a telling glance. "No idea. At least, not yet."

Shiho frowned at that last word. Yet. It intimated that she would be getting to know the leader of the Inuzuka clan quite a bit better. "That's presumptuous. Kiba and I have only been on one date." She pointed out reasonably, though on the inside her stomach tightened at the thought of not seeing the dog ninja again.

"Presumptuous." Hana rolled the word around on her tongue and resisted the urge to tell Shiho that her little brother Kiba didn't date smart women, he'd always been more attracted to girls who had a higher breast size than I.Q. That the unruly Kiba didn't 'do' gentleman well, and yet ...that for Shiho he was really trying. She also didn't mention that Akamaru was already calling the little code-breaker Kiba's 'mate'. She didn't point out that her little brother had actually come to her house to ask about wines and manners necessary to take Shiho out to the finest restaurant in Konoha, something he'd never done before.

Hana's smile started to fade at the thought. Actually, Kiba had come by her house to see her husband. But he'd not been home. Again. She pushed the restless feeling away and focused her eyes on Shiho once more. "Better come by the family compound by noon or you'll find out how Tsume can really embarrass you." She threatened with a light, but meaningful tone.

"Has Tsume met every girl Kiba has dated?" Shiho spoke up.

Hana shook her head negatively. "Kiba has never brought anyone home to meet mom."

Shiho held her breath for a second both pleased and disappointed. Tsume wanted to see her, but it was more about gaining information not on getting to know her better. And it wasn't like Kiba had actually invited her to meet his mother.

Still, she didn't want to refuse outright. That would be rude and counterproductive. Not to mention, she was currently dating the woman's son. Sighing over the internal debate, she shook her head slowly. "I can't discuss any classified information."

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" Hana's smile notched upwards once more. "Good. You'll need that to deal with Kiba and with mom." She winked. "Don't worry about secrets. Mom has already gotten written permission from the Hokage's office to let you answer any questions pertaining to Kiba's part of your mission."

Shiho's eyes narrowed. "I haven't gotten any notification ..." She started then stopped as Sai dropped down from the roof onto her small porch. He was holding a scroll. Shiho sighed. "Let me guess, that's written permission from the Hokage's office to speak with Inuzuka Tsume."

Sai didn't look startled, but his fingers twitched slightly on the scroll. He looked down at his hand and back up at Shiho. "You're good."

"Yes, she is. And she is Kiba's." Hana frowned over at the newcomer.

Sai looked at the veterinarian and frowned back at her slightly. She was standing half in and half out of the shade from the small covered porch, and the light was making her tanned features look stark and harsh. "You don't look pretty in that light."

Shiho closed her eyes and prayed for patience.

Hana gave a small laugh and shrugged off the words of the artist. "Your opinion means very little to me." She turned back to Shiho. "Remember, be there before noon."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Naruto's head smacked down on the counter at his favorite ramen stand, barely missing his bowl. He jumped up with a snarl, his fist cocked back and his teeth gleaming in a snarl as he spun to face his attacker.

A moment later he blinked and let the tension drain from his body as he rubbed the goose egg forming on his forehead. "Sakura! You almost made me spill my breakfast!"

"Ramen for breakfast, you're pathetic!" The pink-haired kunoichi crossed her arms and glared at her boyfriend.

"Give it a break, Sakura." Naruto whined. "We've been gone so long I've forgotten how good the ramen is here!" The man behind the counter beamed at the compliment and put out some fresh ingredients in Naruto's bowl. The loud blond had been missed while he was away.

Sakura glowered at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared at Naruto. "You promised me that you'd tell me why you've been writing those Icha Icha trashy novels. You promised to tell me last night!"

The fox ninja sighed and shrugged, his mouth drooping down into a frown. "I would have if you hadn't disappeared on me last night. Too busy worrying about what Kakashi-sensei was doing to spend any time with me. You were the one who left, not me!"

Sakura shifted her feet as her frown lost some of its intensity. He was right. She sighed and ran an agitated hand through her pink hair. "You could have come to find me last night." She said huffily, but without much heat.

Naruto grimaced. "I did." He told her. "You were tracking Kakashi-sensei and didn't even notice when I waved to you."

Her head dropping, Sakura sighed as she stared down at her feet. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I guess ...I guess I was ...I was wrong."

Melting, the blond grinned and rocked back and forth on his heels, his mood taking a huge upswing. "That's alright, Sakura. By the way, I left before you busted him. Couldn't stand to watch. Anything left of your mom's house?"

Sakura looked up, puzzled. "Kakashi didn't go to my mother's house. Which is good, since I would have killed him." She groused, cracking her knuckles suggestively.

Naruto cocked his head to one side. "No. I mean after he sent his shadow clone back toward the market and then his apartment. When the real Kakashi was heading for ..."

Sakura's face went white, then red. Without another word she took off running, steam fairly pouring from her ears.

Naruto blinked and looked over at the man behind the ramen counter. "Was it something I said?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi turned away from the window as Anko came stomping into the room. She blinked behind her mask and grinned. "New fashion?"

The kunai flew out of no where and embedded itself in the window frame barely a breath away from Hanabi's temple. The younger kunoichi didn't move nor flinch, though her smile brightened. "Nice response." She commented dryly. "And I'm not sure about this fashion ...trend."

Anko snarled and held up the three dresses. Expensive silk fairly hung from her hands, looking like a colorful waterfall. Fuchsia with periwinkle dots, puce with stripes of pale lilac, and worse ...neon green with little birds printed all over it. And each dress was ...less than modest.

Hanabi walked up and fingered the expensive silks. "These are the ugliest dresses I have ever seen."

Tossing them on the floor like so much debris, Anko growled. "There WERE the ugliest dresses that I could come up with! I couldn't wait to see which society idiots started wearing similar prints and color combinations. Do you KNOW how much money I had to use to bribe the silk merchants to dye them these colors in the first place?"

Stifling her laughter, Hanabi bent to pick up one of the fallen dresses. "I've seen more material on a stripper." She commented.

Crossing her arms, the angry kunoichi eyed her step-daughter speculatively. "Where did you see a stripper, mushroom?"

Hanabi let the silk slide through her fingers to hit the ground once more. She shrugged. "Tei's last birthday. Mizu and I took him."

"Rocks and Michi." Anko sighed as she corrected the names.

The younger kunoichi smiled and ignored the correction. "Mizu didn't want to go, I had to bribe him into it. Said the girls were boring. Tei liked it well enough. We had plans to ..." She paused with a slight frown. "Guess we forgot to cancel our dinner reservations in Suna. Oops! I'll have to apologize big time before they'll take my reservation again. Better yet, Tei should flirt with the hostess again, that'll help."

Anko didn't comment. Hanabi was talking like going back to Suna was a foregone conclusion. It wasn't. Though there was an agreement between Hiashi and Gaara, it guaranteed only Hanabi's return. Not the boys. Coughing, she changed the subject as she listlessly kicked at the trashy silks on the floor. "They're ruined. Your father will pay big time for screwing up my plans."

"Father?" Hanabi smirked down at the ruined cloth. "That doesn't look like he did anything. More than likely Asobu ruined the silk."

Anko bent down and grabbed one of the ill-fated garments. She shook the fabric at Hanabi with a sneer. "Smell that, chicken-little!"

Game, Hanabi bent forward and sniffed. "I don't smell anything." She said, looking at the badly snagged and shredded hems.

"Exactly!" Anko crowed. "The hems are covered in liquid catnip extract!"

Behind her mask, Hanabi blinked. "Huh?" She just didn't see the connection.

The spiky-haired jounin pulled a vial out of her jacket pocket. An empty vial. "He snuck into my things and took it!"

Hanabi felt her lips twitch. "You have a vial of catnip extract?"

"HAD! I had a vial!" Anko roared. "Well, it's not really catnip, but it does drive cats crazy like catnip!"

A giggle escaped the younger kunoichi. "Brilliant. You were using the cat against father? So that's why the cat shredded the curtains in his study. You're brilliant!"

Anko sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I was brilliant, past tense. Now he's turned it around on me, chickpea. I'm going to have to come up with something new to recapture my brilliance."

"Chickpea?" Hanabi pulled a disgusted face at the new nickname. "Whatever."

"I could go back to calling you chicken-little." Anko growled.

Holding up her hands in surrender, Hanabi stepped back. "Chickpea is fine. Though hardly the type of nick-name to strike fear into an opponent."

Anko shrugged. "I call Gaara 'cupcake' and that's not a manly name. But no one would suggest that he is any less lethal because of what I call him."

Hanabi winced slightly at the reminder of her missing red-headed suitor. Non-suitor? She sighed.

The older kunoichi leaned back slightly, watching her step-daughter through narrowed eyes. "So. You've found a replacement skull for your mask. Nice."

Resisting the urge to reach up and touch the bone skull of the mountain lion, Hanabi shrugged. "I felt undressed without it. Naked."

"And Yugao mentioned to me that some of the Hyuuga clan was finding it unsettling that you were able to walk around most of the day with your Byakugan active." Anko said slowly as she eyed the dual masks that hid the tell-tale veins of the clan blood-line limit.

Hanabi's mouth formed a sly smile. "That's actually more of a reason NOT to wear the masks, to see them squirm. I just didn't feel myself without them though."

"Yourself?" Anko cocked her head to the side. "As in Hanabi? Or Kaji? Which are you anyway?"

The younger kunoichi thought about it for a long moment, then shrugged lightly. "Neither. Both. I'm just me. Kaji is just more ...more ME than Hanabi is allowed to be."

"Poor Chickpea." Anko crooned mockingly. "Now. You're an evil mushroom. Help me plot revenge against your father."

o.O.o.O.o.O

TenTen couldn't believe her eyes. Blinking, she rubbed them vigorously and then looked again. No. It was still there. And so were they.

"Ah, the lovely TenTen!" Gai called down from his perch above the billboard, glue brush in his hand. "Have you come to lend your assistance and support to Rock Lee? How beautifully youthful and generous of you! Come! We're almost done here, but ..."

"WHAT HAVE THE TWO OF YOU DONE?" TenTen screeched, her hands going to the sides of her head as she fisted them in effort not to attack her former sensei.

Lee peered out from beneath the heavy paper he was pasting onto the billboard, the excess hanging over his head so that he could barely be seen. "Isn't it WONDERFUL!" He crowed happily.

"No! Not wonderful! Not right!" TenTen yelled up at the two men desperately, embarrassed as passersby stopped to stare at all of them curiously.

Gai peered over at their handiwork with a judging eye. "Lee? Perhaps TenTen is correct. The overlap right here is wrong, move over about a quarter of an inch."

Lee complied and then looked over hopefully at Gai.

Gai called down to TenTen. "Is that better my lovely and lethal kunoichi?"

"No!" The brunette yelped and shook her head. "Lee! I thought we discussed this! You can't proclaim your love for Rinako on a billboard!"

"Is that what this will be? Oh, I think it's divine." One older grandmother with a grocery sack smiled up at the two shinobi on the billboard. "Lovely! You're a lucky young woman."

"No!" TenTen spun, appalled. "I'm not Rinako! And this is an idiotic move!"

The grandmother frowned at the kunoichi. "Shame on you then, dampening their spirits. And ...oh, I see ...you're not the girl he's doing this for, and so you're jealous! For shame!"

"Jealous?" Sputtered TenTen, reeling back in shock.

Lee's mouth dropped into a perfect oval as he blushed to the roots of his hair. "TenTen? Why did you not tell me of your feelings? Oh, I'm afraid that I can not return them in kind as my heart already beats for another."

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" TenTen screeched. "I already have a boyfriend!"

The grandmother sniffed in annoyance. "You have poor manners, playing off of two young men like that. In my day we didn't play games like this. For shame!" With that, the older woman turned her back and hurried off.

"I'm getting a headache." TenTen muttered with a deep sigh. When she looked up she saw Lee staring down at her looking worried. "I'm not jealous." She assured him. "I'm worried that you're going overboard. It's just not a good idea to plaster your love for Rinako on a billboard."

Lee grinned brightly. "This is so much more than that."

Bewildered by his response, TenTen gestured at the two green-clad shinobi. "How?"

With a gleaming smile, Gai leaped to Lee's side as they finished putting up the last panels. When they were done, the two men jumped down next to TenTen as they watched her, waiting for her response.

TenTen's eyes were huge as she goggled at the billboard. "W...w...wha ...what? Why?"

Lee grinned as he studied his creation. "You said Rinako thought that I was in love with Sakura, which I was. Until it was pointed out to me that my love for my beauteous Sakura had moved into a deep friendship. And that my love for Rinako was not cheating."

"So Lee came up with a wonderful plan to assure this Miss Rinako that Lee's heart is not already given to anyone else." Gai beamed happily.

TenTen groaned, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Take it down." She begged weakly. "Before Sakura murders the both of you."

Lee frowned. "Why? Sakura assured me that she did not feel slighted by my love for Rinako. She seemed genuinely pleased." He looked puzzled. "And I kept my word to you and did not declare my love for Rinako on the billboard ad."

"She'll read it wrong." Shaking her head, TenTen pointed at the huge billboard with the words 'The heart of Rock Lee does not beat for Haruno Sakura'. And there were huge pictures of them both on either side of the billboard, with a heart in the middle, circled, and with a line through the circle.

Gai looked at the billboard and nodded. "Direct and to the point." He announced. "Lee's girl can not misinterpret the message.

TenTen felt a bit faint. "Not Rinako. Sakura. She'll kill you. This makes it look like you're breaking up with her on a public billboard!"

Lee frowned. "You think so?" He sounded so disappointed.

Gai scratched his head. "Should we take it down?"

"YES!" TenTen smiled in relief. "I'll help you!"

"Good! Three sets of hands will have this job done in a jiffy!" Gai exclaimed happily. "We'll start with this one and do the other nine in reverse order of putting them up.

Caught stepping forward to help, TenTen tripped and fell flat on her face. Looking up in shock she gaped at the two men. "You've put up ten of these billboards?" She asked weakly.

Gai nodded with a gleaming white smile and a thumb's up. "We've been working since after breakfast."

Lee shrugged. "We would have had more up if we hadn't had to wait on the ad agency to get everything printed first thing this morning."

TenTen moaned and prayed Sakura had slept in today.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume opened the door with a frown so sharp that Shiho stepped back and Sai's hand went to his weapons pouch. "Yer late!" She snapped, fangs showing briefly before she ran back toward the kitchen. "Damn!"

Sai looked at Shiho, who shrugged. It was a few minutes before the noon deadline.

Tsume showed back up at the door looking frazzled. "Well, are you coming in or what?"

As manners, it lacked a little something. But Shiho gamely stepped into the Inuzuka main house and followed her hostess' retreating back to the kitchen.

Sai cocked his head slightly to one side, watching the chaos in the kitchen around him. "The invitation said before noon. It is before noon. We are not late."

The Inuzuka clan leader growled as she chopped up some garlic by the smell of it. "Boy. You ain't late, because you weren't invited. And Shiho isn't the one late either, I was thinking it was the delivery boy with a box of supplies I ordered."

Shiho looked startled. "You couldn't tell who was at the door from the smell?"

Tsume barked out a rough laugh and dumped the chopped garlic into a big simmering pot. "I'm cutting up a lot of garlic and onions, I've cut off the chakra to my nose for the moment. The nin dogs will tell me if an enemy is approaching."

Sai nodded and looked around the kitchen.

Tsume sighed and swiped one hand across her forehead. "Been Running behind today, had meant all of this to be already done by the time you got here. Shiho." She glared at Sai. "Wasn't expecting you to bring a boyfriend."

Sai blinked slowly. "I've understood the difference between being a dating boyfriend and a friend. And I'm a male who is a friend to Shiho, but we're not dating. So why call me a boyfriend?"

"She brought you out to lunch." Tsume grinned, but it wasn't anything that could have passed for a pleasant smile. There was a threat behind the teeth.

Shiho swallowed nervously.

Sai simply shrugged, unrepentant. "I already had lunch plans with Shiho. Your demand to see her interrupted my plans. Rather than argue, I came along."

"More like she couldn't get him to stay behind." Hana laughed as she came through the door carrying a large box. "Met the delivery guy outside." She explained as she put the box down and shoved it into a large closet off the kitchen.

Ignoring everyone, Sai rudely took a seat at the table. He took out his pad and began sketching, his fingers getting antsy and wanting to draw. It was true, he'd not let Shiho keep him from coming today. And he wasn't even sure why. Friendship was new to him. Perhaps he was feeling protective?

Sai looked up at Shiho facing down Tsume and didn't feel the need to step in between them. So maybe not 'protective'. Then what?

"So. Do I look any prettier in this light?" Hana stared down at the artist nin sitting uninvited at her mother's table.

Sai peered up at her and took in the sleek lines and lithe figure. "No." He answered, turning his head slightly to the side. "No. You're not pretty."

"Sai, please behave." Shiho begged, looking upset and nervous.

The artist settled back and began sketching again.

"Pfft. Whatever." Hana blew off the words with only a small prick to her ego. Who cares what the lout thought in the first place? She walked over to her mother and sniffed the simmering pot. "Spaghetti. Yum."

"Who said you were invited?" Tsume elbowed her eldest child out of her way as she checked the meatballs for the sauce, they weren't ready yet. "You have your own home, go eat with your husband."

Hana hid her vague uneasiness behind a fake smile. "He's not home, out on a mission. And I hate cooking for one."

Sai blinked, watching. He knew a fake smile when he saw one. He'd been practicing smiling for two years now. But why would she fake a smile like that here?

Tsume, however, was too busy to notice. "Pft. Fine. Make yourself useful. Make the garlic bread."

Hana's smile turned up into the real thing, though she drew back in mock fear. "Er. Mom?"

The Inuzuka clan leader opened up the bread box and stopped. She turned to glare at her daughter. "It seems almost all of the bread has all disappeared."

Hana held up hands of surrender. "I'm running to the market now. I'll bring back bread, promise!"

"You fed my good bread to those no account geese again, didn't you!" Tsume barked unhappily as Shiho moved out of her way, pressing her back up against the icebox.

Hana stopped and tried to grab Sai's sketch pad from him, but he was too fast and moved it out of the way. "On second thought, you go to the market since you're crashing the party." She glared down at him.

Sai thought about it and nodded, turning to leave without saying a word.

Shiho watched him head out for the market with a sense of dread. She was in a mad house! The Inuzuka family was unlike any she'd ever seen before.

"We're not so bad." Hana said soothingly at the code-breaker who looked like she was about to bolt at any time.

Tsume pushed a big bowl at her Shiho. "Start cutting up the salad. It's not like you're a guest." She ordered.

Hana took the bowl from the younger kunoichi and shook her head. "No cooking for Shiho. She's a disaster in the kitchen."

The cryptologist flushed slightly, pressing her lips together as she regretted telling Hana about some of her more colorful incidents in the kitchen. "It's not really that bad. I can make a salad."

The Inuzuka clan leader frowned slightly. "What do you mean by a disaster in the kitchen?"

Hana shook her head and laughed, reaching under the cabinet to grab a small kitchen fire extinguisher. "Let's just keep this on hand, shall we?"

Shiho sighed in embarrassment and marched over to Hana, shoving the taller kunoichi aside with her hip. "I can make a salad." She said with a stubborn light in her blue eyes.

"Let her make the salad. You don't need a fire extinguisher for that." Tsume looked bemused.

"No, just a first aid kit." Hana laughed, but made room for the younger female, delighted to have goaded her away from the corner of the room and actually interacting. "We're not so bad, really." She said in a lower voice.

Shiho gave a tentative smile, finally realizing that Hana had been teasing her, trying to make her feel more at home. But still ...why? These Inuzuka women were so strange. It's not like she and Kiba had been on more than one date together. Okay, Tsume had her over here to pick her brain about the last mission that Kiba had been on, she got that.

But why go to the trouble to make a home cooked meal for her just to do that? Tsume had permission from the Hokage's office to hear about certain aspects of their escape from the Akatsuki fortress. But ...why ...all of this?

Hana chuckled as she watched the myriad of emotions flowing swiftly over Shiho's face. The girl didn't get it. Then again, she didn't know Kiba as well as the two Inuzuka kunoichi.

Hana had seen how Kiba had reacted to Shiho already. She'd already helped him set up that first date, telling him how to order at a fancy restaurant and all that. And Tsume had told her last night that Kiba had been acting strangely while away on that long mission with his mother. And had even called out Shiho's name while having sex with another girl.

Not that Hana could explain THAT to Shiho! She grinned to herself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The copy nin skidded across the ground on his butt sending up clouds of dust and debris as he slammed into the wall of a nearby shop. That's where he went 'poof' and a log sat in his place.

Sakura screeched with rage and cracked her knuckles as she jumped clear to the rooftop and began fighting a backpedaling, and half-dressed, Kakashi.

Haruno Kinue pulled her dressing gown tighter around her curvy yet slender body. She handed a tea mug to Naruto, who accepted it gratefully. "Sorry about all this." He muttered.

Kinue nodded as the two of them winced just as Sakura landed a glancing blow along Kakashi's ribcage. Naruto grunted. "She's been working on her speed."

The older Haruno sighed and shook her hair, a veritable match for her daughter's color though with cherry undertones and a softer look. "I really liked your new book." She said softly.

Naruto grinned and then sighed. "Sakura didn't. She won't even read them."

Kinue sipped her hot tea as Kakashi pulled a fast one, leaving Sakura sliding down the roof on her rear end. She didn't fall though, catching her footing on the gutter and performing a beautiful spinning move that launched her back up to the top of the roof.

"Have you shown it to her yet?" Kinue asked her daughter's boyfriend. "It's gorgeous."

Naruto shook his head. "Hopefully soon."

They both winced again as this time Kakashi barely blocked Sakura's kick, only to have her other foot fly up and knock him hard in the stomach. Sakura's mother shook her head. "Are you sure you want to tell her at all? You might want to save yourself and run away from her as fast as you can."

"Why?" Naruto grinned. "Because she has a temper? She wouldn't be Sakura without it. Besides, if she grows to be half as lovely as you, I'll be one lucky man."

Kinue looked down at the blond in surprise, a pleased pink stain to her cheeks. "Sucking up to your possible mother-by-marriage already? Good man."

Naruto pulled her suddenly to one side as Sakura went flying by them to land in the street. He looked back up at a brooding Kakaski. "Oi! I thought you weren't fighting back!"

The copy nin dropped down next to them, his bare chest gleaming and his pants riding low on his sexy hips. "Defense reflexes. Sorry about that." He gave Kinue a one-armed hug.

Kinue snuggled for a moment then sighed. "Go easy on her."

"Easy on her?" Kakashi winced and pointed to a rising bruise on his ribs.

"I'll make it up to you later." Kinue promised him with a sexy and suggestive lilt in her voice. "Perhaps something involving ..." She whispered in his ear.

Kakashi brightened immediately.

Naruto stuck his hands over his ears. "I'm too young to hear this."

Laughing, the copy nin patted the younger shinobi on the shoulder. "You wrote about it." He reminded Naruto.

The fox ninja sighed unhappily. "Somehow it's different hearing it from other people's mother."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi was helping Katashi with his target practice when she suddenly stiffened.

Her younger brother looked up. "What's wrong?"

The kunoichi shook her head. "I've got to run." She apologized. "You're doing great though!"

"Best in my class." The young shinobi smiled brightly. "But not as good as you. Yet!"

Hanabi laughed and ruffled his long hair. "You'll get there." She opened the zip on her jacket and grasped the edges of her white shirt.

Katashi's eyes widened slightly. "Hey! You're outside! And ...I'm a guy! You can't ..." He stopped when he saw that she had a mesh shirt and a half a tank-top on underneath. "Hey, next time warn a fellow, you almost had me gagging."

"Gagging?" Hanabi grinned. "That's such a compliment. Gagging. You won't be saying that in a few years, short stuff."

"I'm not short!" Katashi straightened to his full height, which for a nearly ten year old boy wasn't that tall. "I'm growing!"

"Growing the family." Hanabi retorted. "I saw you sneak out to feed the baby rabbits last night. Father told you rabbits orphaned that young usually don't make it." She pulled her jacket back on and zipped it up again, bringing up the hood over the top of her head.

Katashi stuck out his chin mulishly.

Hanabi snorted and ruffled his hair again. "You're a good kid, for a brat."

"Brat? You're the brat!" Katashi huffed as he watched his sister take off for the main Hyuuga gates. Suddenly his eyes went huge. "What's that on your back? Does father know?"

Hanabi turned and jogged backwards for a moment as she waved to her younger brother. "Of course father knows, why do you think I was wearing that white shirt anyway? To hide the tattoo!"

"Well it's not hidden now!" He yelled after her, but wasn't sure if she'd heard him before she'd rounded the side of the main house.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kakashi ran down the street to check on Sakura, but stopped as he saw her staring up at something. He walked up next to her. "You ready to call a truce?"

She didn't say anything.

The copy nin sighed and rubbed his sore ribs. "Look. It's been years. Don't you think by now that you should have gotten used to the fact that I'm seeing your mother?"

Sakura still didn't say anything.

A young matron with a kid in tow came over and patted Sakura on the back. "I'm sure you'll find a better young man out there. I'm so sorry."

Kakashi looked back at the woman as she left. "What in the world was that about?"

An older merchant came up just then and tried to hand Sakura a free winter melon in a sack. "For you, dear. It's hard breaking up. So sorry to hear that you're having difficulties. You've been gone quite a while, and I'd thought you were seeing that Naruto fellow. Still, you young people keep breaking up and dating other people all the time. You'll get over it, I'm sure."

"Huh?" Kakashi rubbed his head, puzzled. He looked at Sakura, and saw that her gaze was fixed somewhere above them. He turned and saw a billboard. About to turn back, his mind registered what it said. "Oh shit." He looked carefully at his former student. "Sakura, don't kill Lee. Please, he didn't mean anything by how this looks."

Naruto and Kinue came walking up, each carrying a mug of hot tea. "Everything settled?" Sakura's mother asked, not liking having her daughter barge into her house this morning and drag Kakashi from it. "I hope you two have finally worked all of this out."

Kakashi pointed up at the billboard.

Kinue frowned sharply, all too aware of Naruto by her side. "When did you date Rock Lee, dear?"

Naruto closed his eyes in dread, and then turned to a still silent Sakura. "I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!" He pointed up at the billboard. "Sure, I thought it would be romantic for him to say something to Rinako on one of those things, but ...not this!"

Sakura finally looked away from the billboard, a glazed look on her face. "I've just been broken up with publicly. On a billboard. By a guy I've never dated." She said in a quiet kind of voice.

"Darling?" Kinue looked a bit worried and confused all at the same time. Not sure what to do, she held out her mug. "Tea?"

Sakura started laughing, a chuckle here. A mutter there. Then a giggle, and then she started laughing and couldn't stop. Tears ran down her face as she shook her head and pushed Kakashi's arm away.

"Sakura?" Naruto stepped up next to her. "You okay?"

The pink-haired kunoichi finally wiped her face and shook her head. "Mom. Date whomever you want. Kakashi. Just ...never mind. Date or don't date, it's up to you. I quit. I give up."

Kakashi, Naruto and Kinue looked back and forth between them nervously. "Maybe she should see a medic." Her mother said quietly.

"I am a medic." Sakura sighed. "I'm fine." She pointed up at the billboard. "I give up. It's like life is making fun of me somehow. My mother's dating a perv."

"Hey!" Kakashi protested.

Sakura pinned him with a hard look. "You're not a perv?" She challenged him.

Swallowing nervously, the copy nin shook his head. "I'm not just a perv. There's more to me than that." He tried smiling beneath his mask.

"He's a perv." Her mother nodded with an odd smile on her face. "In a good way."

Sakura looked at her and shuddered. "Stop doing that to me!"

Kakashi shrugged. "What are you going to do, give up your apartment and move back in with your mother so you can babysit her like a hormonal teenager?" He said snidely.

Sakura sighed and rubbed her face. "No. I told you, I give up. Go on. Go back to reading your pervy novels and drinking your tea. I give up."

Naruto stared at her for a long moment. "Sakura, there's a reason that I've been writing those novels."

Kakashi stiffened and looked at Kinue, together they nodded and moved away from the younger couple. By mutual consent, they headed back to the house, his arm around her comfortingly.

Sakura watched them go and took a deep breath. "It'll be okay." She said to herself. "He may be a perv, but he's stuck on her."

"And has been for nearly three years now." Naruto reminded her. "Kakashi-sensei is a good guy, Sakura."

The medical kunoichi nodded. "I know. But he's ...and she's ..."

"Your mother." Naruto nodded. "Yeah, but give her some credit. She is your mom after all, I'm sure she's pretty doggone smart."

Sakura chuckled.

"Now about that reason that I've been writing the novels ..." He stopped when Sakura put her hand over his mouth.

"No. It's okay, Naruto. You have a reason and that's good enough for me." She took a deep breath and smiled. "I don't need to know."

The blond shinobi's blue eyes widened in horror. "But I have to tell you!"

Sakura shook her head. "No. It's okay."

"No! I have to tell you!" Naruto yelled, startling her and several around them. "It's all because of you!"

Drawing back in surprise, the pink-haired kunoichi stilled. "Me?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"See? A perfect salad and not a cut, fire, or a drop of blood." Shiho put down the knife in triumph just as Sai walked back in the door with the bread. "Good timing, the meal is just about done."

Tsume grinned. "Indeed it is. Hana, set the table. Young man, go wash up to eat. I'll get the drinks. Shiho? Will you drain the pasta?"

The cryptologist nodded happily, pleased that the salad had turned out so well and without incident.

"I ran into someone on the way in." Sai commented calmly.

"Hey. What's going on?" Kiba said from the doorway, grinning that quirky smile of his that just bordered on this side of insolent. "Smells good in here, got room for one more?" Akamaru barked next to him. "Two more?"

Hana laughed. "Tell your dog he can't have spaghetti."

Shiho dropped her pot-holders and spun, her heart in her throat as she caught sight of Kiba. Flustered, she turned back to the stove and picked up the pasta pot by the handles. Damn! She'd forgotten the small towels she'd been using as pot-holders. It took her a moment before she realized that the handles were still cool, just the pot was hot. Close call.

Smiling nervously she turned and carried the pot with the noddles to the sink next to the stove. Relieved when nothing spilled. She got ready to drain the noodles when her nose twitched. Was something burning?

"Hey!"

Kiba's shout had everyone turning toward the stove. Shiho stopped breathing as she saw the pot-holders she'd dropped earlier smolder and a flame rise up from one, now both. She'd dropped them on the burner! Quickly she grabbed a large serving spoon and scooted them off the burner and flipped them into the sink ...or she tried to anyway.

Instead they fell neatly into the pot with the still undrained spaghetti noodles.

A doomed pall fell over the kitchen as acrid smoke from burned material wafted through the room. Suddenly there was a spray of white foam and then the entire sink and stove was covered in a thick white cloud of dusty flame retardant. Another blast had the entire kitchen fogging up.

Tsume turned wide eyes on her daughter.

Hana shrugged, still holding the fire extinguisher that she'd used. "Just in case."

Shiho prayed the floor would open up beneath her and swallow her whole. In fact, she vaguely toyed with the notion of drowning herself in a pool of thick mud. She had the jutsu for it, did she have enough chakra to make the mud pool deep enough?

Kiba coughed and shook his head in wonder. "Fuck me." He said slowly, looking at all the food covered in a coating of flame retardant.

"I'm sorry." Shiho said meekly, feeling that her words were hardly adequate. This was a disaster! She looked at the side door to the kitchen in longing, wishing she could just escape.

Hana clucked her tongue. "I thought your were exaggerating when you were telling us about your kitchen mishaps."

Tsume walked over to her sink, staring in wide-eyed astonishment at her dinner. Using tongs she plucked the ruined pot-holders out of the pasta pot. Flakes of soot, ash, and white stuff from the fire extinguisher floated on the top of the water.

"I'm so sorry." Shiho nearly whimpered.

Akamaru sniffed the air and backed out of the kitchen, sneezing and rubbing at his nose with his paw.

Tsume shook her head slowly. "Little girl. You are a menace. You've stood up to me, proving you are brave to the point of stupidity. So smart it's scary, and yet ..." She waved an arm around her kitchen. "Oh hell. You fit right in here. Damn."

Shiho stared at the older kunoichi trying to figure out if that was a compliment or a slam. Kiba moved so swiftly that he was suddenly beside her. He took a handful of her curls and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Let's go eat out."

Hana grinned. "Good idea. Let's all go together."

Kiba scowled at his older sister. "You have your own home, go eat there."

"Much more fun to crash your date." Hana teased him, though she stiffened slightly.

Tsume sighed. "I should stay here and clean up this mess."

"I'll do it." Shiho offered, her blue eyes wide and eager to please.

Hana grabbed the cryptologist by the hand and dragged her out of the kitchen to the other room. "From now on, this is as close as you get to the kitchen." She pointed at the threshold into the other room. "Right here. Memorize it."

"I can clean a kitchen." Shiho said stubbornly.

Kiba grinned and swooped in to pull her into his arms. She stiffened. He was doing this in front of his family! He kissed the side of her neck, nuzzling her hair out of the way with his chin. "I've missed you."

Shiho nearly melted on the spot.

Sai watched, expressionless. He saw the open affection on Kiba's face. Shiho's bewilderment. He turned and looked back at Tsume as she glared at the kitchen around her. Then he looked at Hana, who was watching her brother with an expression that Sai could not decipher.

"What am I saying?" Tsume came out of the kitchen with a growl and grabbed Kiba by the back of his shirt and tossed him into the kitchen. "Clean up that mess!"

Hana grinned and applauded. Tsume growled and pushed her daughter into the kitchen too. "This is what I have children for! Get to work!" She snapped.

"Hey!" Kiba protested. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. Don't matter, either. Just get to cleaning. I want this kitchen spotless by the time we get back from lunch." Tsume smiled menacingly down at Shiho. "Looks like it's just the two of us."

Sai stepped forward, then stopped as growls from several nin dogs filled the room. He looked at Tsume with a deadpan expression. "I'm not your child."

"No?" Tsume laughed. "Clean or leave, don't care one bit. Me and the girl are going out to eat and talk. None of you are welcome." She looked over at Kuromaru, her eye-patch wearing nin dog. "Except you, of course."

"Of course." The nin dog yawned and padded over to them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well, you decided to make the trip after all. Took you long enough."

Gaara stopped right outside the gate of Konoha, he'd not even crossed into the village yet. He looked over at Kaji and his breath literally froze in his lungs. He couldn't breathe.

"I don't want an apology." Kaji told him from her perch, leaning up against the guard post, her arms crossed as she stared at him.

"Wasn't going to offer one." His lungs decided they could work after all.

"Hanabi?" Hinata looked back and forth between her baby sister and her husband's brother. Beside her, Kankuro took her hand and waved at Hanabi as he pulled his wife away. "But ..."

"Let's go check on the children." Kankuro said gruffly, using the excuse to give Gaara and Hanabi a chance to speak privately. He looked around at the guards and curious on lookers. So maybe private was a stretch.

Gaara didn't even watch his brother and sister-by-marriage leave. Truth was, he wasn't aware of much of anything except for her. "Kaji." His voice was scratchy, hoarse.

"Gaara-coon." She goaded him, though to anyone listening it more than likely sounded like the honorific '-kun'. Still. She knew that he knew what she really meant.

"Do I have permission to enter?" The Kazekage asked her.

The guards, flustered, nodded. "Yes. It's all arranged already. Welcome to Konoha." They had no clue he'd not been speaking to them in the first place.

Gaara waited, but Kaji didn't say another word. A long moment passed as the guards started to shift their weight from side to side, getting nervous.

"Well?" The red-head prodded her finally, his eyes eating up the sight of her.

"I'm thinking." Kaji purred as she watched her prey.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	59. Questions and Answers

"Well?" Gaara watched Kaji with his pale-jade eyes, his entire being on alert as he ate up the sight of her. He'd known he had missed her, though it hadn't been a full week since she'd left. But seeing her brought home how much a part of him she'd become. A horrid tension that he'd not even been aware of began to loosen around his heart as his pulse sped up.

The Leaf gate guard cleared his throat. "Uhm. Kazekage-sama? You have permission to enter Konoha. The Hokage's office has cleared your visit already." The poor chuunin looked a bit confused.

The two Suna guards behind Gaara grinned and settled back to watch the show. They weren't confused. Razan even grinned and waved at Kaji.

The kunoichi, though, only had eyes for the red-head. Her own pulse was pounding out a frantic dance in her chest. It was harder to breathe than she cared to admit. So instead of answering, she managed a small jerky shrug of her shoulders.

With a dry throat Gaara deliberately put his foot over the threshold into the village, settling his weight slowly as he brought the other foot forward. He was now standing just inside Konoha.

Kaji's stomach fluttered and her lips turned down in a lopsided frown. "You've done it now. I won't be held responsible for whatever happens next."

The Leaf chuunin stiffened. That had sounded vaguely like a threat. A threat against a foreign Kage who also happened to be an ally to Konoha. His hand dropped uncertainly to his weapons pouch as he eyed the strange masked kunoichi. The bone skull of the mountain lion was freaking him out.

Suddenly the two Suna guards were standing next to the chuunin gate-keeper. "There's no threat." Bokkai said with a smile.

Razan shook his head. "It's Kaji." He said dryly.

Bokkai thought that over for half a second and nodded. "Okay, it is a threat, but it's one we let the Kazekage handle. It's personal."

"But ..." The chuunin guard looked uncertain for a moment, then made a visible effort to straighten up. He cleared his throat. "I will need to report this." He looked over at the masked kunoichi. "Kaji, huh?"

"Hyuuga Hanabi." Kaji bit out the name with a grimace. "As Gaara-coon made sure that everyone knows."

Gaara didn't wince though it did feel like the skin around his eyes tightened a bit.

The chuunin guard stiffened. "Hyuuga Hanabi died. I remember. Big news around here. There was even a funeral."

Kaji smiled a little bitterly. "Well. I got better."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Remember, spotless!" Tsume grinned wickedly at a grimacing Kiba as he stared around at the ruined remains of lunch. At least there wasn't much in the way of damage to the room. Just a white covering of flame retardant over every surface. He sneezed.

Sai turned to leave, only to find his way blocked by Hana. The vet had her arms crossed as she stared at the art nin. "Crash the lunch, stay to clean. It's a rule."

"Perhaps I should do the cleaning up." Shiho offered, still looking stricken. "After all, the whole episode was basically my fault."

Hana chuckled. "You can't get out of going out with mom that easily."

Shiho flushed. That hadn't been what she'd meant.

Tsume's chuckle sounded partly like a growl as she gave Hana and then Kiba a hard stare. "No. So the pot holders burned. Shiho ruined only a pot of noodles. We could have made more. It was the fire extinguisher that ruined all the other food and basically made a mess out of the kitchen."

Kiba brightened. "That's right! C'mon Shiho, let's make Hana clean it all up by herself. We'll take mom out to eat and then you and I can maybe hit the movies together afterwards."

"Are you going to explain to mother why you had to throw out your clothing that was covered in slug slime while you're all out eating together?" Smirked Hana as he leaned around Sai to pin her brother with a glare.

Sai stared at the long line of Hana's throat and the fall of smooth brunette pony tail. He sniffed. "You smell."

Hana's fist flashed out and Sai had to side step quickly to avoid the punch to his gut. He sucked in his breath to pull in his bared stomach.

"Shut the hell up Hana!" Kiba roared, angry. "You have your own damned house, why do you have to keep poking your ugly nose back into this one?"

Hana sucked in a harsh breath and glared daggers at her baby brother. "Wait until I tell your girl about the time you stuck chickpeas up your nose."

Kiba picked up an empty bowl and weighed it like a possible weapon.

"Slime? Slugs? Like Tsunade's summons?" Tsume ignored her eldest and the strange young shinobi who didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. She looked down at Shiho. "You know about this?"

Shiho nodded reluctantly.

"Good. Kiba you and Hana stay here. Shiho is with me. Throw Sai to the dogs if you want, but he doesn't come with me." Tsume grabbed the cryptologist's hand and pulled her from the room.

The last things that Shiho heard was a protest from Kiba, Hana growling unhappily, and Sai saying something insulting though she couldn't figure out to whom. Shiho tried to dig in her heels, only to have Tsume pull her relentlessly forward. "But ..."

The Inuzuka clan leader smiled, a hint of her fangs catching the light. "Let them fight it out. Sometimes it's the only way to deal with them."

"They're your children, aren't you going to stop them from fighting?"

Tsume shook her head. "It's all part of being an Inuzuka. Plan on dating one, you gotta get used to it."

Shiho turned to look behind her with wide eyes as a bowl came flying out the open door to crash in the hallway, shards scattering everywhere. Two nin dogs looked up from the living room, sniffed the air, and then laid back down to nap as if this kind of fighting was an everyday occurrence.

"The house had better be standing when I get back!" Tsume shouted and then opened the front door, escorting Shiho outside. "Now. What sounds good for lunch?"

Shiho just stared at her with wide blue eyes, unable to form a thought much less a suggestion for lunch.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Rinako was staring up at the billboard just as TenTen came over the rooftops and landed next to her. She turned her dark eyes to the weapons mistress and jerked a thumb up at the huge message. "What in the world is up with this?"

TenTen sighed and gave a weak smile. "Ask Lee, he'll be here in a moment."

"Is this some sort of joke?" Rinako looked puzzled. "Lee's made it abundantly clear that he loves ..."

"You."

The one word stopped her cold. Rinako spun as she stared with a wide eyed stare. Lee stared right back. There was no smile on his face, no hint of a twinkle or a joke or ...anything. He looked as serious as she'd ever seen him. "Lee?"

Gai grinned and gestured for TenTen to join him as the two departed unseen by either Lee or Rinako.

Rinako wet her suddenly dry lips as Lee stepped closer to her, his earnest gaze calling to her.

"You are the source of my heart beating. On you does the sun rise and set each day. Each breath I take is ..." He stopped as Rinako gently put her hand over his lips. Lee fell to his knees and grabbed her hand. "I can not help it if you do not feel the same as I feel for you. But I need to express my feelings and bare my soul to you. For you are the only bloom in my garden."

The kunoichi's breath hitched as she nearly choked. "I ...I just knew you'd bring up gardens and flowers somewhere along the line."

Lee rose to his feet abruptly, standing so close that her chest brushed his. He didn't let go of her hand, keeping it trapped between their bodies. "I am not joking."

Rinako, unable to speak, only nodded.

Lee stared at her a long time, then took a deep breath. Rinako swayed, suddenly dizzy. "I love you." He said quietly. Simply. Very un-Lee like.

Rinako shook her head. "Sakura. You love Sakura." Her voice sounded harsh, even to her own ears.

Lee nodded, crushing Rinako completely. Until he spoke. "I'll always love her, she's my friend. But until you I didn't know what true love is. Until you I didn't know that my heart could actually bleed when I thought you might be going back to the Cloud village. Forever. You have taught me that with others my love was never false, but the roots weren't deep enough, weren't strong enough ... that my feelings were but a pale echo of what you make me feel."

Rinako blinked as she swayed, squeezing his hand tightly to maintain her balance. At her feet Kirohu whined and slowly circled the two ninja before sitting and staring up at them, his tongue lolling out hopefully. "Lee." She said his name like a caress.

He squeezed her hand back. "The billboard was merely to show you that my heart does not belong to Sakura, or any other. Only you."

Rinako started to smile slowly.

"I have a speech all ready for you. Naruto helped me write it." Lee coughed uncertainly. "But I left the notes at my apartment. I'll try to remember how it goes though." He smiled. "Dearest, most beautiful Rinako ...or was it Beautiful Rinako, most dearest ...dang it!"

The kunoichi didn't care, her grin grew sappy for a moment before she shook his hand loose from her own and cupped his face between her palms. "You talk too much." She whispered.

Then she leaned in and kissed his breath away.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I need to report this." The chuunin looked dazed as he watched the backs of the departing ninja.

Razan, the Suna guard laughed and clapped the other man on the shoulder. "So what will you report? That a dead Hyuuga was insulting the Kazekage? Or that she's escorting him into the village?"

"She can't be a Hyuuga." The chuunin muttered. "She's really one of yours. From Suna I mean. Right?" He looked dazed. "I mean, did you see the tattoo on her back?"

Razan nodded in sympathy. He had indeed seen her back, though she'd yet to turn so that Gaara could see the incriminating image. "Kaji is ours. Hanabi is yours."

"So?" The chuunin looked ill. "Was that Kaji or Hanabi?"

The Suna shinobi shrugged, winked, and hurried to catch up with the others.

The chuunin sighed and grabbed a piece of parchment. He looked down at the blank page in despair. "I don't even know where to start." He whined.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho looked down at her half-eaten plate and shrugged. "Kiba told me that he overheard some sort of code and he figured it out. It was something that let him know that there was going to be attack."

"Kiba figured it out?" Tsume sounded proud and slightly dubious at the same time.

Shiho stiffened. "Kiba figured it out." She enunciated the words carefully and slowly.

Tsume chuckled and ate the last shrimp from her plate. "I know my son better than you do, and I know he's smart. Still figuring out codes isn't his strong point."

The cryptologist let out a small sigh and forced herself to relax. "Any way, he turned back toward the fortress and found Temari, who was about to be ambushed. Then after that fight they both came back to the fortress." She shrugged. "I've already told you the rest."

Tsume nodded. The telling was leaving out quite a few important details. Inwardly she was laughing though she kept a straight face as she sipped her tea. She'd already been to talk to Ibiki as the man recovered in the hospital. The ANBU torture master had been highly amused to recount the scene where Kiba had ran by everyone to break down Shiho's door and had held her, not letting go until ordered.

"Now you know everything." Shiho said a bit snidely and picked up her own tea cup.

"While we were on our mission, before Kiba went to the Akatsuki fortress ..." The Inuzuka clan leader waited until the younger kunoichi took a drink. "Kiba yelled out your name while he was having sex with another girl. She sure was pissed off about it too."

Shiho choked, spraying tea all over the table as her face turned alarmingly purple.

Tsume moved sideways swiftly, missing the spray of tea as she laughed in outright victory.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Here we are ..." Bokkai cut off his own words as the Kazekage slammed the door in his face. The Suna guard grinned and turned to wink at the other guard. "Seems we're not welcome."

Razan chuckled and looked around in interest. "I wonder where Tei and Mizu are?"

Bokkai slapped his palm into Razan's chest, shaking his head. "Look for your boyfriend later. For now, we're on duty. Out here."

The two Suna shinobi took up their posts outside the guest apartments. After a long moment of silence there was the sound of something breaking as it smashed into the door.

Razan smiled. "They're making up."

Bokkai fought his own smile. "She could be trying to assassinate him."

"No." Razan shook his head, still smiling. "Did you see her tattoo? She's more Sand than Leaf now." He said with supreme satisfaction.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara didn't even glance at the sad remains of the lamp that she'd thrown at his head. The shards were now resting on the floor right in front of the door. "I take it that you're still angry with me." It wasn't a question.

Kaji smirked condescendingly. "No. Really? What gave me away?"

The red-head dropped his travel pack on the floor of the entrance hall and took a deep breath. "I find it encouraging that you're willing to see me."

"Could be a trap to take off your head."

The Kazekage nodded, acknowledging her words. "If you had murderous intentions a lamp would not have been your first choice of wea ..." His word cut off as the broken lamp suddenly exploded, the hidden tag flaring for a second before disappearing in flames.

Hanabi smiled crookedly at the startled red-head whose sand had moved to protect him from the debris. "You were saying?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

The three stood looking at the kitchen. No one had anything to say.

Akamaru padded up, looked around, sniffed, and backed away slowly as he gave Kiba a series of pitous 'woofs'.

Hana cracked a sad smile. "Your nin-dog is right, baby brother. You're a dead man."

Kiba took the cold compress off his blackening eye. "Me? You're the one who broke the countertop with the skillet. And that's Sai ink monsters exploded all over the walls. Why am I the dead one?"

Sai shrugged. "Neither your sister nor I live here. You do."

Groaning, Kiba tossed the cold compress to Sai who put it over his swollen elbow. "Your sister is mean." He commented.

"Mean, smelly, and ugly." Hana grinned in acknowledgment. "And the only one unscathed."

Kiba sighed. "Think we can remodel the kitchen before mom comes home?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You left." The words were stark, and yet Kaji could feel the weight of emotion behind them. "You left Suna. I never gave you permission to do that."

The kunoichi shrugged lightly. "According to the Hokage, you did give us permission."

"You knew that I hadn't." Gaara pointed out oh-so-reasonably, but there was a hesitation in his voice that made her heart speed up.

"You tore off my mask." Hanabi retreated from him physically, backing up toward the fireplace. "Showed everyone that I was Hyuuga and told me to go home. Suna is not the home of the Hyuuga clan."

There was a touch of bitterness in her voice that scraped along Gaara's nerves. He felt the need to move, to do ...something. Anything. To keep from dropping to his knees and begging, he instead removed his travel boots, setting them beside the door.

"Well?" She prodded, feeling antsy in the silence.

"Suna is home." Gaara said resolutely.

"Your home." She tempered, leaning over the small table and glared at him.

Seeing her face so close, Gaara blinked three times rapidly. The only sign of nerves. "You told me that you loved me." He said hoarsely.

Kaji grinned wickedly and licked her lips in a deliberately teasing move. "You told me to go home."

"My home." He snapped.

The masked kunoichi frowned sharply and pushed away from the low table. She reached up and pulled off both masks, showing her angry pale eyes as she glared at him. "Your home. You even said it just now. Yours. Not mine. Not ours. YOURS."

Gaara stilled. He'd not meant that. "I didn't mean it like that." He countered, getting riled as he stood up, doing some glaring of his own. His pale-jade eyes narrowing dangerously on her.

Suddenly Kaji stepped up on the low table and stood over him. Gaara's eyes widened in both alarm and approval. He loved it when she stood on furniture. He couldn't help it.

"You are autocratic, stupid, demanding, and you don't listen to others. You haven't the slightest clue how to share and ...what are you doing?" Her voiced ended in a slight squeak as Gaara stepped up on the table with her, his arm snaking around her back and jerking her up close to him.

"You still love me." He growled.

It was Kaji's turn to blink rapidly as she leaned back from his heat, but his arm was like steel around her back. She pushed on his chest, but she couldn't get him to move back even slightly. Her hand over his chest located his heartbeat, and her efforts to push him back slowed as she felt how fast his heart was beating. For her.

Breathing hard she looked up at him. "I hate you."

His arm tightened around her, drawing her closer, his breath on her face. "Liar." He dared her to deny him. "You won't be this close to me if you hated me."

"You're holding me against my will." She pointed out, her mouth tightening.

Gaara shook his head slowly. "No. If you wanted to get away badly enough, you wouldn't be here."

Kaji leaned forward into him, changing her tactics. "Maybe I have you just where I want you." Her arms slipped around him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I don't get it." Sakura winced at the sound of her own voice. She hated it when she started to sound whiny. "Naruto. I meant it earlier. You don't owe me an explanation." The words came from her mouth, but Inner Sakura was yelling hard at her to get the secret from the blond shinobi.

Naruto frowned and turned Sakura around to face the house in front of them. He grinned and gestured toward the home.

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed and shook her head. "Narutoooo ..."

The young man frowned and then grinned. "You're right. This should be done inside." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the lined walkway to the front door. He was fumbling in his pocket for something while Sakura looked around at the neatly outlined flower beds. It was fall and heading for winter, so they weren't spectacular or anything. But they were neat and tidy, and the greenery was really pretty.

"It's here somewhere." Naruto frowned and pulled one pocket out all the way. It was clearly empty. He unzipped his jacket, running his hands inside. "I wanted to keep it safe ..." He muttered.

Sakura glanced at him, then backed up to look up at the neat two story house. "Have we been here before? Naruto? This place looks familiar."

"HERE IT IS!" Naruto pulled out a large ring box.

"What?" Sakura stared at the ring box and all of a sudden her ears were ringing. She couldn't hear a thing that her boyfriend was saying as he gestured wildly and turned to unlock the front door. Was that ...an ...engagement ring? Surely not. No ...it couldn't be ...

Naruto held open the door for her with a side sweep of his arm, grinning widely from ear to ear. Sakura shook her head, backing up a step. Her ears popped suddenly and she could hear again.

"Sakura?"

The medical nin watched with wide, terrified eyes. His voice. His voice sounded ... pleading? "Naruto? Why do you have a key to this house?"

Naruto walked slowly up to her and caught her hand in his, then turned to look up at the house. Sakura followed his gaze, unable to anything else. "Don't you recognize it?"

Sakura stared up at the house, having no clue to what he ...she stopped. Inner Sakura dropped her jaw. Outer Sakura swallowed hard. "Is this the house that I ..."

The usually exuberant blond shinobi nodded, suddenly looking deadly serious. "You told me that this was the house you dreamed about for the future."

"Dream house. I didn't actually dream of it. I said that it was like my dream house." Sakura corrected absently, her brain stalled out as she stared up at the upstairs windows. "And that was nearly three years ago!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head looking absolutely crestfallen. Sakura held out her hands to him. "But I do love it. Really, it's a great house. But what are we doing here? Do you know the owners?"

Sheepishly Naruto gave her his cheesiest grin. "You could say that. See. I bought it."

Sakura's jaw nearly hit the floor. "What? But Naruto, a house like this, in a neighborhood like this ...Naruto that takes a fortune." On her last word it was like a light-bulb went off in her head. Inner Sakura swayed and fainted. Outer Sakura's eyes got really wide. She pointed up at the house. "THIS? This house is why you've been writing the Icha Icha novels?"

Naruto grinned and nodded. "It's for you. Us."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara stiffened, ready for an attack as Kaji's arms settled around him. Her hands roamed his back and slid his shirt out from his pants. He caught his breath, holding absolutely still. Her clever fingers divested him of his vest and the straps he used to hold weapons and such. In a moment, he was bare chested.

Kaji licked her lips and pouted prettily. "You don't trust me?" She poked at his enveloping sand armor.

Gaara shook his head. "No."

"Smart man." She grinned at him and rested her hands between them, on the band of his pants. Her fingers trailing sensuously over his belly. "Do you have sand armor ...everywhere?"

With a small jerk of his head, Gaara managed a nod.

"Pity." Hanabi let go of him and raised one eyebrow at him and swayed her hips slightly. With great reluctance, he let her go. With the smallest of motions she flipped neatly off the low table, landing near the hallway leading back to the bedroom he used when he was visiting in Konoha.

With a smirk on her face she made a come hither motion with her hand and turned her back to him, then looked at him from over one shoulder. "Like what you see?"

Gaara's mind stalled out as his eyes went as wide as serving platters. One second he was standing on the furniture, the next he was grabbing Kaji and pulling her with him. How he ended up lying on top of her while she stared up at him on the bed would forever remain a mystery. He had no conscious memory of moving.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume stared at the gutted remains of her kitchen. She turned to look at Sai as he held up a picture he'd drawn. She grabbed it and glared at the drawing of a newly renovated kitchen.

"It'll be great, mom. You'll love it." Kiba smiled hopefully as sweat rolled off his temple.

Hana tossed the hammer up in the air and caught it neatly. "For mother's day."

Tsume scowled. "You're nearly half a year early." She sighed and shook her head. "I guess it's as good enough a reason to eat out. Just make sure you get it right."

Kiba sniffed the air and scowled.

The Inuzuka clan leader grinned. "Sent her home. Shiho said that she had a headache."

The dog shinobi glanced around and tossed the pliers in his hand to Sai. "Take over." He ordered and slipped by his mother.

"Kiba!" Tsume yelled, and the young man skidded to a reluctant stop at the door. "Be nice, she's not used to being around a family like ours yet."

"Thanks." Kiba grinned and ran from the house.

Hana sighed. "You're up to something." She accused her mother. "You'd have never let him by that easily if you weren't up to something. What did you do?"

Tsume laughed and shrugged. "I'll tell you if you'll tell me what really happened to my kitchen."

Hana tossed the hammer in the air again and caught it once more. "Fine. Keep your secrets. Come on Sai, let's get to work."

The artist nin frowned. "Why? You said all I needed to do was to draw what you wanted for the kitchen. I did that already."

Hana shrugged. "I need the help. And you owe me for saying that I smelled bad."

Sai frowned. "No." He turned toward the door, but then stopped and shot the vet an unreadable look. "And I never said that you smelled badly."

Hana stared after the departed artist ninja for a long moment then shook her head. "He's sure a strange one."

Tsume watched her daughter with an odd look as Hana ignored her and went to work on the kitchen. Maybe she was worrying over the wrong child. Hana had been spending a lot more time over at the Inuzuka main house, rather than at home.

Just what was going on?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Kaji looked up at the red-headed male leaning over her, his knees on either side of her hips.

Gaara, not even sure how he'd gotten here, didn't answer. He rolled her. And she let him. Kaji stretched her arms up over her head and kicked his back with her heels in a playful manner as he leaned back to stare at her back.

"I finally got a tattoo." She said needlessly.

Gaara was mute as his eyes, then his fingers traced every line of the sand village emblem now gracing the creamy skin beneath him. She'd declared herself belonging to Suna. And as extension, to the Kazekage of Suna. Him.

Hanabi gave a low giggle and kicked him lightly again as she bent her knee. "You seem happy with it." She purred, arching up into his reacting body.

Happy? Gaara was so turned on at the moment that he wasn't sure how he didn't ignite on the spot.

Kaji rolled suddenly and rose up on her elbows. Gaara leaned into her and their lips met, clung, and opened. Tongues dueled hotly. He moaned and she grabbed his shoulders, rolling him.

Jade-pale eyes stared hungrily up at her as she rose over him, grinning in victory. His hands settled on her bare midriff and circled to her back. He could no longer see her tattoo, but just knowing it was there was heady to him. "Mine." He declared roughly.

Kaji frowned and tutted her tongue. "Don't think this means you've been forgiven." Quicker than a snake strike she was standing at the foot of the bed. "I don't know how you got me in here. And yes, I'm attracted to you. Madly. But you of all people should know that I won't let you off the hook so easily."

Gaara watched her with stark need, but didn't try to stop her from leaving. He might be losing today's battle, but with that tattoo on her back he was already the victor in the war. "You're mine."

Kaji stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. "Have you stopped to consider ...that you're mine instead?" With that she disappeared from the doorway.

Groaning, the Kazekage sighed and stared up at the ceiling. That had gone much better than he could have ever dreamed. She'd had the emblem of his village tattooed on her body. He grinned. And she thought that she was ...was ...winning ...?

He never knew what it was that alerted him. He'd seen nothing, sensed nothing. No sound tipped him off. He just knew. Gaara was off the bed in an instant, and not a moment too soon.

As the entire bed exploded.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura turned around and around in the kitchen, her mind reeling. Inner Sakura was squealing in delight as she looked at everything. "You bought a house?" She repeated for about the hundredth time.

Naruto smiled nervously. "When Ino got her engagement ring, you told me that it was too much. That you'd like something far more practical than a ring. Like a house."

The pink-haired kunoichi groaned as Inner Sakura cried out. 'I only said that because I was jealous.' She said, but only in her head. Out loud all she could manage was a weak, "oh."

"Sakura? All of this is giving me a headache. Mind getting me some ice?" Naruto whined.

"Ice?" Sakura blinked. He wanted ice? She thought he'd been about to propose! With a house as an engagement present. And he was asking for ice? "Uh. Sure."

Naruto watched eagerly as Sakura went to the refrigerator and opened the freezer. He saw her stop and stare. He grinned as she hesitantly reached inside and pulled out a jewelers box. She looked up at him and found him down on one knee.

"A house didn't seem enough." Naruto looked up at her, his blue eyes showing his nerves. "So I got the ring too. That's why I've been writing the books."

"Oh."

"Haruno Sakura, will you marry me?"

The pink haired kunoichi swayed, dizzy, her ears ringing as she nodded.

"Sakura?"

"Yes, you idiot, Yes!"

Naruto whooped in joy and grabbed her, swinging her around the empty kitchen as she laughed and hugged him tightly.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Bokkai and Razan had been speaking with Kaji when they heard the noise inside the apartment. The kunoichi winked at them and calmly walked away.

Razan got to the bedroom first and was standing there gaping at his Kazekage.

All three men stared at the blackened bed linen and then up at the dripping ceiling. Gaara stood there with his hand out, catching the droplets on the palm of his sand-armored hand.

"Soot?" Bokkai asked, looking up at the ceiling again.

Razan chuckled and shook his head as his eyes sparkled. "Ink."

Gaara sighed at the dark blue ink in his palm. "More blue ink." He muttered under his breath.

"But what ..." Bokkai still didn't get it.

Razan fought his smile as he looked everywhere but at Gaara. "Kaji just tried to turn our Kazekage into a smurf."

Gaara sighed again. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he'd hoped.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	60. Spicy

Kiba raced up the steps to Shiho's apartment and then stopped. He stood there for a long moment, uncertain. He blew out a long breath and resisted the urge to pound on the door. Akamaru caught up with him and whined as he sat down at Kiba's side.

He raised his hand to knock and then hesitated again. Then he growled at himself and knocked firmly on the door. "I'm no fucking coward." He said out loud to no one in particular. "Easy. Confident. Don't be a wuss. Don't make her think you're des ..." The door opened.

Kiba's eyes narrowed at the chain on the door, then focused on the big blue eyes blinking uncertainly out at him. All thoughts of easy confidence fled. "Why the hell have you been avoiding me for nearly a week!"

The blue eyes blinked and the door shut. Kiba's blood pressure rose alarmingly until he heard the tell-tale sounds that indicated that she was taking the latch off the door.

"About damned time!" He looked down at a Akamaru. "Everything will be fine. You'll see." The big nin dog yawned and laid down on his belly looking completely unfazed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's a disgrace!" Elder Nohbu said in his most ancient and creaky voice. "I've had three complaints already!"

Tsunade sighed and tried to ignore the old man, hoping that he'd just go away.

"Such actions from one of our most laudable families!"

The man emoted so much that the Hokage wondered if he'd be insulted if she suggested that he take up theatrical roles. Hmph. Probably. Better not to mention it. "Do you practice that 'distinguished' voice in the shower? It's quite good. Professional grade too. You know? You should be on the stage." She said in an almost bored voice.

The council elder sucked in a shocked breath.

Tsunade grinned, not even bothering to try and hide her expression. She wasn't much of one for keeping her mouth shut even when doing so would have been the more prudent choice.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho leaned her forehead against the wood door for a moment, wondering if she should just yell at him to go away. She snorted. "Yeah. Like that'd work."

With a wince, she put her popsicle in her mouth and opened the door, smiling weakly around the orange frozen concoction.

Kiba glared at her. Unsure and ill at ease, Shiho went on the defensive and glared right back at him. Though she had no clue what he was all upset about.

"So?" The Inuzuka crossed his arms, fairly vibrating with angry energy.

Shiho looked at him, then down at Akamaru who whined and rolled over to show her his belly with his tongue hanging out hopefully. She looked back at Kiba and sighed. She could break codes with relative ease. Decipher odd texts and discover things about the Akatsuki members that their own mothers hadn't known about them. But Kiba? He was a mystery to her.

"So?" She took her popsicle out of her mouth for a moment and winced as she repeated his question back at him. "So, what's wrong?"

Kiba growled, showing off his fangs as he took a deep breath. "Are you breaking up with me? What did my mother say to you while you had lunch? What's the deal?"

Shiho had paused in sucking on her popsicle for a moment when Kiba's fangs had shown. He had this wicked tilt to his lips that was so damned sexy to her! Every time he did that odd sensations would start to heat up her blood. She shivered. Then some of his words registered. Startled, she dropped her nearly finished popsicle. "You want to break up? Why?"

The dog ninja calmed as he heard the pain in her voice and saw her wince. She wasn't breaking up with him and now that he'd suggested it, he had to calm her down. "No. Sweetheart, I thought you were avoiding me ...HEY! Where are you going?" Kiba was dumbstruck when she picked up the dropped popsicle and turned away from him to pad barefoot across her living room floor to disappear into what he thought might be the kitchen.

She came back a moment later sucking on a purple popsicle this time. Shiho smiled wanly at him. "So. You're not breaking up with me, and I'm not breaking up with you." She paused to pop the icy treat back into her mouth for a moment before continuing. "Why are you angry?"

Kiba's libido kicked in with a vengeance as he watched her mouth form a seal around the popsicle. An image popped into his head unbidden. An extremely naughty image. One starring a decidedly nude Shiho with her lips wrapped around something other than a popsicle. Looking up at him. Blood fairly pooled low in his belly and did interesting things to his anatomy. It also slowed his thinking, and his mouth. "What?" He asked dumbly.

Shiho wanted to kick his infuriating, though very sexy, butt. "You were mad about something." She pointed out with what she considered calm reasoning.

Shaking himself as he tried to rein in his hormones, Kiba nodded. "You've been avoiding me for nearly a week." At the reminder of what had had him upset, he glared at her again.

"Three days. It's only been three days. Three days is not 'nearly' a week."

"AHA!" His shout startled both Shiho and Akamaru. "So you HAVE been avoiding me! Was it my mother. It was, wasn't it?"

Shiho shrugged and shook her head and decided not to tell him exactly what his mother had said, instead she stuck with the simple truth. "I've been with ANBU for the better part of two days, Kiba. Without much sleep. Going over translated lists and comparing them to ...oh, never mind. It's just, I've not been avoiding you. I'm a ninja too, and I have duties."

Instant guilt. Kiba's shoulders hunched and he gave a very sheepish grin along with a version of 'puppy eyes'. Shiho's heart melted as she forgive him his snit instantly. Damn he was sexy! She shivered again, wanting to reach out to him. But ...she couldn't! Her contraceptive pills wouldn't be in effect for at least three and a half more weeks!

"Your popsicle is dripping on your hand." Kiba pointed out, his voice now lazy rather than upset.

"Okay." She said absently, not really hearing him.

Kiba grinned, seeing her distraction. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just ..." He ran one hand through his messy hair and shrugged. "I thought my mother had said something embarrassing or something."

Shiho nodded, and then finally noticed her sticky hand from the melting popsicle. She put the grape flavored ice in her mouth and looked around in disgust for something to wipe her hand on as she answered him.

Laughing, the shinobi captured her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. Shiho's lips went slack as Kiba proceeded to lick the popsicle residue off her hand. Her stomach turned over and over and over again as her knees went weak. Deep inside she started to ache.

Kiba grinned and caught her errant popsicle as it fell from her lips.

Heat started to tingle in her mouth and she made a grab for the popsicle, which Kiba held just out of her reach. He grinned at her and held the frozen treat back behind him. "I'm beginning to think you're more interested in popsicles than me." He teased.

Shiho gave him an unreadable look, licked her lips and smiled wanly. "Be back in a moment."

Kiba's own smile faded as she turned back toward the kitchen. "Hey! That was supposed to be a joke! What's with the popsicle lust all of a sudden?"

Shiho sighed and stopped in the middle of her living room and gave him a small sad smile. "Well, your mother told me you liked spicy noodle dishes and I thought that I'd try ..."

His nostrils flared in sudden alarm. "You tried to cook today?"

The kunoichi shrugged in embarrassment, her cheeks reddening becomingly. "I burned ..."

That was as far as she got before Kiba was in her apartment and past her as he burst into her tiny kitchen.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Elder Nohbu had reinforcements, two other older and retired ninja, and though they were generally considered to be influential, neither were on the village's council. Tsunade's lips twitched in irritation and settled into a sneer.

"We are here today to discuss your allowing one of our finest families and ..." The old man was just getting into the swing of his self important speech. He was in fine form, his silver hair gleaming and perfectly coiffed, his hands outstretched as if he didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but someone responsible had to do it, and he was that someone.

Tsunde didn't give a flying fuck and cut him off at the knees. She looked away from him and yawned as if bored with his personage as she interrupted him coldly. "There is an understanding."

Elder Nohbu stopped, his mouth agape at her rudeness. Then her words clicked and he settled back looking appalled. "Why wasn't the council informed?"

The Hokage shrugged. "The details of the contracts are not yet ready for the council to read. Of course if you wish to beard Lord Hiashi about his ...slowness, you may do so. Though I think that he would be upset at your ...insinuation ...that he or his family were in any way doing anything improper."

There. There it was. She'd directly thrown his nasty attitude back in his face. Elder Nohbu had been one of the only council members not on board with Lord Hiashi's rise in position to take a seat on the council. And the only reason that he was now coming to her, as the Hokage, with this was to try to score some political points off the Hyuuga.

And she'd just thrown it back in his face. Now, if he wanted to continue along these lines he'd have to do it openly where Lord Hiashi could react instead of behind the man's back. Tsunade sneered again, feeling sick to her stomach. "I fucking hate politics." She muttered.

Elder Nohbu drew up to his full height, which might have been more impressive two decades ago. But Tsunade strongly suspected that he'd lost a few inches in height due to his age. He barely came to her collar bone.

"It is a pure disgrace upon our village for one of the daughters, a kunoichi no less, of the Hyuuga family to be wearing the crest of another village!" Elder Nohbu said, not easily deterred. "I'm sure that ANBU black ops would have something to say about this, even if YOU will do nothing." His two companions murmured in assent behind him.

Tsunade sighed. "What part of 'there's an understanding' do you not comprehend?"

The oldster sighed and shook his head as if speaking to a recalcitrant child. Tsunade stiffened. She hated it when the council dared to take her to task simply because they were older, and thought they were wiser. "My dear child ..." The elder began.

Tsunade's hands formed into fists. Condescending prick.

"My dear child." He repeated himself with a fake smile that was worse than anything Sai could have come up with. "The only way a tattoo like that would be even considered is if there was a marriage contract in the works. And not simply one between villages, but one at the highest levels of our ninja society." Elder Nohbu stressed certain words as if to indicate that he didn't think the blonde Hokage would understand them unless he emphasized them strongly.

"My dear asshole." Tsunade smiled through gritted teeth and mimicked his voice. The elder stiffened in outrage. "My dear asshole ...a marriage contract doesn't get any higher in our ninja society than one at the Kage level. Would you not agree?"

The elder sputtered and fussily straightened his already perfect robes. "Your words and attitude leave much ..." His voice ground to a halt as his eyes went wide. "There is really a marriage contract in the works? Between Hyuuga and the Kazekage of Sunagakure?"

Tsunde tutted her tongue. "ANBU black ops figured that out the moment they saw Hyuuga Hanabi's tattoo. They're cautiously pleased." She smiled at the three men nastily. "In fact, the only ones who've been complaining about the young lady's tattoo are those who are too simple minded to catch on. Too stupid to see the implications immediately."

"I'm assuming that you are not calling me, as a member of the Konoha elder council ...stupid?" The elder drew himself up again, puffing up like a fish on the defensive.

Tsunade, with no patience left, waved one hand in dismissal. "My dear asshole, you called your own self stupid the moment you complained to me about this matter. If you want to score political points off Lord Hiashi, then you will need to try harder."

"Well, I never!" The old man's face turned red and purple. They weren't good colors on him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba looked around the kitchen, and slowly relaxed. "Nothing looks burned. The walls are still standing. There's no smoke."

Shiho crossed her arms and glared at him. "Very funny."

The dog ninja sniffed in appreciation and looked at the dish sitting on the counter. Beautifully cooked noodles, vegetables, sauce and a rich tangy aroma of spices. "You made this for me?" He sounded touched.

The kunoichi nodded and sighed, tossing her empty popsicle stick in the garbage under the sink and going to get another one.

Kiba eyed the purple popsicle. "You must like grape."

Shiho shook her head. "My least favorite flavor. But I burned my mouth and can't taste much right now anyway. These are just to cut the sting."

"Oh really?" Kiba's smile grew into a huge grin, complete with hints of fangs as he laughed. "Lightweight." He teased her and picked up the chopsticks. "I like my food spicy."

Alarmed, Shiho put her hand out to stop him, but she was too late.

Kiba savored the noodles a moment and nodded. "Oh, they are spicy." He said with a smile and took a large second bite. Shiho whimpered.

"Pansy. A little hot food never hurt ...never ... never hurt any ..." Sweat beaded out on Kiba's forehead. "This has an afterbite..." The dog ninja stuck out his tongue and fanned his face. "You weren't kidding."

Shiho went to get him a popsicle as Kiba grabbed a glass near the sink and filled it with water, gulping it down in seconds flat.

"Here. That won't help." Shiho handed him a red popsicle and Kiba gratefully popped it into his mouth. She smiled at him wryly.

Kiba groaned, still sweating.

Shiho leaned against the counter. "You see. I found this great recipe, but it called for a specific type of pepper. And I couldn't find any at the market, they were sold out."

Kiba nodded as he stuck out his tongue and ran the popsicle over it for a moment. He motioned for her to continue.

"So. I substituted." Shiho said blandly and then sighed. "I saw these really cute little peppers that were imported. And they were tiny and adorable. But they were so small that I figured that I needed more of them."

The Inuzuka groaned and closed his eyes, seeing where this was going.

The little cryptologist shrugged. "And the recipe said to cut the peppers up, taking out the veins and the seeds. But the peppers that I'd bought were too tiny. So I didn't do that." She grimaced. "Now I know that the veins and seeds are where all the heat is in a pepper, but I didn't think they'd be THIS hot, not as small as they were."

"You know what I think?" Kiba gestured at the plate of noodles. "That could be used as a weapon." He said quickly before sticking the popsicle back into his burning mouth.

Shiho shot him a nasty look.

He grinned at her. Kiba took a deep breath and leaned against the counter as he watched his little librarian. She'd tried to cook for him. As upset as he'd been earlier, right now he'd never felt better. Well, except for his burning mouth. He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" She frowned and finished off her popsicle. He watched her run her tongue over her teeth and then decide that she didn't need another icy treat to combat the heat of her dish.

"You have a purple tongue." He commented and finished off his own popsicle, but when she offered to get him a new one he refused. "I'm fine now."

"Show-off." She muttered, looking cross.

Kiba's eyes sparkled as he watched her. Shiho's hair wasn't smooth today, though it may have started out that way. But now the curls were starting to kink back up, maybe from the heat in the kitchen from cooking, he wasn't sure. He just liked it. And she was wearing casual clothing. Nothing overtly sexy, but the trousers showed off her trim waist and the curve of her butt perfectly, without being too tight.

Shiho eyed him cautiously. He had a weird look on his face. "What are you thinking?"

"Bad things." He whispered hotly. "Very bad things."

Frazzled and off kilter from her disastrous morning, Shiho pointed her finger at him. "Well stop it."

"You know what else?" Kiba took two steps toward her and suddenly Shiho felt like she was being stalked. Like prey.

Feeling uneasy, she backed up, but her back hit the counter behind her forcing her to stop. "W ..what?"

"Is this your kitchen?" He asked with a wicked grin as he stopped in front of her, leaning in to her personal space as he sniffed her hair.

Swallowing hard Shiho nodded, not sure she could speak now that her throat had suddenly gone dry.

"Am I in your kitchen?" Kiba pushed back one side of her hair and licked the line of her throat.

Shiho's knees buckle and she had to lean against the counter to remain upright. She started trembling, though not with fear. Her hands moved without her knowledge or permission, grasping the front of his shirt. Hanging on to him.

Kiba leaned back to look in her eyes. "Sweetheart, that means that I'm in your apartment." His voice was gruff and sexy as all get out. "And I think that I specifically mentioned what would happen once I got here."

Oh she remembered his promise! What had he said? Something about within twenty minutes of getting into her apartment, that he'd be inside her! Shiho's stomach dropped and down between her thighs there was a sharp aching emptiness that both embarrassed and thrilled her. She looked into his melting dark eyes, ready to grab him and lead him back to her ...room?

Wait. No. There was a reason she shouldn't do that!

Kiba leaned forward and caught her bottom lip with his teeth, no fangs though. He tugged and she opened her mouth without even thinking about it.

His kiss was hotter than any stupid pepper in the market.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara was in the shower went he felt the presence in his bedroom. His eyes narrowed a moment before he recognized her chakra pattern. A pattern that Kaji was not hiding from him. "Hmph."

He waited a moment, halfway hoping that she'd come in here after him. But she was waiting in his bedroom and made no move that he could sense. What was she up to now? More traps to blow up his bed?

He continued with his shower even as he dismissed that thought. If Kaji wanting to put a trap on something, she wouldn't be so obvious about it. Gaara stuck his head underneath the streaming water to rinse off the shampoo even as he considered that she might be doing something obvious just to disarm him. Throw him off.

With a certain kunoichi, he just couldn't be sure.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho was burning up, she felt like her skin was literally on fire everywhere that Kiba touched or tasted. It was a good thing breathing was more or less automatic or else she'd have died by now. When he tugged on her arms to make her let him go, she actually growled in protest as she leaned into his body.

Kiba chuckled and pried her fingers loose just long enough to jerk her shirt up and over her head. Cool air washed over her heated skin and Shiho moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders, lifting her kiss-swollen lips back up to meet his.

Her bra landed on the stove where Kiba tossed it behind him, luckily none of the burners had been left on. Not that she cared at the moment as he bent slightly to take one pert and aching nipple deep into his mouth, his teeth forming a ring around her exposed breast and gently biting down. His tongue teased her overly sensitive nipple, making her cry out in a soft whimper.

Shiho swayed and then the world really turned topsy-turvy and she was afraid that she was passing out, only to realize that Kiba had lifted her up off her feet to sit her on the counter top. She had a moment to feel relief that she wasn't falling and to smile before Kiba's hands settled on her knees and pushed them apart.

Her smile faded into a heated look as Kiba stepped in between her legs, his hands moving to her hips and he pulled her in tight to his body. Her bared chest rasped against his shirt as his thumbs dug sensually into the dip where her hipbones started to trail toward lower places on her body.

The ache between her thighs intensified, especially as Kiba bit her neck just enough to make her throw back her head and moan loudly. His hands moved to the waistband of her slacks and undid the button there.

Shiho paused, something sending off warning bells in her head. But those warnings flew away as Kiba growled huskily and nipped at her breasts again. She arched her back, offering him herself as she pulled at his head in order to bring him even closer.

Kiba chuckled and murmured something in her ear. She shivered and tugged on his hair to lift his head for another long, drugging kiss. His tongued played with hers hotly as he framed her face with his palms, pushing her very slightly back. She moaned, he grinned in response and again murmured something.

Vaguely she shook her head. "More." She demanded hoarsely.

"A lot more." He promised vervently. "But we need to move to your bedroom, sweetheart."

Shiho shook her head and moved forward to kiss him again, this time being the aggressor herself. She tugged imperiously on his shirt. "Off!" She demanded.

Kiba laughed in delight, his own body on fire and aching. "Not in the kitchen." He pulled her into his body, his hands cupping her butt as he lifted her. This put her groin up against the stiff evidence of his erection. The feel of him, wanting her, worked like an aphrodisiac. Not that she needed one. This time it was her turn to bite Kiba on the neck, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around him.

Kiba groaned. "Nevermind, I'll find your bedroom myself." He turned and headed out into the living room. Then he cursed.

Shiho's lips left his earlobe that she'd been nibbling. "What?"

The Inuzuka shook his head. "We left the front door wide open."

She turned her head to look and yes, there was the front door. And there was Akamaru sitting on her doorstep, presumably guarding the couple.

Kiba let Shiho's legs down as she slid against his body. She moaned as he left her, her body aching for him, his touch and his heat. She watched as he motioned Akamaru inside and then closed and locked her door. He then turned and looked at her with lust burning out of his eyes.

Shiho was suddenly balefully aware that he was seeing her nude from the waist up. Insecurity flooded her and her arms rose self consciously to cover her breasts.

Kiba frowned slightly and moved toward her, pulling her hands away. He shook his head at her. "Two things. You never need to hide yourself from me, I think you're gorgeous."

If she hadn't already been turned on she would have melted right then and there. "W ...wh ...what's the other thing?" Her voice sounded like it came from a stranger, all husky and needy.

Kiba grinned. "Where's your bedroom? Down there?" He pointed down the hallway. "Our first time should not be on a kitchen counter or on a couch."

She grinned to match him and then the words sank in. First time. Sex. This was about sex and she was being an eager participant ... "Oh damn!"

He moved in and wrapped his arms around her, grinning. "I don't mind the couch, if that's what you want. I still say a bed would be better, this time anyway." He leaned in and nipped at her collarbone.

Shiho struggled to breath as she pushed at him, though she had no strength. "No, Kiba, we can't."

"Yes, we can." He breathed out on her neck as his left hand moved up to cup her breast while his other fondled her rear end, pulling her closer to him. The ridge of her erection felt like it was burning her, even through their clothing even as his thumb found her nipple, teasing it mercilessly.

"Kiba, please." She pushed at him again, she couldn't think when he was doing these things!

This time he managed to lean back and look at her, his confusion warring with his need to hold her, to be with her. To claim her as his.

She looked at him and saw his want etched in every line of his expression. Shiho nearly caved in right there, though the fear of getting pregnant was almost better than a cold shower. "No."

Heat turned to frustration and Kiba pulled her in tighter to his body once more. "You want me." He said fiercely. As if daring her to say otherwise.

Unable to lie, she nodded.

Relaxing slightly, Kiba forced himself to loosen his hold. "I want you too." He said even as he managed to pull his hands off of her. His whole body hurt as he watched her. "Scared?" He asked her.

Shiho shook her head, her face red and burning. So where other parts of her body for that matter.

"Why?" Kiba asked, his voice almost a whine.

She shrugged and the yet the words wouldn't come out right. Shiho knew she shouldn't be, but she was embarrassed that she wasn't more worldly. Hadn't already taken care of birth control. "I don't want to ...oh crap, Kiba ...please?"

"What?" He only looked confused. Confused and sexy as hell.

Utterly embarrassed, she let her gaze slide down to his feet. "I have allergies." She said miserably, kicking herself mentally for dancing around the issue. Allergies? She sounded like a total idiot!

Kiba felt the muscles tighten around his jaw as he stared at her in shock. "You're allergic? To me?" He looked over at Akamaru. "Dogs? My soap? What?"

Shiho's face flamed even hotter. "This is all coming out wrong." She wailed, tears pricking the back of her eyes.

Sensing that something was really wrong Kiba stepped toward her, only to have her throw up one hand to stop him. "No, if you put your hands on me again I'll ...I'll forget and ...you're just so damned sexy!"

Kiba grinned.

"That wasn't a compliment!" She snapped in irritation, riled up and wanting to run and hide like a child.

The dog nin shook his head. "Sounded like a compliment to me." He frowned suddenly. "Wait. It's not possible to be allergic to sex. Right? Please tell me that's not even possible."

There was no help for it, the words came out in a rush. "I don't wanttogetpregnant."

Kiba ran that through his mind, deciphering her words. He shook his head. "It's a bit early for that. And aren't you on a contraceptive brew? Kunoichi right? Out of the village on a mission?"

Shiho hid her face behind her hand, the other one across her chest. She'd never felt so exposed in her life. "The brew makes me sick. It's not really an allergy I guess, but my system can't take it."

Alarmed, Kiba stared at her. "But you were out of the village on an extended mission. What if you'd been captured?" He couldn't even say the word 'rape', couldn't contemplate what was a normal danger for female ninja.

She shook her head and moved her fingers to peek through them at him. "Sai would have killed me first. Code-breaker, remember? Capture not an option. Besides I know several suicide jutsu. I would have been dead long before pregnancy became an issue."

"Well, what about ..." Kiba stopped as she held up her hand again.

"After our date I went and got some pills that I can tolerate. But they won't be effective for another three and a half weeks." She looked at him, basically holding her breath for his reaction.

He barked out a laugh, looked at her, and then grinned. He shook his head and chuckled, then took a deep breath, settling down. Then he looked at her ultra serious face and he couldn't help but grinning at her.

Shiho scowled, beyond mortified.

Still grinning Kiba stalked up to her and looked her deep in the eyes. "Is that it? Is that all the reservations?"

She nodded mutely, then grimaced. "Uhm. Yeah."

He kissed her hard and then turned and walked toward the front door. "Don't go anywhere."

"Huh?" She goggled at him, shocked as he left her there. For a long moment she stared at the closed door, completely at a loss.

Akamaru whined from behind her and she spun, staring wide eyed at the large nin dog. But if Akamaru was here, in her apartment. Then Kiba was coming back? Right?

The large canine yawned and circled around a moment before stepping up on her couch and laying down. Akamaru basically covered the entirety of the piece of furniture.

Shiho sighed and wondered what she was supposed to do now. Get dressed? Get undressed? Take a shower? Put on lingerie? Read a book? Order take-out? What? "What now?" She asked Akamaru, but the big nin dog just yawned.

"Big help you are." Shiho said and dropped her arms, then feeling awkward, covered herself back up again as she eyed Akamaru. She knew intellectually that the big canine couldn't care less the state of her clothes, or lack thereof.

However. Akamaru talked. Not like Tsume's nin dog who could talk Japanese. But he did talk to Kiba. And it felt really, really weird to stand half nude in front of him.

Feeling like an idiot she turned, still covering herself, to hurry to the kitchen to find her clothes. She was being silly and she knew it, but couldn't stop herself

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi didn't even look up when Gaara stepped into the room. She was lying on his bed reading a magazine. "I don't think this bed is as nice as the other one." She commented lazily.

Gaara watched her a long moment, then shrugged. "You killed that other bed."

"Missed you though. Not one drop of blue on you." She finally looked up, then her pale eyes widened in appreciation. She whistled at him with the towel slung low on his hips. "Nice view, Gaara-coon."

Gaara dropped the towel without concern and padded over to the closet to get some clothes.

Hanabi whistled again. "Even better view now." She teased him as she openly admired his firm ass.

The red-head closely inspected his clothing for traps before stepping into a pair of loose sleeping trousers.

"Ahhh." Hanabi protested with a small pout. "Not only did you ruin my view, but you don't trust me. And no, there are no traps on your clothing."

"Kaji." The one word was a verbally warning.

The kunoichi rolled to sit up cross legged on his bed. "Yes?"

"Why are you here?" Gaara asked as he stood in front of her, arms crossed over his bare chest.

The long-haired young woman turned and was now on her knees as she moved to the edge of the bed looking at him beneath her lashes. "I've missed you, I love you, I want your forgiveness."

Gaara stared at her and a small tilt of his lips on the left side made her grin. "Seriously. Why are you here? You've been avoiding me for three days."

Hanabi shrugged. "I'd deny the charge, but it would be a lie. I was quite upset with myself and didn't want to see you."

Jade-pale eyes blinked slowly. "Upset with yourself? Why?"

"Because I've missed you more than I wanted, love you more than I should, and wanted your forgiveness when I wasn't even the one who ordered me to 'go home'." Hanabi sighed. "I needed to stay away so that I wouldn't forgive you too quickly."

Gaara grunted, not quite sure how to respond. Her words filled him with an emotion better left to one of Naruto's novels. Instead of spouting nonsense though, he simply cocked his head to the side. "So why are you here now? Aren't you afraid that you'll forgive me too soon anymore?"

Hanabi smiled and the hope in the Kazekage's chest froze. It wasn't a nice smile, it was far more predatory than that. He watched as she stood up, while still on the bed. Oh hell, he was in trouble again. And damned if seeing her standing on his bed like an Amazon looking so pissed off wasn't turning him on. He wondered what he'd done now.

"You were in talks all day with my father." She began, biting off each word quite deliberately.

Gaara sighed. "You tattooed your intentions onto your back. I was negotiating marriage contracts with your father. Just like you intended when you chose that image to put on your skin."

Hanabi grinned looking all feral. "You love the tattoo I chose."

He nodded. There was no need to comment. They both knew that the emblem of Sunagakure on her back meant the world to him. "You're mad because I've not asked you to marry me." He guessed, sure that he was right. "But you're the one who didn't want to be found for the past three days."

"Gaaaaaara-coooooon." She chided him in a deceivingly gentle sing-song voice. "I knew what I was doing when I chose to get my tattoo. I proposed to you basically. Never forget that."

Jade-pale eyes narrowed. "No, you didn't. You proclaimed that you were mine. A dangerous thing to do while still a ninja of another village."

"Semantics." Hanabi blew off the subject with a wave of her hand. "Why I'm mad again at you is in this note!" She shoved the offensive piece of paper in his face.

Of course Gaara recognized it immediately. "I couldn't find you easily, and I wasn't about to chase you like a genin in puppy-love all over the damned village. So I sent you a note."

"A note warning me about Yurasu. Coming here. After me." Hanabi jumped down from the bed in front of him and stared up into his face. "You didn't come after me because of undying love. But to protect what you think of as yours."

Gaara blinked. He was more confused after her explanation than he'd been before. "So why are you mad?"

She slapped the note against his bare chest, his hand reached up automatically to take the paper from her as she glared daggers at him. "I've been here waiting for you, thinking you were pining for me just like I was for you. I got myself a tattoo! Knowing exactly what it would signify. I showed the whole village that I KNEW you were coming for me!"

"I did come for you." He said, bewildered.

"BECAUSE OF YURASU!" She shrieked, her voice cracking on the last word. Sputtering a moment she caught her breath as she labored to pull herself back together. "You would have waited in Suna, hiding behind your office and your duties. Sulking. Leaving me here to wait for you like an idiot! The only reason you came was because an S-class criminal was coming this way."

Gaara gritted his teeth. "I don't sulk."

"And tattoos aren't as permanent as they used to be." She threw back at him.

With a deep sigh his hands rose up towards her shoulders, but before he could touch her she'd quick-stepped away and was standing at the door of his room. He turned to look at her, measuring her and her words. Finally he shook his head. "I did come."

She made a noncommittal noise deep in her throat that sounded suspiciously like a hurt animal.

Gaara took a step toward her. "Tell me what you want."

Hanabi looked at him sadly. "If I knew, I might even tell you. But really ...I may be wanting more than you're capable of giving."

Alarmed, he watched her slip out the door. Leaving. Without even thinking about it sand whirled up around him and he used one of his jutsu to put himself firmly in front of the door leading out of the apartment.

Hanabi stopped, watching as the whirlwind of sand dissipated and left a pissed off red-head glaring at her.

"Gaara ..."

"No." He stared at her. "I don't give a fuck why you're angry. I came. I would have come. You couldn't have stopped me."

She swallowed hard around the sudden lump in her throat.

"I'm not negotiating with your father because you'll be looked at funny if I don't. Or because of your tattoo." He cleared his throat. "I'm not one for speeches."

Hanabi raised her eyebrows at him.

"So don't expect much." Gaara told her, advancing slowly. "Just know one thing."

She waited for him to continue, unable to breathe.

"You told the world that you were mine, and I'm not giving you back." He told her gruffly and with a finality of tone that left no room for argument.

"Very caveman of you." Hanabi mentioned with some dryness.

He grunted and stepped closer to her.

"You don't care about sounding all caveman-y do you?" She pointed out, just in case he missed it.

Gaara grunted again and stopped right in front of her. "Do you want me to stop negotiating with your father?"

Hanabi held her breath a moment, thinking everything over very carefully. Then she went with her heart. "No."

"Do you regret the tattoo on your back?" Was his next question.

Feeling something heavy lift off her shoulders, she shook her head and bared her soul. "No."

"Do you want to stay here in Konoha?"

She shifted her weight and whispered her answer. "No."

Gaara stared into her pale eyes and went all in. "Are you going to go home and sleep in your own bed tonight?"

Feeling the heat of his stare, she put her hands behind her back, clasping them to stop the small tremors. Her mouth slowly formed the only response she could possibly give. "Yes."

He stilled.

She smiled sheepishly. "If I don't then father will be over here in a heartbeat. We're not in Suna and ...I have no doubts that we're being watched by some of my family members even now. Nothing like a chaperone."

Gaara gave a jerky nod, disappointed.

Seeing his face she smiled. "Meet me tomorrow, I'll send you a note when and where."

He looked at her, hope sparking in the depths of his eyes.

"Get your mind out of the gutter." Her laugh sounded a bit strained to her ears, but at least she was able to breathe again. "We'll talk more. No more avoiding you, I promise."

The red-head nodded. "It's a start."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho had barely finished straightening her kitchen when the front door of her apartment opened. She looked up with a smile as Kiba dropped a bag on the counter in front of her.

Puzzled, she looked inside and dropped her jaw as she pulled out a box of condoms. Glancing up she saw Kiba's mocking grin.

"These are condoms. They are for the use of ..." He started in on lecture mode as he reached into the bag to take out another box.

Shiho slapped at his hand. "I know what they are!" She hissed. Truthfully, she'd thought about them, but hadn't known how to broach the subject with Kiba. How to tell your boyfriend that he needed to by a raincoat when he was used to more experienced women who were on the contraceptive brew? She hadn't been sure how he would have responded.

"How many did you get?" She asked as Kiba pulled out a third box. Shiho looked at the label and shook her head. "There are forty-eight to a box. Kiba? That's a hundred and forty-forty of these things! It's only three and a half weeks." She shook her head.

The Inuzuka frowned and picked up the boxes. "One forty-four?" He shook his head and put them down to grin at her. "You're right, it probably won't be enough. But I can go back and get more. Trust me."

"More?" She mouthed just as he reached out and took the box from her lax fingers before it fell.

Shiho watched as he deftly opened the box and extracted a condom. He looked at her and bit his bottom lip adorably.

"What say we start on number one?" He held up the small packet and winked at her.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	61. Research

Harusame was in a quandary.

Baki watched her, his face carefully blank, as the small six year old tried to work it out in her mind. Slowly, he made a move as if to rise from his chair.

Scowling, little Harusame pointed her finger at him. "No! You suppose to rest! Mama said so!"

Nodding, watching to see what she'd do next, he settled back into his chair and picked up the council reports that he'd been reading before all this had started.

Harusame's face fell into a mulish expression even as she looked confused. "But Mama said you need to go to the store for a pie." Her voice sounded almost wistful. She couldn't quite work it out in her mind how to make her new papa carry out both commands.

Baki looked over the six year-olds head and caught his wife watching him with a soft smile. He gave her a look that told her plain as day that he thought she'd set this moment up on purpose. Kimiko shook her head at him and shrugged, silently proclaiming her innocence in the matter.

Sighing in fake resignation, Baki lifted his chin at his wife. "Looks like you get to go out for the pie, not me." He said with some grumpy satisfaction. Kimiko knew he hated running errands, especially anything mundane, like grocery shopping.

Kimiko nodded and gave in with what looked like good grace. "I'd love to run to the store. Just one moment."

Baki grunted and turned his attention back to his reports when they were suddenly yanked from his hands and a sleepy looking Kochi was pushed into his arms. "Hey!"

His wife shrugged and smiled as she ran one loving hand over the infants fuzzy head and what couldn't quite be called hair yet. "While I'm at the store, you'll need to watch Kochi."

Baki's one eye twitched. Watch? That meant more than simply keeping an eye on the baby. It hurt sometimes being an excellent battle strategist. All the possible scenarios flashed through his head. Crying. Spitting up. Dirty diapers. He eyed his newly adopted son as the boy lost his sleepy eyed look and stared at him with wide baby blue eyes. His little fist waved in the air. Baki didn't mind watching the kid while he was asleep. But he hadn't gotten a handle on anything else yet.

"Mama! I can watch Kochi!" Harusame fairly bounced up and down on her toes in excitement. "I can do it!"

Baki let out a long breath. Yes. That'd work.

Kimiko frowned at the little girl. "Not quite yet, sweetie. You need to be a little bigger and older first."

Frowning, Baki shook his head. "She can do it." He stopped as his very gentle and very civilian wife shot him a fulminating glare worthy of the deadliest kunoichi. He grunted again, settling down. "I'll do it." He amended.

His wife nodded, losing the hard look in her eyes that didn't belong there in the first place. "Or ..."

Baki sighed, seeing where this was going. "Or ...I could go and get the pie before our visitors arrive."

Kimiko smiled and rested a hand sweetly on Harusame's head. "Take her with you. She can carry the pie."

Stiffening, Baki shook his head. "I can carry my own dam ...er, pie." He'd been trying to watch his language now that he had children around. Still, it was difficult sometimes.

His wife shook her head. "No. You'll be on the crutches keeping the weight off your ankle."

"CRUTCHES!" Harusame crowed, her eyes getting big. She smiled happily, now knowing the answer to her first dilemma. "Now Daddy can get the pie and still rest his foot!"

"Indeed." Kimiko nodded sagely, having already settled the matter in her own mind.

Baki sighed. He hated those damned crutches and would have walked to the store on his bad ankle regardless of medical advice. He looked over at his wife as she took baby Kochi back from him. And she knew it.

"Harusame?" Baki growled in defeat. "Next ninja lesson."

The little girl grinned in delight and leaned in carefully. "What Daddy?"

"Out maneuvering the enemy. Flanking strategies. Moving them into a position where they have to do exactly what they don't want to do in the first place. It appears your new mommy is very good at it." Baki stood on his one good foot, keeping his injured ankle carefully in the air. "Now get me my crutches as we go out for cherry pie."

Kimiko stopped and simply looked at her husband. "Apple. You know that I don't care for cherries."

Baki smiled evilly. "You got me to go to the store when I didn't want to do so. You'll have to live with what I bring home."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba was waiting for it. His dark eyes were focused on Shiho's face and any minute changes in expression as she stared with a wide-eyed intensity at the condom he was holding up. She was either going to change the subject, list why this was a bad idea right now, or bolt. She was still an innocent after all.

"Okay."

Kiba's mouth suddenly lost all moisture as his muscles all decided to go weak at the same time. He put one hand on the counter to steady himself.

Shiho reached up and plucked the condom out of his numb fingers. Giving him a rather shaky smile she took his hand and started leading him down the hallway.

The dog-ninja stared at the back of her honey-colored hair which was kinking up again with curls. He smiled back at her, though she couldn't see him.

Her curls. He'd forgotten. No matter how conventional she acted, those curls gave her away. Underneath the calm logic and book smarts was something wild. Like her hair, no matter how straight and smooth a look she tried to achieve, those curls always found a way to escape.

Kiba's smile widened into a grin until Shiho opened a door and led him inside. He looked around nodding. No frills or fuss for his little librarian. Her bedroom wasn't covered in what he considered girly colors. And there was no lace on the pillowcases at all. As he stared at her bed though, his smile faded completely as something darker and far more primal took over his facial expressions as well as his body.

Need.

Shiho stopped in the middle of her room as she heard the low rumble of something dangerous. Turning she saw Kiba as his hands twitched. He was staring at her bed.

Something indefinable shook her and she stepped back for no reason that she could name. It wasn't fear exactly, though she was nervous. Her hand brushed her dresser. So simple. No real sound as she didn't knock anything over. But whatever it was, Kiba's eyes snapped away from the bed and settled possessively on her.

"Oh." Shiho's mouth formed the word, though there was no breath behind it really. Suddenly, she felt itchy in her own skin as her lover-to-be eyed her hungrily, like prey.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara was in bed, though it was still early. He'd been up late last night, into the morning actually, as he'd worked on what he wanted to share with the Hokage about the recent fight with the One-Tailed demon. Then he'd had an early morning meeting with Lord Hiashi.

The thought of Hanabi's father had him scowling up at his ceiling.

Had the former clan leader really placed a chaperon to watch over he and Hanabi? Or had she made it up to escape him? Yes, she'd said she loved him. And yes, she was willing to marry him. But ...she was also still angry with him at the moment.

Gaara sat up in bed feeling upset. Not angry really, but uneasy. Well, perhaps a bit angry too. Had she lied to him? Well, that wouldn't exactly be new behavior. And was his note about Yurasu stalking her the real reason she was so upset? Or was there something more?

One thing he was sure of though ...he didn't like not knowing. Gaara turned to look at the clock by his bed, it was still quite early. He was only in bed because conventional thinking said that if you had less than four hours sleep the night before, you should go to bed early. Gaara, however, had continued to be a dreadful insomniac even after the removal of the Sand demon. And with all this running through his mind anyway, it was no use trying to sleep now.

So.

There was only one thing, one option, that he could do. Gaara threw off the covers to get dressed. He was going out.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The girl gave a grating laugh and tugged on one long artfully curled lock of too-blond hair in a studied move designed to make her look good.

Sai blinked without even a smallest of changes in his expression.

Getting nothing from her date, the girl laughed again. "Don't you find it funny that the waiter mispronounced the dinner special?"

The artist nin looked at her for one long moment and then shrugged lightly. "The waiter pronounced the word correctly. You're the one having difficulty."

The girl, having known that the entire time, blushed becomingly as she tried to set the hook with charm. "Oh, you must think I'm an awful ditz." She said, knowing that his next line was to assure her that she was 'charming' and 'lovely'. Men loved helpless women.

Sai cocked his head slightly to the side. "Yes."

Blinking, taken back, the girl pursed her pink-tinted lips in a small pout. "Yes, you think I'm a ditz?" This wasn't how she'd meant the conversation to go.

Shaking his head, Sai indicated a negative. The girl relaxed until his words slammed into her ego and dented it slightly. "No. You said 'awful ditz'. And I agree."

The girl's smile turned brittle and cold. "Excuse me?"

"Alright." Nodding, Sai stood and went to her chair, pulling it out so the girl could stand up.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. "They haven't even brought our dinner!"

The shinobi shrugged lightly. "You said 'excuse me'. I have been told that is a polite way to get up and leave the table."

The girl made a move to slap him, but Sai was too quick for her to connect with. He moved back only a step, but it was enough that she swung on empty air. But she'd put enough force into the move so that the follow-through had her stumbling into the table enough to jostle it and tip over her wine glass. Sai snagged the glass so that it didn't spill.

Angered, the girl spun on her ridiculously high heels and stalked off in a huff. Sai watched her go without expression and sipped his wine.

"That appeared to go well." Came the dry comment from behind him.

"Then your criteria for 'well' is sadly lacking." Sai responded without looking behind him. He turned and caught Inuzuka Hana giving him an odd look. "What?"

"Was that supposed to be a date?" Hana couldn't keep all the humor out of her voice.

Sai stood still for a long moment, then nodded. No use in lying. Shiho was dating Kiba. And now Naruto and Sakura were getting married. Even Kakashi was seeing someone. Everyone seemed to be pairing up and he'd been curious. "A shinobi has to be ready for any mission possibilities." Was all he said though.

Hana's mouth quirked up in a one-sided grin. "So this is research? For a mission?"

Shaking his head, Sai's shrug was almost non-existent. "Not for a specific mission." He admitted. "Practice. In case a need arrives on a mission to gather information in this manner." His words were only partially true, but he didn't say that aloud.

Hana nodded and let the conversation thread drop to pick up a new one. "Why this girl? Did she smell good?" She said with a slight sneer.

Taking her question at face value, Sai shook his head. "No."

"So why did you ask her out?"

The shinobi put down the wine glass on the table before answering. "She asked me. I couldn't think of a reason why not so I agreed."

Hana grimaced slightly. That was pathetic. The poor guy was clueless.

Sai eyed her and her long green skirt. "Are you on a date?" He looked around, but didn't see anyone with the veterinarian.

Smiling, Hana plucked at her new skirt. "Not really. I got done at the clinic earlier than usual and I thought that I'd surprise my husband. He's meeting his teammates for dinner here tonight ...oh, there they are!"

Sai turned and looked at the two shinobi, one blonde and one with a reddish-purple hue to his thinning hair. "Which one is your husband?"

Hana looked behind the two men, but didn't see anyone. "I don't see him."

At that moment the two shinobi caught sight of Inuzuka Hana. The blonde went red from his neck up to his hair-line. The other slid his gaze right by her, pretending not to notice that she was there.

Bluntly Sai commented. "They don't look happy to see you."

Frowning sharply, Hana could only agree. "No, no they don't."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho wiped her suddenly damp palms on her slacks as she looked around, trying to avoid eye contact with Kiba. Every time she looked at him she seemed to lose the ability to breathe. "My research didn't cover this part of ...well, events." She said, wincing at how inane and rambling she sounded. "Don't worry, I'm not expecting much for the first time. Oh, but I did change the sheets this morning, so that's good. I mean, I didn't know that this would be happening today or anything."

Kiba reached out to touch her lips and still the flood of words. His eyes were brilliant with glimmering heat as he watched her. "You did research? On this?" His voice was even huskier than usual, more a rough growl and it took her a moment to register his question.

Shiho jerked her head in a nod, dislodging his hand from her lips. Strangely she missed the slight pressure. "Of course I did research. I've not done this before."

His smile did strange and wonderful things to her stomach, her thighs tightened and her body started to really ache with the need to be touched. She drew a shaky breath. "I knew that I wanted you, but this ...this feels simply amazing." Her voice sounded nearly breathless.

Her simple and sincere honesty touched something deep inside Kiba and raging hormones softened somewhat. Hard need to possess eased off and with an unknown tenderness he took her hand and pulled her closer to him. "What did your research say?"

Shiho swallowed hard as she was pulled closer to him, heat radiating off of him in waves. Nerves fought against her desire to touch him. Hesitantly her hands rose up and she put her palms on his chest, but didn't attempt to push him away. Instead she leaned into him and put her head down on him as his arms wrapped around her back.

"Sweetheart?" Kiba kissed the top of her head.

"Mmm?" She sighed, content right where she was.

He chuckled and let his hands drift down her back to cup her hips in his palms. "What did your research say?"

She didn't answer for a moment, tightening her fingers against the wall of his chest for a moment, before looking up at him. Mistake. Quickly she dropped her gaze. It was impossible to breathe when she looked at him, much less think. "Oh. Oh well ...I didn't get very far ...I thought that I had another three weeks before needing to be ready."

"Ready? You make sex with me sound like a mission." He teased, knowing that hadn't been her meaning. "Am I at least an A-ranked mission?"

She slapped her palm against his chest as she raised her blue eyes back up to give him a small glare. "You are not a mission!"

Kiba gave her nose a swift kiss as he let his hands roam down to her ass and give a squeeze. "Good to know." Slowly he slipped one hand up under her shirt to the small of her back, reveling in the feel of silky flesh. "So. Tell me what you discovered. With your research, I mean."

Shiho could feel Kiba's thumb stroke her back, sending ribbons of intense sensations throughout her body. "Oh, uhm ...what?"

The shinobi laughed, a deep rumbling emanating from his chest. He turned her so gently that she wasn't even aware of it until the backs of her legs hit the side of the bed. "Your research?" He whispered seductively in her ear. "Tell me."

Shivering almost violently, it took a moment before she could manage to answer. "Oh, well ...see, I was doing research because I've not actually done this before." She waited for him to nod. "And I wanted to know what was the best position for a beginner."

Kiba quirked one eyebrow at her in abject surprise. "What position would that be, sweetheart?"

"Missionary." She rather croaked out the word as he leaned in close to her, she had to bend backwards to keep from bumping noses with him. "Do you know that one?"

Nodding slowly, he nipped at her lips, making her nearly lose her balance.

"But my research didn't say HOW to get into that position without being awkward. I think my source material is sorely lacking in pertinent details." Shiho rushed out the words, her neck staining a bit red.

Kiba put his hands on her waist, lifted her and tossed her neatly backward onto the bed. She squeaked and bounced slightly, only to find him now on all fours directly over her. His grin wicked as he stared down into her face. "Problem solved." He lowered his head to sniff her neck, then he bit down on her sensitive skin, making her cry out.

Shiho felt the edges of her shirt part and realized that he'd unbuttoned her. Not sure what to do, unable to recall nearly anything from her books, she mirrored him. Kiba leaned back up and helped her dispose of first his shirt and then hers.

Finally bare chested, Kiba lowered himself down, rubbing against her. Shiho arched her back and cried out at the heated sensations. She was simply amazed at the feeling just rubbing their bare chests together caused! Her breasts were now aching so badly that when Kiba's hands came up to cover them, rub them, flick his fingers over her nipples, she nearly cried in both relief and increased desire.

"So good." He murmured. "This is going to be so good!"

Shiho let out a noise that didn't really sound human to her ears. She grabbed his shaggy hair and meant to draw him down to kiss but found that she'd instead pulled his mouth closer to her breasts. For a moment she thought she'd retry that move and get her kiss when his lips parted and he sucked one already peaked nipple deep into his mouth.

Her back arched strongly and her muscles started quivering.

"Oh sweetheart! Your tits are so fucking sensitive! I love it!" Kiba crooned against her skin. "This is going to be so damned good!"

Shiho nodded absently, her fingers in his hair, though her mouth opened and she said, "No. Don't say things like that."

Kiba chuckled and licked a spiraling line from the base of her breast all the way to the nipple, which he nibbled for a moment. His eyes flew up to her face, but she was staring at the ceiling, panting. "I'm sorry. No cursing in bed? Or do you hate the word tits?"

Shiho shook her head and looked down at him, finding him still looking at her. She swallowed hard at the sight of him toying with her breasts with his mouth. Heat pooled low in her body and she had a sinking suspicion that she could grow addicted to this man.

"Sweetheart?" Kiba prodded her, poking a finger in her side, making her jump. "No to what? And please don't say no to me here." He suddenly lashed one overly sensitive nipple with his tongue. "Your breasts are so damned pretty I could die."

Now she blushed.

"Sweetheart?"

Shiho swallowed, finding it difficult as she stared at him. Then she remembered what he'd said that she'd objected to in the first place. "You said it would be good."

He grinned. "You're right. It won't be just good, it'll be fantastic!"

She frowned and he stilled.

"Kiba. This is my first time. It'll be good for you, but it'll be impossible for me to enjoy sex fully this first time." She gave him her ultra serious librarian look. "A lot of my research on sex had conflicting items, but all of them agree that a girl's first encounter isn't the best."

The Inuzuka above her simply stared at her as his eyes got rounder and rounder.

Shiho finished in a rush, wanting to get off this subject and back to the actual sex. "My books also say that a male's ego is tied into his prowess in the bedroom. I just wanted to make sure that you know that I know that this first time won't be the best for me. That it's just nature and it's not your fault. I'll just have to have more sex with you to make it good for me." She paused for half a second, but he didn't say anything. "You're going to be fantastic for me, next time."

Kiba made a strange strangled noise.

She gave him an odd look, cocking her head to one side slightly. "Kiba? Your ego shouldn't be on the line for this. Seriously, it's just female anatomy and ...oh!" She stopped as he bit her. Bit her with teeth. His mouth forming a ring around her breast, though not with enough pressure to really hurt. More like a good ache.

"Kiba?"

The shinobi in her bed, on top of her, his mouth on her, gave her a long measured look as his eyes narrowed. Suddenly nervous, she whimpered. "What are you thinking?"

"Mmm?" Kiba let go of her breast and rose up over her, a feral grin forming on his face. "What am I thinking? I'm thinking that sounds like a challenge."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi swept into the dining room with a smile. A smile that faded as she saw a flash of red. "What are you doing here?"

Anko chuckled. "Cupcake is visiting, that's all. And is that any way for a Hyuuga to meet a guest?"

The younger kunoichi frowned at her step-mother. "Since when did you become the epitome of good manners?"

"Good manners. Bad manners." The spiky-haired jounin considered the subject for a moment. "Why is there nothing in-between? We could call it 'gray manners' or something. Hmmm."

"I thought we'd settled everything earlier." Hanabi snapped at Gaara, ignoring Anko altogether.

The Kazekage of Suna stared at her implacably, no expression on his stoic features. "You had to be called for dinner from your sister's house. Why?"

"Why does it matter?" Kaji snapped back at him, only to duck as Anko took a swipe at the back of her head. "Hey!"

"Gray manners! No dipping into bad."

Gaara took Kaji's arm and gave a long look at Anko, who smiled cheekily. "You want me to leave? Fine. But no wild sex in here. We eat in here."

Hanabi's face stained slightly rosy as she dropped her gaze.

Anko's smile widened as she eyed the red-head speculatively. "Oh ho! Really? Are cupcakes as delicious as they sound?"

Gaara sent sand rattling around in his gourd as a warning.

The spiky-haired jounin held up her hands in mock surrender. "Maybe I need to stay now, just to chaperon."

"I'll give you details later." Kaji offered the bribe without remorse.

Anko nodded and walked over to the door. "Neji and Hiashi are still out, but they're expected back for dinner which is later than usual tonight. You have about half-an-hour." She paused with the door half-way open. "And seriously, that's my spot over there. I eat there. Use Neji's spot. It's over there." She pointed out the seats helpfully and left them alone, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Kaji sighed and shook her head. "Father was complaining earlier that at least three of Konoha's society mavens are now sporting clothing that reveal tattoos. Anko is taking over the whole village!"

"Don't change the subject." Gaara pinned her with his gaze.

"We don't have a subject!" She hissed back at him.

He gave her a long, telling look.

Kaji rounded her shoulders slightly and shook her hair.

"Was your father really having you watched earlier?" Jade-pale eyes cataloged her every change in expression.

She gave an abrupt laugh and then cut herself off as she took a deep breath. "Is that what this is all about? And yes, I'm staying with my sister. She and Kankuro are really upset with father right now. Did you know Hiashi had the twin's tested as Hyuuga while both parents were out of the village?" She whistled and made a hand gesture to show just how serious the subject really was.

The red-head wasn't distracted. "You haven't answered the question."

"Yes I have." Kaji gave him an odd look.

Gaara nodded. By avoiding the question, she had indeed answered it. "Why did you lie?"

Not contrite at all, she shrugged. "Don't know that it was a lie. I could be watched. Father is more than capable of that."

"Why?" Her persisted.

"I want to wait until we're married?" She said it like she knew he wouldn't buy that answer. And he didn't. She could tell by the sneer now on his face. "Fine. I didn't stay with you because ...shit, I don't know why!" Angry now, she glared at him.

Gaara grunted and nodded. "Good enough." He turned to leave.

Kaji jumped in front of the doors, really pissed off now. "Good enough? Is that all you have to say?"

Gaara gave a small shrug. "You feel as unsure about all this as I do. At least we're even on that score."

She shook her head in disgust just as the door behind her rattled. A masculine voice could be heard from out in the hallway "Byakugan!"

Hanabi gave a wry chuckle. "Want to bet that Anko ratted us out in here?"

Neji hurried inside the moment Hanabi moved away from the doors. His eyes flickered to his usual dinner spot at the table. Yugao was grinning right behind him. He seemed to relax slightly as he noted that nothing was out of place, including his cousin's clothing.

Kaji waited for Neji to turn and look at her, then she waited until he opened his mouth. That was the moment she used to interrupt him. "You have no room to lecture me. Whose wedding was moved up early because of someone's condition? And I hope you enjoyed the walled garden, sensai." She glanced over at her former instructor from the corner of her pale eyes as she deliberately mentioned the spot where Yugao and Neji had first consummated their relationship. Before their wedding.

Yugao's eyes went round as Neji's jaw snapped shut.

Gaara actually chuckled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade walked through the crowd to where Hana was standing, arguing with the water specialist shinobi. Her eyebrows rose as she heard the Inuzuka tell the ninja to back off and to let the house burn. She coughed to get attention.

The fire-fighting ninja gave her a fearful look and all started babbling at once. Not Hana though, the kunoichi turned her back on them and instead watched her house burn to the ground.

The Hokage shut up the other ninja and sent them to back off a few feet before joining the Inuzuka veterinarian. When Hana didn't say anything for several minutes Tsunade finally broke the silence. "Redecorating?" She asked caustically.

"Divorcing." Came the grim response.

Tsunade looked over at a certain ninja watching the flames without concern. Sai looked back at her. "No other buildings are close enough to be in danger." He finally offered.

"Did you help?" Tsunade asked point blank.

Sai shrugged. "Define help. I was at the restaurant when she figured out her husband was lying. And I trailed along while she tracked him down. Then I kept her from killing a civilian female."

"Did you keep her from murdering her husband?" Tsunade snapped the question.

Sai shrugged again. "No. But he lives. You can tell because Hana asked you for a divorce, not a funeral presentation."

Tsunade nodded, only slightly mollified.

"He'd been taking showers before coming home every night. Training late. Missions." Hana sounded bitter. "I was an idiot."

"He was cleaning the other woman's scent from his skin." Sai nodded. "Smart."

Hana turned around and pinned him with a nearly lethal gaze. The artist nin blinked. "What did I do?"

Tsunade chuckled. "No complimenting the ex, especially when he's a brand new ex. That's a new rule for you to learn, Sai."

"You'll probably be needed at the hospital." Hana sighed and turned to look over at the Hokage with a frown. "I didn't kill him, true. And he's more or less in one piece."

Tsunade stiffened. That hadn't sounded like a metaphor. "How many pieces?"

Sai coughed. "The hand isn't completely crushed, so still one piece. Nothing severed."

The Hokage dropped her head and turned to head over to the hospital. "I'll want to see you in my office first thing, Hana. And burning down your house is ...overboard."

Sai shrugged. "I helped her move out her stuff first. It's only his things in there now. It's not like I had anything better to do since my date left."

Tsunade nodded, unable to say anything witty that would salve Hana's heart wound. Suddenly she stopped. Date? Sai had been on a date? If she didn't need to get to the hospital, she'd have stayed just to hear all about that! In fact ...she thought about it and turned to look at one of the anxious ninja surrounding them. "Go tell Shizune that she's needed at the hospital fast."

The men nodded and two took off quickly.

"Now. I need more information." Tsunade tapped one foot on the ground in an agitated tempo.

Hana sighed, not taking her eyes off the burning wood of what had once been her home. Or so she'd thought. Three years. Gone. Her eyes ached with the need to cry, but she'd not give the asshole the satisfaction. He didn't deserve her tears. At least not in public. "I didn't attack the civilian."

"Not you." Tsunade chided. "Your story is sad, but unfortunately not too uncommon. Cheating spouses are all too abundant." She paused a moment. "Burning down the house is new though. No, what I want to know is how the hell Sai got a date?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino leaned back with a satisfied grunt. "Delicious."

Kimiko smiled at him, finding her friend's husband quiet and strange, yet she still liked him. She liked how happy Temari looked with him the best though.

"Wonderful dinner." Temari said, getting up to help clear the dishes.

Immediately Shino, Baki, and Kimiko frowned at the wind user until she sat back down.

"I'm not made of glass." Temari pouted slightly as Kimiko cleared the dishes by herself.

Shino ignored her complaint, turning to Baki deliberately. "Any word from the Akatsuki fortress?"

Baki frowned. Allies they might be, but proprietary information was still secret.

Temari laughed. "He's not asking about secrets. He wants to know about the list of the injured ...and who might not have survived."

Baki's expression cleared as he nodded in understanding. "Ibiki was injured and moved back to Konoha, but my reports don't specify more than that. And my information doesn't list much beyond that. I'm sorry."

Shino nodded, wanting to ask about Kiba. But the Inuzuka hadn't been on assignment at the fortress and might not be listed at all.

"Pie?" Kimiko came back in smiling. "Peach. Poor Harusame, she wanted to stay up for pie but it's too late for little girls. Still, we'll need to save her a slice."

Baki nodded slowly. "They were out of cherry."

"They had apple." Kimiko pursed her lips slightly as she stressed her point gently.

Temari and Shino watched the byplay in some amusement, wondering about the inside joke. Neither asked. The blonde kunoichi leaned forward to move the desert plates out of the way so the pie could be put down on the table. She frowned and sat back up before finishing the move, a wince playing over her features.

Shino's gaze narrowed on her. "You alright?"

Temari pressed her lips together a moment, then nodded. "Back ache, that's all. Nothing to worry about." She hoped.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho screamed with pleasure, feeling like she was dying as her second orgasm faded. Kiba grinned up at her from his place, his head between her thighs.

"So. Was that good?" He asked wickedly and deliberately licked his lips loudly.

Good? Shiho was having trouble breathing, her skin slicked with sweat and every nerve ending she possessed firing at once. That had been more than good, MUCH more than good.

"I'll take that as a yes." Kiba grinned down at her as he sat up on his knees and pulled at the fastenings on his pants.

Shiho watched him finally remove his own pants, unable to help. Not sure she could even move. In fact, she was pretty damned sure that what he'd just done to her, twice, wasn't in her beginner's manual. She was pretty sure that those moves would be listed as more 'advanced'.

"So much for your research." He grinned at her as he finally plucked the lonely condom from her nightstand.

Shiho nodded, still unable to talk as she watched him roll the condom over himself. She frowned at the idea of something foreign being between them, but knew the necessity. Her body now boneless, she did not do more than watch with avid attention as he leaned back over her. His weight settled down on her as a very hard piece of his anatomy prodded at her entrance.

Widening her thighs was instinctive really, giving him access to what he'd already claimed with his mouth and tongue. With a single strong push he was embedded deep within her. So sudden was the invasion that she didn't have time to tense up, and though her inner muscles where already swollen from increased blood flow, she was so replete that the pain was no more than a stinging sensation that quickly faded.

Kiba grunted and shifted his weight, his hand going to one of her knees and pushing slightly. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Shiho grabbed him closer to her, pulling at him as she pushed up with her hips.

This time Kiba's grunt was accompanied by his pulling out before surging back in to take full possession. He pushed up on his hands, straight arms against the bed as he stared down at her, pressing his hips into hers. He tried to say something, but it was lost as he leaned back in on her and began thrusting his hips in a ragged rhythm.

Soon, too soon, Kiba could no longer control himself. His fingers tore the sheets from the corners of the bed, though at least not ripping the fabric, as he threw back his head and yelled in caveman-like triumph. Finally. She was his. Below him, encasing him. Wrapped around him with her legs and arms as her fingers scratched into his back. Her hips pushing up to meet him with every wild thrust. Shiho's name slipped from his lips unbidden as his own orgasm tore at him.

Collapsing together, wrapped up in each other it took more than a few minutes for their breathing to slow. Shiho's fingers played in the strands of his hair while his hand ran slowly up and down her side. After a while the sweat started to dry on her skin and she shivered.

Kiba rolled with a groan and grabbed the lost sheet from the floor and dragged it up and over her even as he pulled her in tight to his body. She yawned, her jaw cracking and she could barely keep her eyes open.

He put one knuckle under her chin and lifted her head up with a nudge to meet her sleepy eyed gaze. "Well? I'm sorry I didn't last longer, but it's been too long ...and I've wanted you so much." Kiba whispered, his voice rough. "Ready to throw your stupid manual out the door?"

Shiho bit her lip and tried not to smile at him. "You beat my research." She admitted slowly, watching his grin spread in self-satisfaction. "But I'm not ready to throw it out yet. It listed some positions and things that I want to try."

"Things?" Kiba blinked, and blinked again. His smile disappeared as he stared at her intently. "Like what?"

His little librarian shook her head and yawned again. "Tomorrow."

Growling a bit, Kiba shook her, making her giggle. "Minx." He protested without heat as he kissed her ear. "Only one hundred and forty three condoms more to go."

She dropped her hand to his thigh and pinched him, drawing another growl. After that they just laid there, happy in the presence of each other. Too tired to do anything else, they fell asleep together, still holding one another.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	62. Playing House

One moment he was fast asleep, the hint of a content smile on his face. The next, his dark brown eyes snapped open. He was being watched. A slow sniff of the air left him confused, but only for less than a second. He wasn't in his own bed. And now he knew who was watching him sleep.

Kiba rolled onto his side as his eyes unerringly took in the figure sitting in the chair across the room. "Sweetheart?"

Shiho didn't respond as she sat in the overly large reading chair, her legs bent up and her head resting on her knees. Her feet were bare, but she was now wearing a long nightgown that Kiba was sure she only used during winter. And it was just now autumn. With a pang of sorrow, he sat up and stared back at her. Was she regretting what they'd done? Damn. She looked so lost over there.

"I couldn't sleep." She said in a near whisper, cleared her throat and repeated herself more clearly.

He wondered how to respond exactly. "I know I don't snore." Kiba said with a silly grin that he hoped disarmed the situation. And it was true, shinobi were tested for snoring back at the Academy. Couldn't send anyone who snored on lengthy covert ops. Easy give-away to position.

Shiho sighed and blinked over at him in the dim light. Light? Kiba glanced over and saw that the light was coming from the bathroom, but that the door was pulled nearly shut. "What's wrong?" He asked her gently.

Shiho shrugged and glanced away for a moment, then back to him as she shrugged lightly. "Nothing."

"Sweetheart?" Kiba prodded verbally.

He watched as she buried her face in her knees, leaving him looking at the top of her honey-gold hair. She mumbled something, then sighed and looked up. "I just couldn't sleep. I'm not used to having someone in my bed. It seemed that every few moments I'd drift off and then wake up startled when you moved, or I moved, or ...I don't know. I couldn't sleep!"

Kiba thought it would be bad to laugh at her, so he had to purse his lips together for a moment before answering. "It's not like I'm used to sleeping with someone either."

She snorted in derision.

He finally gave in and chuckled. "It's the truth! Sure, I've had sex before, you know that. But I don't think I've ever spent the night with anyone. Not all night."

Shiho sighed as she watched him, sitting in the rumpled remains of her bed. Her blue eyes widened as he pushed the thin sheet off of his bare body and padded over to her. Kiba knelt down next to her chair and slowly reached out to touch a lock of her springy curls.

"My hair is a mess." She whispered.

"Your hair is a treasure." He whispered back, giving the slightest of tugs to one curl.

Shiho caught her breath as he very gently pushed her hair away from her neck, tucking it behind her ear. It wouldn't stay. Kiba chuckled low and sexy. "Okay, a treasure with a mind of it's own." He conceded just a bit. Then he leaned in and let out a hot breath against her skin, which prickled instantly. She shivered. He kissed her neck, or she thought he did, the touch was so slight it almost tickled. Her shoulders rose instinctively to protect her, but Kiba paid no mind as he moved his mouth down her neck to her collarbone. Her body shuddered in delighted reaction.

"What are you doing?" Shiho's words were more in the way of a gasp, especially when Kiba nipped at her skin.

He laughed, the rumbling vibration traveling from his mouth to her neck, making her breathing stop for a second as heat started building up in her body. "What does it feel like I'm doing?"

Shiho shook her head and arched her neck back, giving in as she gave him complete control. "My research showed that a male can usually go only once without a lot of recovery time. Sometimes twice. Which we did already. Three is pretty much outside the realm of possibility."

Kiba stopped, pulled back, and stared at her with deep amusement. "Much as I'd like to ...er, RISE to the challenge ...on this score your research may be right." His voice sounded a bit wistful on the point. "Doesn't mean that I won't try, but not right now."

He started to lean back into her, but she stopped him with her hands as she placed them quickly on either side of his face. She stared into his dark eyes, trying to read him. "Then what are you doing?"

Grinning at her, Kiba's hands reached up to cover hers. He took her hands off of his face and deliberately placed them on his shoulders as he scooped her up out of the chair and stood. He settled her on the bed and then ripped her gown from the neckline all the way to her feet.

Shiho squeaked and stared up at him in surprise, though he saw no fear in her eyes. For that he gave her a huge sloppy kiss. She stared up at him. "You're crazy."

"For you." He said off-handedly and helped her pull off the ragged remains of her gown. Then he snagged the sheet and pulled it up over her. "No way am I going to let you sleep in the chair." Or without me, he added silently.

Shiho gave him a glare that really didn't read as angry, more like she was miffed at him. He laughed, kissed her soundly and then turned her on her side with him behind her. Kiba wrapped his arm around her belly, his hand resting just below her breasts. He kissed the side of her neck.

She gave a grumbling protest, but didn't move. "I can't sleep like this. I'm not used to you ..."

"Get used to me." It was softly spoken, but an order nonetheless. Kiba squeezed her lightly. "What we really need is a bigger bed."

Thinking about that for a moment, Shiho decided he was right. "A bigger bed would be good, more room for sleeping."

"Sleeping isn't what I had in mind." He chuckled into her ear. "I've got to train my genin team tomorrow." He yawned widely and snuggled in closer to her. "My family usually uses this craftsman in the village, but if you want to shop around, fine with me. I'm free the day after tomorrow, you?"

Shiho caught her breath and held it in wonder. He'd meant it literally. They were going to buy a bigger bed. Together. As a couple. Suddenly frightened for no reason she could discern, she simply nodded and let the conversation drop.

Furniture. Together. Shiho listened as Kiba's breathing evened out and deepened into sleep. She laid there in the dim darkness, staring at the far wall. Her Inuzuka was making a lot of assumptions. Three boxes of condoms? Buying large things together, for them both? It appeared he wasn't thinking in the short term.

Slowly, hoping he wouldn't waken, she touched his hand where it rested wrapped around her middle. She traced his knuckles so very lightly as she contemplated what all this meant.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It grows late." Hiashi frowned at the group assembled in the sitting room.

Hanabi gave half a smile and looked at her red-head. "Translation? He means ...go away."

Gaara gave her half a smile back and ignored her comment. Hiashi sucked in a shocked breath at his daughter's dearth of civility.

Anko reached over and patted Hiashi's shoulder. "Trout? This is merely gray manners. It's okay."

Appalled, the former leader of the Hyuuga clan stared at his wife. "Gray manners?" He questioned haughtily. "You made that up."

The spiky-haired jounin preened a bit. "Yes I did. I think it's brilliant. But I can't take full credit. Kaji inspired me."

"Hanabi." Neji corrected the name as Hiashi nodded in agreement.

"Whatever, two names ...same girl." Anko grinned. "Right, cupcake?"

Gaara merely blinked and didn't bother to respond to the nickname.

Yugao yawned, covering her face with her hand, then apologized.

Hanabi shook her head, glancing at Gaara. "You're fed, we're going be wed, now go home and go to bed."

Jade-pale eyes narrowed on her gaze for a long moment as they both ignored Hiashi's disgusted look. "I'll walk you back to your sister's house." It wasn't an offer, it was a clear order.

Neji snorted. "Kankuro's house is connected to the main house with a covered walkway. Not much of a walk." His snort turned into a frown as Yugao's elbow found a target in his ribcage.

Gaara stood and sent a side-long glance at Kaji, but didn't say a word.

She gave a soft snarl and stood, brushing cat hair off her slacks. Asobu looked as disgruntled as Hanabi did as the cat turned and gave her a long stare with his spooky feline eyes.

Anko gave a full-throated laugh and shook a finger at Gaara. "Cupcake? Be careful out there!"

Hiashi's scowl deepened as he took his wife's hand in his own, trying to convey to her the need to be polite. Though he did know that it was pretty much a lost cause. This was Anko after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"That was nice." Temari yawned as she watched her husband move around the room, getting ready for bed. "Baki and Kimiko are settling in really nicely with the children."

Shino gave a soft grunt that his wife took for assent. He scooped up his wife's discarded clothing and tossed it in the hamper. After all this time married, she still threw her clothing on the floor. "Who picked up after you when you were a genin?" He muttered under his breath. "Kankuro? Not Gaara or Baki, surely."

Temari laughed and studiously inspected her nails. "Not hardly. No one picked up after me."

Shuddering at the thought of what her room must have looked like, Shino finally crawled into bed.

"No one had to do that for me. Place was clean." Temari teased and turned to look at her husband, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Shino stilled, sure that this was a trap. He didn't even bother to ask the question. Still, it hung thick on the air between them, a sense of anticipation for the answer.

"I cleaned." She gave him a patently false smile.

He shook his head. "Then why do you drop your clothing everywhere and let me pick it up?"

Temari chuckled. "Because you do pick it up, and it's so terribly domesticated of you. I love it." Her smile widened as he groaned and flopped down on his back with a deep and long suffering sigh. Deftly, she changed topics back to the original. "I thought it a very nice dinner. And speaking of domesticated men, did you see how Baki was with those children? It's a miracle!"

Shino let her change the subject without putting up a fight. "I thought he was rather short and brusque. He didn't seem really pleased to go read little Harusame a bedtime story."

"An act. Trust me, I'd know." Temari yawned and snuggled in next to her husband. "And Kimiko confided that what he's really reading her are battle strategies and chakra control things. Apparently she loves it all."

The Aburame wrapped one arm around his wife and let out a content sigh.

"Adopting isn't as bad as I'd thought." Temari said lightly.

Shino's eyes popped back open in the darkness. What was she saying? She'd been opposed to adopting before when others had suggested it to them. "We don't need to adopt." He commented, his hand going down to her slightly bulging belly. "But if you want we can look for a brother or sister for this one. That might be nice."

She fell silent.

Tensing, Shino tightened his hold on her. "We're not losing this one."

"You can't know that." Temari bit her lip. "I've gotten this far along before and ...well, you know."

In the dark he reached for and took her hand. "Is that why you refuse to think about names?" He asked as if he didn't already know the answer. "This pregnancy is different."

"You sound so sure." Her voice wasn't argumentative, more like she was seeking to hold on to his surety, his strength and resolve on the matter. That if he said it, it must be true.

Dangling over the side of the emotional cliff, Shino turned her in his arms so that they were face to face. Even in the dark they could see the rough outline of features. He traced the side of her face with one gentle hand. "I'm sure."

Temari nodded mutely, knowing if she tried to talk she might shame herself with tears.

"I'm sure." He repeated again.

The dreaded tears welled up in her eyes despite her best efforts. Leaning into him, she took comfort in his arms as he simply held her. "I want this too much." She confessed in a ragged whisper. "I just want this too much." Her meaning was plain. That because she wanted this child so badly, she was expecting the pregnancy to fail. Again.

"This time is different. I can feel it. I'm sure." Shino whispered into her hair as he held her, praying that he wasn't lying to them both.

o.O.o.O.o.O

There was no warning. One minute she was asleep, the next she was screaming. Shiho blinked rapidly as the light stung her eyes. Her screams cut off as Kiba jumped up out of bed.

"Get up. Get a move on." The growl was low and menacing, and definitely an Inuzuka.

Shiho finally was able to look at the intruder as she wiped tears from her eyes, the sudden brightness had really startled her. "Tsume-sama?"

The Inuzuka clan leader chuckled dryly. "You can drop the honorific. Nice body by the way."

Shiho blinked, looked down and grabbed her sheet. Then stopped, why should she be modest? This was her own bedroom. So she sat there and glared at the woman, bared to view from the waist up. "What are you doing here? This is my apartment."

Tsume chuckled, liking the girl's grit. "Kiba, get a move on!"

The shinobi was half-way in his pants already.

Shiho frowned. "What is your problem? He's allowed to stay the night out, right? He's a grown man! Or is it me you object to in all of this?"

Kiba grinned as he grabbed his weapons pouch before he bothered with a shirt.

"Little girl. This is clan business." Came the snapped response. Grit was one thing, but a direct challenge was another.

"Tell her." Kiba sent a meaningful glance at his mother as he sat down to pull on his boots. Meaning, that he was bringing Shiho into the clan, thus clan business wasn't to be shielded from his librarian.

Completely misreading the situation, Shiho looked at Tsume expectantly. She merely thought Kiba was ticked off for being interrupted and for his mother not to be ruder than necessary.

The clan leader suddenly smiled. "About damned time, boy!"

Suddenly lost, Shiho looked back and forth between the two Inuzuka. "Huh?"

"Hana knew my thoughts. I figured she shared them with you." Kiba pointed out as he finally grabbed his shirt and threw it on.

Tsume nodded. Hana had indeed informed her mother that Kiba was completely gone over the cryptologist and was thinking of settling down. Not only that, but she'd seen that in the duo all on her own. Thinking of her eldest child though had Tsume growling. "Hana needs us."

Kiba stiffened, instantly alert. Shiho sat in the middle of her bed feeling utterly exposed, and completely lost. "Hana?" She questioned. "Is she in trouble?"

The clan leader snarled, showing off impressive fangs. "She's informed the Hokage she wants a divorce."

Shiho watched as Kiba's face darkened with anger. "What did he do?"

"He slipped his dick where it didn't belong." Tsume reported crudely. "Hana caught him, hurt him a little, burned down their house."

Shiho's breath caught painfully. "You want us to comfort her? Oh of course!"

Kiba laughed roughly, a murderous expression on his face. "You stay here."

Miffed, Shiho glared at him. "Why?" She challenged. "Clan business and all that? Your sister will need people around her who ..."

"What she needs is to become a widow." Tsume sneered.

Gasping, Shiho shook her head, jumping out of bed to get her own clothes. "But she's getting a divorce! You just said so!"

Kiba tossed her her pants. "Making her a widow will be shorter. Trust me."

Trust him? Shiho stood there, buck naked, as Kiba and his mother disappeared out her door without another word. She heard him whistle for Akamaru to follow.

"Kiba!" She yelled, this was going to be bad, she just knew it! Valued shinobi or not, unsanctioned murder against a fellow Leaf ninja was not something that the council, or the Hokage, would take lightly!

"Be sure to lock the door!" He yelled back at her, a second before the said door slammed shut behind him.

"Oh crap." She whispered, her fingers shaking so much she couldn't get her foot into her pants. Losing her balance, she hit the floor with a sharp 'thud'.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Don't watch, sea slug." Anko punched her husband's arm, but he didn't move. "I dare you not to watch them."

Neji chuckled. "He can't help himself."

Stung, Hiashi decided against using the Byakugan. "You're right. They won't be inappropriate. Not here. Not now."

Anko crowed and clapped her hands. "Wonderful, you've just gone from lowly sea slug back to kingfisher."

Hiashi frowned at his irreverent wife just as the cat ran into the room. He glared at Asobu, who should have glared back. But the cat was hissing, digging his claws into the rug and baring his little teeth.

Neji smiled. "Something's got him riled."

Hiashi frowned at the cat who turned around three times and then jumped onto his chest. The claws dug in again, piercing his robe in places. The cat hissed again.

"He never acts like this." Anko frowned. "Wonder what is irritating him?"

Hiashi activated his Byakugan and began a slow sweep of the Hyuuga lands. When he got to where Gaara was standing with Hanabi, he stopped with a sharply indrawn beath of alarm.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Kankuro and Hinata still not talking with anyone else?" Gaara stood at the front door with Hanabi, feeling rather foolish as he did so. What was he supposed to do, kiss her like one of those silly romantic books Naruto was always writing?

Kaji grinned and shrugged. "They're really upset about the testing and everything. Intrigued about what the twins can do, and what they can't. Still, they're mad."

Gaara nodded. What was he supposed to say now? He looked back at the main house. "They're watching, aren't they?"

"Of course." Kaji stuck out her tongue childishly at the unseen watchers.

"If I whisked you away in a cloud of sand, would they take it as an act of war?" He mused quietly.

A sudden laugh escaped her at the very thought. "No. Probably not, but they ...or at least my father, wouldn't be very happy."

"Do you care?" He asked without a change in expression.

Kaji sobered and stared at him. "Tell me you're not serious."

Gaara gave her a long stare, jade-pale eyes meeting pale Hyuuga eyes. She reacted first. "You're a mad man." She whispered. "Stealing a Hyuuga, on Hyuuga land, under the eyes of the former and current head of the clan?"

"Yes." He allowed. "But would it upset you." Gaara asked her in all seriousness.

She was saved from answering as Neji ran out of the main house, kunai drawn. Hanabi's brow furrowed with displeasure. "We weren't doing any ..."

"Shut up." Neji hissed and made a couple of hand gestures.

Hanabi snapped to attention and wordlessly, as only she could do, activated her Byakugan.

Gaara's sand swirled within his gourd as the cork popped free with the slightest hissing noise. He'd known immediately that he'd not been the cause of Neji's furious expression. Casting out with his senses, he frowned. He shook his head at the others. He couldn't sense any foreign chakra.

Kaji gritted her teeth as she watched through walls. Someone was breaking into Kankuro's house through an upstairs window. She pointed as Neji nodded.

Hiashi was suddenly next to them. "I alerted the guards and sent word to the Hokage's office." He scowled. "Is this the S-class criminal Gaara brought us word about?"

Kaji grimaced as she stared at the man with her wall-piercing gaze. "Looks like him. Kankuro and Hinata are asleep, so are the twins. Ani is in the kitchen making a snack." She said, mentioning the family nanny.

Neji started to chakra-climb up the wall just as the intruder reached the guest bedroom. All the Byakugan users tensed as they saw the man realize his target wasn't home.

Gaara scowled deeply, hating not being able to see what was happening.

Neji moved swiftly to the other side of the house to get the man as he exited the same way he entered.

Everyone was ready to spring lest the man take a turn toward either of the other two bedrooms. If possible, they wanted the confrontation outside, as far from the two-year old twins as possible.

Hiashi stiffened suddenly as Kaji hissed.

Gaara fairly growled. "What?"

"Ani is heading up the stairs with her sandwich. She still sleeps in the room across from the nursery." Kaji opened the front door as they all raced inside.

It all happened so swiftly, that it was hard to tell who was where or doing what.

The intruder threw a blade down at the nanny, but sand enveloped Ani so suddenly that she screamed. Startled, the man turned to run. Only to come face to face with a furious Neji who'd used the distraction to soundlessly appear behind the man. Hiashi was already a two thirds up the stairs, just as sand tendrils snaked forward with deadly intent.

Kaji's blades found blood as the man barely dodged in time and threw up a wall of earth between he and his attackers.

Suddenly there was a wild clicking and whirring sound as something dark and frightening dropped from the ceiling onto the intruder's head.

Everyone stared as the defensive puppet enveloped the shinobi completely. Curses and screams could be heard all through the house as the puppet yanked the man up into the ceiling where a panel slid seamlessly closed.

Kankuro and Hinata raced from their room, staring at the group around them. The puppeteer looked up at the ceiling and an unholy grin split his face. "It worked!"

Hinata looked horrified as the screams and thumping noises ceased and the ceiling started dripping blood, staining the carpet below. "Someone was in the house?" She sped through the blood mindlessly toward the nursery, only breathing again when she saw that both twin boys were fine.

Ani appeared green in the face as she looked at the blood. "Who would dare?"

Kaji grumbled and gave a very descriptive curse.

Everyone turned to stare at her. Hiashi cleared his throat. "Young lady ..."

"This is all your fault." Kaji pointed her finger at the shinobi in question.

Kankuro stared back at her. "My fault? It was your stalker!"

"And I didn't get to fight him!" She hissed.

Hiashi cleared his throat and straightened his robe. "Perhaps someone needs to inform Anko and Yugao that the danger is over." The two had stayed in the main house to protect the nursery there.

"I'll ...I'll go." Ani volunteered, still shivering.

"You're still in shock. I'll go." Kaji growled, still sending furious looks at her brother-by-marriage.

Neji shook his head, his lips thin as he looked at his young cousin. "Hanabi. Your behavior is lacking."

"It's perfect." Gaara contradicted. "If someone had stolen what I considered my fight away from me, I'd be furious too."

Kaji paused. She looked over at her red-head as she finally got it. "This is like the One-Tail. Isn't it? I tried to take your fight from you."

"It's not the same." Gaara allowed, though he nodded slightly.

"In a way, it is." Kaji told him, seeing him anew. "I still think it would have been a bad move, taking the demon back within you. And I can't help being glad that Ebizou stepped in as he did."

Gaara nodded again as she caught his hand in hers. "I could have handled Yurasu." She told him.

"Probably better than I would have Shukaku." He admitted with a wry look in his eyes. "But I'm glad that you didn't face Yurasu by yourself."

She smiled, letting him know all was forgiven.

"I don't understand what is going on." Hiashi complained with a sharp frown of displeasure.

Kankuro grinned. "They're making up." He whistled lightly. "And I'm off the hook."

"Like hell." Kaji shot him a long glare. "You took out my opponent before I could even face off against him."

"Gaara? A little help here?" Kankuro wheedled.

The red-head thought about it a moment, then shook his head. Kaji and he were back on good terms, his brother would have to fend for himself. Besides, he could tell that while she was upset at not getting to face off against Yurasu, she wasn't really angry. She was playing with them.

"It's not like I did anything." The puppeteer looked down at Hanabi as the village guards started to arrive. "My house defensive puppets are built to automatically sense foreign chakra and ..."

Kaji glared up at him. "It was my fight and you ruined it."

"How?" Neji shook his head, still confused. "How is it even remotely Kankuro's fault?"

Gaara watched her with pride as his Kaji glared up at the puppeteer. "Your house ATE my stalker!"

There was a long pause as all eyes turned to look up at the ceiling, still dripping blood. Then everyone dissolved into tension releasing laughter. Even Kaji.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	63. Baited Traps

The indescribable stench of burning flesh hung acrid in the air as Tsunade and Hiashi stared down at the charred remains of the shinobi. The Hokage sighed in disgust as Hiashi's left eye twitched in irritation.

From the other side of the table Shizune shook her head, mask covering her mouth and nose. "It's bad enough that Kankuro's house turned him into a human pincushion, but now ..." She waved a vague hand over the burned body. "All his secrets go with him."

Tsunade shrugged. "Did you expect anything different from a ninja at his level?"

"It was Yurasu then?" Hiashi asked, his voice a low monotone of suppressed temper. "You are sure?"

Shizune shook her head in disgust. "Before he burned his features were that of Yurasu, your own daughter identified him. Other than that ..." She shrugged. "A proper autopsy was negated the moment his body exploded into flames. Common enough trap precautions for shinobi killed while out on delicate missions, though not something usually found on criminals."

The Hyuuga grunted and stared at the body, as if willing it to give up it's secrets by force of personality alone. Nothing happened. Hiashi frowned sharply. "It was too easy."

Tsunade nodded, then shook her head and shrugged. "He was an elite shinobi before turning criminal, from what little we've gleaned about him over the years. Psychotic really. Maybe what mental defect that pushed him from respected ninja into rogue hadn't finished with him. Many problems like that keep deteriorating the human mind."

"So he'd keep getting worse and worse over the years?" Shizune took a deep breath. "And then he'd make more and more mistakes as whatever psychosis he had within him pushed him farther and farther from ...what, reality?"

"Conjecture." Tsunade bit her bottom lip a moment as she thought about it. "Paranoid son of a bitch rigged his own body to explode after he died. It's not like he was a master shinobi on a delicate mission, he was here to kidnap or kill someone of his own volition."

Hiashi's expression darkened as he pictured that 'someone' in his mind. His daughter, Hanabi.

"Paranoia was not something listed about him in the BINGO book." Shizune pointed out slowly. "But what little information we had on him was gleaned slowly over the years. And is spotty at best since he's a former ninja from the Village Hidden in the Rocks and didn't operate in our area."

"Until now." Hiashi corrected coldly as he stared down the Hokage's assistant.

"Until now." Shizune allowed with a small bow of her head, breaking eye contact deliberately.

The Hyuuga looked less than convinced as he stared down at the charred remains before turning and sweeping from the room, his cold fury at the impotence of the situation more than evident.

The moment he was gone, Shizune's shoulders drooped and she rolled her neck. "He can be such a prick."

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Yes, but he's right. It was too easy."

Shizune looked over at the Hokage with a look of trepidation. "It would take a miracle to get any information from this body."

The Hokage blinked and shrugged. "Dental records. Get started on your part." She winced. "My task will be far more gruesome than yours though."

Nodding, her assistant gave a rueful smile. "Sorry, I only have to deal with the body. You get ..."

"...the politics." Tsunade winced as if in pain. "It won't be easy trying to finagle dental records from Earth County. Could take the better part of a year. If I'm very lucky, which I never am. Shit."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara blinked and cocked his head slightly to the left as he looked at the two standing in his path. Blocking it. Glaring at him.

Rocks looked downright surly, but it was the usually calm Michi whose fingers were twitching and looked madder than a desert adder.

The three men stood there, not saying anything. Just staring.

Kaji sighed and stepped forward from her place next to the red-headed Kazekage. "Gentlemen ..." She began.

Rocks snorted. "Ain't no gentlemen here, heiress. We're shinobi."

White Hyuuga eyes left her green-haired teammate and looked pleadingly at Michi. But their team leader looked just as pissed off as Rocks. "It's okay. Mizu? Tei? Gaara and I ...we ...well, every thing's cool."

Michi shook his head, his sea-foam green eyes never leaving his original target. "Kaji? Get lost."

The kunoichi stiffened and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

The left side of Gaara's mouth twitched in amusement, barely. Hardly anyone would have noticed. But Hanabi swung around on him, slapping his shoulder. "You find this funny?!"

"Go on without me, I'll meet you at the restaurant."

Kaji swung around and stared at the two Suna guards. Razan was grinning openly at her. He jerked his head slightly, in an unspoken gesture meant to convey that everything was under control.

The young Hyuuga stared at the unconcerned guards, then her teammates, and lastly at her fiancé. None of them looked back at her, their focus was on each other. The tension put off by the two Leaf shinobi was nearly palpable. "What? Are you all ruled by your testosterone?" She sneered. "Or by the dangling pieces of you anat ..."

She stopped in mid word as Gaara turned his jade-pale eyes on her at last. She saw the resolution in his gaze and sighed, giving in with ill grace. She threw up her hands in surrender. "Fine. Be macho, this is stupid. I'm going to go eat lunch, and I'm not waiting for you!"

Gaara and his guards watched the kunoichi storm off in a huff. Michi and Rocks never wavered their stare from the Suna Kazekage.

o.O.o.O.o.O

When Kiba didn't find Shiho at home, he did what any good tracker would do. Or at least any good Inuzuka tracker. He called chakra to his nose and followed her scent. He looked up at the sign above the door and grinned widely. A bookstore. Hah! He should have guessed.

The store bell rang cheerfully as he entered, leaving Akamaru out on the sidewalk to guard the door. He spotted Shiho right away as she was flipping through a rather thick tome. The dog ninja grinned as he watched a young male civilian circle around her, trying to get her attention, and failing utterly. Kiba shook his head at her obliviousness.

Not even bothering to sneak, Kiba walked up behind his cryptologist and lifted up the heavy fall of honey-gold hair which was wavy today. He grinned, she'd tried to tame the curls this morning and so far it was working, but it was only early afternoon. He'd bet the curls would be trying to escape by late afternoon at least. Still, she'd not notice him, not really. One hand reached back as if to swat at a pest. Kiba chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to the nape of her neck.

This she noticed and jumped, startled. Her shriek of surprise had every head turning toward them, and drew a heavy frown from the young Lothario who'd been trying to get her attention. Kiba winked at the youth, who blushed and stared at the forehead protector that declared 'shinobi'. The civilian beat a hasty retreat.

"He was trying to flirt with you, shame on you to ignore the poor guy like that." Kiba smiled down at the huffy Shiho.

"Who?" The code-breaker looked around in confusion, then glared at her companion. "Stop teasing me! Jerk!"

Kiba's eyebrows winged up as he laughed. "It's not my fault you lose yourself in books so much you don't even notice what's going on around you." He pointed out calmly. "Luckily you have me to look out for you."

Shiho actually snarled at him. He grinned and plucked the heavy tome from her hands. "More research, sweetheart?" His voice dripped with sexual innuendo.

She made a frantic grab to get the book back, but then moaned and clutched her shoulder.

Kiba frowned, instant concern in his dark eyes. "I thought your shoulder was healing well?"

"It was before I landed on it when I fell last night!" She snapped, not actually having intended to tell him about her mishap when she'd been trying to get dressed too fast.

Kiba put the book on a nearby table and reached for her. Shiho winced as he probed her shoulder and hoped to all get out that he forgot about the book entirely. "Do you need a medic?" He held her shoulder in his hands and gently rotated, watching her expression carefully for any hint of distress.

"I'm fine." She muttered in a grumble. "Just a bruise."

Leaning into her personal space he kissed her shoulder and breathed in the scent that was distinctly her own. Pulling back, he ran his eyes up and down her. "I like this outfit."

Shiho fought the urge to cover her chest, though there was nothing really exposing about the clothing. She was wearing slacks that outlined her curves well without being too tight, riding a bit lower than she was used to on her hips. And her top was a scoop neck while form fitting through the waist with looser three-quarter sleeves. "It's bright." She complained about the coral color which was richer than the neutrals she was used to having in her closet.

"I like it." Kiba pulled her in for a quick kiss, disregarding her hiss that they were in public. He laughed at her as she pushed away and straightened her clothing even though it wasn't even rumpled. "So poised and civilized in public." He teased as he reached out for her hair. "But no matter how tame you appear on the outside, deep down you're as wild as your curls."

She slapped at his hand, though her frown threatened to turn into a grin at his silly teasing.

"I've got to run and meet up with my genin team." He sighed and rolled his shoulders. "They're not the quickest group in the world, but they're determined. Anyway, we have to train. Dinner? Tonight? You and me?"

"My mother is cooking tonight, wants to hear all about you." Shiho made an exasperated face. "Sorry, I'll be at her place."

Kiba grinned and held out his hands, palms up. "Invite me and she won't grill you, she'll find out all she wants right from the source. Me."

Stumbling over her own tongue, Shiho's mouth dropped open and she sputtered a moment before finally getting her words out. "You want to have dinner with me ...and my mother?"

"You've met mine." Kiba cajoled. "I've met yours, but you've eaten out with my mom. Only fair to return the favor. Besides, after my mother ...how scary could yours possibly be?"

Shiho nodded absently and gave in. "I'll let her know to expect you." Quickly she gave him the time and location.

Kiba nodded and leaned in to kiss her again. "Gotta run. Sorry, sweetheart."

The code-breaker smiled at him, still reeling a bit about the fact that he was willing to let her mother grill him with questions.

"Don't forget your book." The Inuzuka started to hand her the tome he'd put on the table and then frowned down at the title. "Dealing With Violence In The Home."

Shiho froze.

Kiba frowned and shook his head. "I'm assuming for Hana. But sweetheart, my sister would have torn him limb from limb if he'd dared raise a hand to her." He chuckled mirthlessly. "And my mother would have killed him outright. But only if she'd gotten to him before me."

Shiho stared at him with an odd expression on her face.

"Besides, Hana's not one to read much besides veterinary journals. Though it's a sweet thought." He started to hand the book back to her and then stopped, his arm lowering. His eyes cataloged her wariness and embarrassment. "Not for Hana. Another friend?" He guessed, then stopped, his face darkening.

"It's not about you!" She rushed to assure him.

Kiba's frown sharpened, he took a deep calming breath. "What the fuck?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Do we fight now?" Gaara asked blandly, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at Rocks and Michi.

"We'd only lose." Michi said plainly.

Rocks didn't even bother to look in the direction where Kaji had disappeared. "You know she's watching us, right?"

Gaara snorted as if to say he wasn't a fool. Of course she was watching them. "Razan? Escort the lady to the restaurant."

The guard snapped to attention and nodded, leaving without a word but managing a grin and a wink toward Michi.

Rocks sighed. "Hanabi will kill him."

"Better him than me." Michi shuddered. "Though why did you have to send my boyfriend to his death like that?"

Rocks shook his head in disgust. "Focus. This isn't about you and Razan, this is about Kaji."

"How would the two of you feel about being more or less permanently assigned to Suna? You'd still be Leaf shinobi and a lot of traveling would be involved." Gaara stared at them as he spoke, little or no emotion in his voice.

Michi chuckled. "Sounds grand." He paused and smiled. "If you still want us after today, that is."

Gaara blinked. "Kaji and I have completely reconciled." He clarified what he felt was the most important point.

Rocks jerked his head slightly. "Good for you and Kaji. Still. You made her cry and that pisses us off."

The red-head finally looked slightly startled. Hanabi had cried? Over him?

Michi nodded very, very slowly.

Gaara paused, considering that bit of information. Something within him that he didn't even know was tight, loosened. She'd cried. As bad as that made him feel, at the same time it was elating, heady. He'd never known her to cry. That made him ...important, to her.

"You don't seem as upset by the news as you should be." Rocks snarled, pulling the Kazekage's attention. "Just what are you going to do about this?"

Gaara started to tell the chuunin upstart that he didn't have to answer that question when he suddenly became aware of something he should have noticed a long time ago. His sand gourd was getting heavier.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're not violent!" Shiho stepped toward him, then stopped as he pinned her with a glare.

"I'm a fucking ninja!" Kiba hissed at her. "Of course I'm violent!"

Shiho shook her head emphatically. "Not clinically violent. It's a part of your job. You enjoy fighting, but you're not someone who takes a visceral pleasure in violence itself."

Kiba's eyes went round. "You've been thinking about this a lot!" He accused.

Sighing, she reached for his hand, but he pulled back. "Not a lot. But last night ...I haven't slept yet, not since you left."

His eyes searched hers as he spoke. "We didn't actually kill him you know. Ran him out of town. Actually, ran him into seeking refuge with ANBU before the Hokage could give him a mission far outside of the village. A very LENGTHY mission."

"If you'd caught him before he reached ANBU?" She asked plainly.

Kiba shook his head, his mouth suddenly dry. "I'd have hurt him. Badly." He told her the blunt truth. "I'm not a murderer."

"I know." She caught his hand this time and bent down to pick up the books she'd stacked next to her feet. "That book? Dealing With Violence In The Home. It's not about domestic abuse or anything." She blushed slightly. "It's a book for civilians who marry into ninja families. How to deal with the lifestyle. Read the dust jacket."

"You're not a civilian." Kiba responded absently even as he quickly scanned the blurb about the contents of the book. It really was a book geared toward civilians who married ninja. His awful tension started to melt away and he could breathe freely again. He looked up at her, a question in his eyes that he could barely bring himself to ask. "Did I scare you? Last night? Why did you look so upset when I read the title of the book?"

Shiho pressed her lips together and was unable to dissemble, so she went with the unvarnished truth. "It's a book about marrying ninja. I didn't want you to think that I was too pushy, or expected anything from you. Also I'm not a civilian, no. But my family are completely made up of civilians except for me, and I'm not a field ninja. You know that."

Kiba looked at the other books she was holding and reached for them. She hesitated a moment before handing them over. "Just some research." She muttered.

"The Character of Shinobi and How to Care for Him? and The Little Bit Naughty Book?" Kiba looked bemused for a moment, then he looked up at her. "The Little Bit Naughty Book? Isn't there one about being a lot more naughty than just a little bit?"

Shiho grabbed the book from him, but she didn't put it back on the shelf.

Kiba smiled at her and took a deep breath. "So. You're thinking of the future, but don't want to seem pushy. But that doesn't explain why you were up all night thinking about this. I mean, if you're not worried about my ...temper, then why worry all night?"

The cryptologist sighed and ran a hand through her hair, dislodging the smooth wave and at least three curls kinked up. Kiba smiled crookedly in spite of himself.

"I wasn't worrying about your brother-by-marriage. Or rather soon to be EX brother-by-marriage. Or at least not too much." She gave him a wry expression. "It's about the bed!"

Kiba stared at her blankly. Of all the things she could have said right then, that wouldn't even have been on the list. "The bed?" He parroted her, completely lost.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara let the cork pop out of his sand gourd, but he could already feel the effects of this particular ambush. His jade-pale eyes narrowed. "You said you weren't going to fight, that you'd lose."

Michi nodded and tripled the water flowing up from the ribbons of fluid he'd surreptitiously sent up the outside of Gaara's clothing to invade his main weapon. The sand gourd.

Rocks smiled nastily. "We lied. We're ninja. You taught us to use every advantage that we could."

"The gourd on your back is fake. It's not a gourd at all, it's made up entirely of sand in the shape of a large gourd." Michi added. "Makes it easier for me to introduce water."

Gaara undid the straps on his gourd and let it hit the ground. His remaining guard looked unsure and uneasy. "You've unarmed me." He said blandly.

Michi snorted as Rocks laughed outright. "Now you lie to us? Right. You can take the ground beneath us and turn it into sand."

The red-head considered them for a long moment then nodded. "You've thought of a way to block that move? The ground isn't saturated with water, so perhaps a shield of air?" He guessed.

The Suna guard shifted his weight subtly from one foot to the other.

Gaara cut his eyes to the side and the man stilled, pinned by a single bland look from his Kazekage.

"No." Rocks said, trying hard to keep his face unreadable. "A field of air hardened around your fingers so that you can't make proper hand signs."

Startled, both Suna shinobi stilled. Gaara gave the slightest nod of approval. "That would be good, except ..."

The ground beneath Michi and Rocks shifted alarmingly.

Michi sighed and closed his eyes in self deprecation as both he and his teammate leaped clear of the unstable ground. "You don't need to use hand signs to make new sand?" He guessed.

Gaara shook his head, just as his sand gourd disintegrated, wet sand clumping down to the earth with a soft thud. The core of dry sand, however, hovered in the air and flew in front of the red-head in whipping tendrils.

Rocks sighed, defeated. "The water didn't soak all the way through. He caught on before all the sand became useless and ...what ...you manipulated the sand inside the gourd to created a barrier to the moisture?" He looked toward Gaara.

The Kazekage shrugged. "It would have been better if the water hadn't made the sand gourd heavier."

Michi shrugged as if to say there was nothing he could do about that fact. "The nature of water."

Gaara shook his head. "You could have had Rocks manipulate some hard air around the gourd to take the weight so that I wouldn't have noticed the addition of the water. To keep the weight of the gourd constant even as you added water."

The Suna guard finally cracked a smile, albeit a small one.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"The bed?" Kiba gawked at Shiho for a long moment, then circled his head as he searched for what to say. What to ask.

Shiho sighed and shrugged soberly. "You want us to buy a bigger bed. Together. For sex."

An older woman beside them stopped reaching for a book on parakeets and gave the code-breaker's bare ring finger a long look before huffing off with ill disguised disdain.

Kiba scratched his head, looking confused and cute as could be. "Not just for sex." He said sheepishly.

Nodding, Shiho conceded the point. "For us to sleep. Together. Furniture. As a couple. That's not something people do for casual relationships."

His mouth twitched, he couldn't help it. Kiba's mood was noticeably lighter now than it had been when he'd read the title of the book she'd been looking at. "No. I've never bought a bed before. Especially not with anyone. You're so clever to figure that out, sweetheart."

Shiho scowled. "Don't make fun of me."

Kiba leaned in and stole a quick kiss. "I'm not the one sitting up all night worrying about it though. It's just a bed."

"Not hardly!" The cryptologist sniffed the air and looked around helplessly. At a loss as to how to explain her convoluted thinking of last night. "You bought three boxes." She didn't specify of what, he knew what he'd gotten. Condoms. A lot of them.

Kiba grinned evilly and nodded as he watched her, liking the slight stain of a blush on her cheeks. It was always fun flustering her. The problem was, that more than half the time he wasn't even trying.

"And now a bed. You see what this means? It's a pattern."

The dog ninja shrugged. "It's three boxes of protection and a bed. It is what it is. No pattern."

Shiho grabbed her book and flipped to chapter three. "A shinobi doesn't think of the future in tangible things. Each mission brings violence or the threat of violence. He (or she) will not be thinking of a permanent future with a loved one, they tend to live life in the now rather than in the murky possibilities of life. That doesn't mean that the relationship can not work. Often, the ninja will make plans for the future without even knowing they have done so. And if asked, they will deny everything."

Snorting, Kiba grabbed the book from her and looked at the picture of the author. "Seriously? There's someone who talks like that?"

"Furniture is permanent." Shiho announced.

"No it's not. I can rip up furniture like you wouldn't believe, and Akamaru is a terror on stuff like that. Trust me." Kiba's grin faded as he watched Shiho's expression grow confused. "What? You're thinking because I bought three boxes and want a new bed ...that this ..." He waved his hand back and forth between the two of them. "This is permanent?"

Feeling embarrassed and ugly all of a sudden, Shiho took two steps back and dropped her gaze.

"Of course it's for real. I've already told my mother that I want you to join the clan."

His words brought up her blue eyes as she goggled at him. "What?"

"I want to have dinner with your mother, let her grill me. What's more future thinking than that? Your book is a crock." Kiba shoved the book back on the shelf. "Yes. We have three boxes at your place just waiting for us. Tonight, dinner with your mother. Then we make a dent in box number one. Tomorrow? We go shopping for a new bed. If you want to call that a pattern, suit yourself."

"Kiba!"

But the Inuzuka wasn't done. "We'll get the naughty little book, but everything you need to know about shinobi and how to care for one? We'll learn as we go. And by the way, I'm not unsure about the future at all, as long as you're in it. No more research. Okay?"

Shiho stared up at him as if she'd never seen him before.

Kiba laughed and gave he a huge hug. "I'll see you at your mother's place tonight. If I don't leave now I'll get a reputation for being late just like Kakashi."

The little cryptologist watched him leave, bemused. A long few minutes later she looked over at the shelves of books, but didn't go get that book back. Perhaps, just perhaps ...she wouldn't need it.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You call this fighting?"

All three shinobi blinked over at the furious looking Kaji as she stood there, arms akimbo and foot tapping a fast beat on the ground.

Rocks whistled aimlessly and looked away.

Michi grinned, but not at her. "Razan."

"Mizu."

"NO FLIRTING!" Kaji yelled. "Flirting later. I thought you three were going to fight!"

Gaara blinked at her and cocked his head ever so slightly to the side.

"Oh don't give me that I'm innocent look!" Kaji pointed her finger at her betrothed.

The red-head shrugged. "I don't think I've ever looked innocent in my life."

Razan, who had arrived with Hanabi, scratched his chin. "I'm not sure the Kazekage CAN look innocent. I'd say that was more like a 'are you kidding me' look."

The other guard grunted but shook his head. "No. More like 'explain yourself' I think."

Rocks grinned. "To me his look was 'There's no need to yell'. But that's just my opinion."

Everyone turned to look at Michi. The water-user grimaced and shook his head. "I think it was a look that said 'did you want us to fight' kind of a glance."

Gaara blinked slowly, but didn't respond. In fact, his eyes had not left Kaji's furious visage.

The kunochi gave a long-suffering sigh and rolled her neck to relieve the tension. "So. You're not going to fight?" She asked with a lot less volume than before.

The Kazekage shook his head, looked at Mizu and Tei for a moment, then back at her. "Just some things to settle."

"Are they settled?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Michi winced. "Yeah. He can beat us every which way."

"You are still chuunin." Razan pointed out, needling his boyfriend. "He's a Kage. What did you expect?"

Rocks scuffed his boot on the ground. "We had to make our objections known. A warning."

Hanabi stiffened. "Objections? Warning?"

"We object to you crying." Michi pointed out, ignoring Hanabi's gasp that they'd known her little secret. "And we object to him making you cry."

"So noted." Gaara nodded solemnly.

Rocks grunted. "And we warned him that we'd fight him to the death if he hurt you."

Kaji sucked in a shocked breath. "But guys. Gaara can beat us all, tear us to pieces."

The red-head gave a ghost of a smile. "They've proven resourceful today." He glanced at the ruins of his former sand gourd.

Michi grinned in triumph, but then sobered as he looked back at Hanabi. "He can beat us. He could kill us. But we'd go after him anyway. And now he knows it."

The kunoichi reached up and grabbed her hair, pulling as she gave a shrill scream. "I don't NEED anyone to fight my battles for me! I love you two, but please ...if I have a disagreement with Gaara, you two don't need to spill blood! It's bad enough that Kankuro's house ate my stalker, now you two want to hurt my fiancé?"

"Does it look like we're hurting him?" Rocks asked pointedly.

"It looks like you three idiots are drawing in the dirt!" Kaji moaned with exasperation.

Gaara nodded and pointed to something on the ground. "So. You're telling me that the rock there is the best place in Konoha?"

"Huh?" The Hyuuga looked down at the ground in confusion, then she shook her head. "If you wanted to find some place in the village, you could have asked me. No need to draw a map on the ground. What are you looking for anyway?"

"Nothing." Gaara intoned coolly, and then sand swept over the impromptu and effectively erased it.

Kaji looked from one smug male to the other and sighed. "And you think women are gossips? You five suck."

"Four. You mean them." Razan drawled with a languid smile. "I was with you the whole time. I have nothing to do with what they're up to now."

Kaji snarled and looked around for the weak link. The one who would spill his guts. But each male met her gaze almost placidly. "What is going on?"

Gaara looked at her carefully and gestured for her to lead. "I believe I've kept you waiting for lunch long enough."

The kunoichi gave in with ill grace, but she couldn't let him have the last word. She just couldn't. "I'll find out what you're up to. Don't doubt me."

The red-head smiled as they headed out toward the main part of the village. Oh. He didn't doubt her, not for an instant. This would drive her crazy trying to figure out what he was up to now. Which was perfect actually.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Once out of the village, Yurasu washed in a small creek and stretched. It had taken him all night and nearly all afternoon to inch his way safely and undetected from Konoha. Fools.

He grinned as he thought of what the medics expressions must have looked like when his decoy had burst into flames. He hoped someone had screamed. That would have been nice.

It had been easy to hire a brigand. Tougher to train him to do exactly as ordered. Though the henge to make him look like Yurasu would have been easy, that's not what he'd done. No. This was a specialty jutsu that not only gave the brigand Yurasu's outward appearance, but it was so good that unless you were an expert you'd have never known the difference.

Only the body wouldn't have held up to autopsy.

Thus he'd had to dispose of the body. But that was fine, that had been the plan the entire time.

Yurasu whistled tunelessly as he washed up. The problem that he'd worried over the most, was the fact that the girl knew he was coming. They all did. Well, now they thought him dead.

He grinned, and it was not a pleasant sight.

Yurasu dropped the grin as he watched the water trail over his hands and down his forearms. This fluid was too thin. He yearned for something thicker, hotter, and much sweeter.

Blood.

And now that he was safely 'dead', he'd get what he wanted. Oh yes.

Laughing, Yurasu finished up and headed back toward Suna to prepare. He continued laughing to himself as he found his stashed supplies and repacked them meticulously.

Wasn't life just funny sometimes? Here little Hyuuga Hanabi had played dead in Suna. And now he was playing dead in Konoha. Mirrors.

She was his reflection. And he loved it. Still. Should he kill her or keep her? It was a question he'd argued to himself often, ever since he'd first spotted her. Hmm. It was a tough question.

Oh well.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	64. Vows Made

A small six-year old hand tugged at his robe. Baki flicked a glance down at his young daughter, then back up to study the current group of Suna students. These students were only a few months into their studies and weren't even close to becoming genin.

He grunted.

If they continued like this, they might never be ready. Toshi, their instructor, winced as he too watched. It was a simple exercise. Call chakra to your hand and place it palm to the surface on a thin sheet of wood. Expel the chakra and crack the wood.

Basics. Too much chakra and the wood exploded, too little and nothing happened. This exercise was to teach the basics of purposefully calling and channeling energy.

"They're not doing it right." Harusame announced, her eyes wide as she watched intently.

Several frowns from the students narrowed on the little girl.

Baki grunted again. "No. They're not."

His simple gruff words worked to damper the student's resentful looks, suddenly they were all concentrating on their exercise once more.

One young student cried out in victory at the cracking sound of wood. He pulled his hand back and all eyes watched the red outlined circle on the wooden target. The crack was clearly visible within the target space, only about an inch of the crack extended outside of the painted target.

"Fail." Toshi intoned gravely with a small sigh. "Again."

Baki and Harusame both nodded in agreement, the little girl mimicking her adoptive father's wide stance and stony look perfectly.

"What do you mean 'fail'?" The boy protested loudly, gesturing at the cracked wood. "It's the best one today! No one did any better!"

"Then everyone fails." Toshi said sadly. "Again."

All the students looked down at their feet, none of them aware that this failure of their's was expected, even anticipated. Ninja instructors often utilized failures in order to motivate better and more advanced skills. Now the whole class would use tonight to practice their chakra channeling skills. Tomorrow, Toshi thought to himself, at least three of them would succeed. Perhaps five, he'd have to wait and see. He wondered who in his class would be the ones to go home and practice until the nearly fell out with exhaustion.

That was the real test after all.

But the original student wasn't giving up. He slammed the palm of his hand hard against the target, measuring the crack with his hand. "It only cracked a little outside the target!"

"Precision is the hallmark of a good ninja. And good ninja are the ones who accomplish their task undetected." Baki said in his gruff voice.

All the students nodded, and the youngster who'd protested dropped his hand from the wooden target and stepped back, blushing.

"Yeah!" Harusame piped up from her father's side.

"No one asked you, brat!" The boy hissed, clearly embarrassed to have a six-year old calling him down. "You can't even do it at all! You're just a baby!" The other students behind him murmured in support.

"ENOUGH!" Toshi cut through the jumble of noise and brought his class back into control. "Let me go over the steps one more time." He said, wondering which students would take his words to heart and which would goof off tonight.

Baki turned to notice one of the other teachers and made a gesture for her to approach with the report on a higher level class. The other teacher approached quickly, making no mention of the crutches that Baki was still using after the surgical attempt to mend his ankle. Even on crutches the one-eyed councilor was easily the deadliest man in the room and everyone knew it.

"Hey!" A young voice protested. "Get away from there ..." His voice trailed off in wonder as all eyes swung over toward little Harusame as she stood by the wooden targets.

The little girl was smiling victoriously at a perfect crack in the wood, every bit of the crack was in the center of the target.

"How ..." Toshi stared, then cut his eyes toward Baki. He shut his mouth and nodded thoughtfully.

"She couldn't have done it!" Another student protested. "She's a baby!"

Harusame's eyes narrowed dangerously and her lips fell into a mulish expression. She stepped forward to the next target, deliberately placed the palm of her small hand on the target and within seconds there was a crack of wood. The crack stopped just shy of exceeding the target space. Another direct hit.

"But ..."

Harusame stiffened and stuck her nose in the air. "I'm not a baby! I'm going to be Kazekage." She announced with determination and surety beyond her young years.

A few stiffled giggles, and there were a couple that laughed outright.

Baki sighed and gestured for his daughter to come back. "Kazekage's don't have pink rooms." He said almost mournfully. "You can't have both."

Harusame stopped and looked up at her father. She scrunched up her little face as she thought about it, wondering which was better. Her pink room, or being the Kazekage.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Miho's eyes looked a bit uncertain as she stared first at the shaggy nin dog in her living room, then at her daughter's suitor. She tried for a smile, but she had a feeling it looked a little forced.

Shiho sighed and glanced nervously at her mother. "You can smile better than that. I think even Sai can smile better than that!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Miho sniffed once, embarrassed. She looked at the side of the door where visitors shoes were generally left. Then gave one more peek at Akamaru's paws as if to reassure herself that the nin-dog was clean. Obviously making an effort, she gestured for everyone to come in and take a seat.

Kiba straightened his jacket and gave a reassuring grin toward Shiho as they all sat down together.

"Dinner will be ready shortly." Miho said, then fell silent as if she didn't know what else to say. "Oh, uhm. I made sea bream for tonight." Speaking of the okazu, or main protein of the family style meal. "I'm afraid I didn't know you were going to bring your dog." The last was said almost apologetically.

"Sea bream sounds delicious." Kiba told her. "And don't worry about feeding Akamaru, he's already had his supper."

Akamaru woofed once in a rather genial manner and sat down in front of the fireplace.

Miho looked slightly startled that the dog seemed to be following their conversation. Her instincts as a good hostess kicked in and she straightened her shoulders. "Would he prefer a bowl of water, or some other beverage? And we can start a fire in the fireplace without any trouble at all."

Kiba grinned and shook his head. "Water would be fine, thank you. And it's still too warm in the year for a fire. He's not cold at all."

Akamaru gave a shake of his large head and gave Shiho's mother a big doggie grin. Miho actually smiled back.

Shiho took a deep breath. This was going better than she'd thought.

"Aren't you the same young man who carried my daughter out of that restaurant two years ago?" Miho suddenly interjected.

The Inuzuka gave a cheesy smile and scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, I'm assuming that's a yes unless anyone else did that too."

Shiho, her blue eyes a bit wider, shook her head negatively.

"Then it was me." Kiba smiled, then his smile faded a bit at the edges as he noticed that Miho wasn't nearly as amused looking anymore.

"And it takes two years for you to come by and meet the mother?" The voice and tone were mild, but the sting was still there as only a mother could do it.

"He was on a mission for two years, mother." Shiho rushed into the conversational breach.

"With you?" Miho asked plainly.

"No." Kiba answered for Shiho. "Different mission." His tone had hardened slightly, not with anger but with the unspoken reminder that neither he nor her daughter could share mission information with a civilian.

Miho nodded, though her lips tightened somewhat. She had a cryptologist for a daughter. She knew nothing of her work. It rankled, but she'd accepted that a long time ago.

"So. You're a ninja." Miho reached forward and passed Kiba a plate of stuffed mushrooms that had been on the coffee table. "I'm assuming that you have no plans to leave that profession?"

Shiho stiffened. Where was her mother going with this? Uncomfortable all of a sudden, she looked back and forth between Kiba and her mother.

"No. Not really." Kiba took a bite of the stuffed mushroom and smiled. "These are really good."

"Thank you." Miho accepted the compliment and then continued the conversation. "And I understand that your family is a matriarchal one?"

"Inuzuka Tsume is the head of the clan, and Kiba's older sister is in line as the heir." Shiho shook her head as Kiba tried to hand her the plate of mushrooms. She was getting nervous.

Not a nerve in sight, Kiba popped a second mushroom into his mouth. "You should have one, these are delicious." He turned amused dark eyes back to Miho. "No, I'm not the heir to my family. Yes, I am a ninja. I'm a jounin and now I have a genin team to lead so I'll be around the village more. Though I can't guarantee not ever having a mission last two years again."

Miho nodded, reluctantly accepting. "I know. I know. I just would hate to see Shiho hurt."

"She would be better off married to a civilian?" Kiba asked, genuinely curious.

Miho sat up at attention. "Married?" She focused on the one word like a ninja narrowing in on a specific target.

Kiba picked up the mushroom tray again. "Sweetheart. Really, you should try these, they're great." Letting his silence speak volumes for him.

Miho nodded to herself, her face brightening as Kiba gave her a reassuring smile. Marriage. Well now. This was a different situation all together.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara stopped, staring up at his guest rooms. Without blinking he turned and dismissed his Suna guards. Calmly he walked up the stairs and entered the apartment. He took off his sand gourd and hung up his jacket. In absolutely no hurry.

Kaji's eyes followed him around the room from where she sat on the couch sipping hot tea. The back of the couch was toward him and all he could see was her head and shoulders as she watched his every move.

"Who's watching?" He finally broke the silence.

Kaji's smile was less than innocent as she took another sip of tea before answering. "Father and Neji are out of the village tonight. Family business."

Gaara's hand stilled as he reached to take off his boots. He swung his head to look at her. "Surely we're not without a chaperon. It was more of a statement than a question.

She deliberately waited until he had one boot off and was in the middle of removing the second one. "Anko is in charge." She purred.

Gaara's jade-pale eyes widened and he looked at her, standing on one foot with his hands on his boot. Slowly he straightened, not losing his balance at all.

Kaji's smile widened. "Impressive." She cooed. "Though you're still wearing one boot."

Anko was in charge? Gaara's mouth was suddenly dry as he stared at her. Anko being in charge could be a very good thing, or a very bad one. It depended on her mood.

The long-haired kunoichi stood and suddenly Gaara's balance left him and he swayed slightly. She was wearing one of his shirts. And it looked like that was all she was wearing. All thoughts of Anko disappeared.

"I really will miss you when you head back to Suna." Kaji stepped toward him, the hem of his shirt barely grazing the flesh at her mid-thigh.

Gaara watched her approach with longing in his gaze. "You'll be in Suna by the end of the month. And the wedding will be in only four months."

"Too long." She reached him and ran one finger down his cheek to his neck to tug at the opening of his shirt.

He nodded, suddenly having trouble breathing.

Kaji's hands moved to the buttons on the shirt she was wearing, she paused there, her eyes sparkling. "Aren't you going to take off your other boot?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can't believe that you let her back into the kitchen after that one." Kiba chuckled as he helped himself to seconds.

Miho smiled with contentment, there was something so satisfying to have a male appreciate your cooking. She looked over at Shiho and nearly laughed out loud at the cryptologist's sour expression. "What's wrong? Are we embarrassing you?"

Shiho poked at her meal and shook her head. Embarrassing? To have all your foibles trotted out in front of the guy you've fallen for? What could possibly be wrong with that?

"Did I tell you about the muffins that she tried to cook for her first crush?" Miho passed the vegetable dish to Kiba.

Shiho stiffened, her blue eyes widening in alarm. "Mother? Don't we have anything else to talk about? ANYTHING else?"

Kiba chuckled and shook his head, loving the disgruntled librarian at his side. "No. She missed telling that story."

"Apparently my brilliant daughter had no clue that there were special muffin tins. She mixed up the batter and put it out on a flat cookie sheet." Miho's voice was full of fond memories. "I smelled something burning and had to come downstairs only to find burnt batter all over the inside of my oven. And her muffins? One giant thin pancake."

"Did I tell you she burned my mother's kitchen?" Kiba leaned forward conspiratorially.

"Kiba wants to buy a bed." Shiho announced abruptly. It was bad enough that her mother was pulling out all the old stories, but now she and Kiba were bonding! She had to turn the conversation somehow. "For sex."

Miho blinked and stared with shock at her only child.

o.O.o.O.o.O

It took all of three seconds to divest himself of his boot. Another second to rip his shirt literally off her body. A full ten seconds to take a breath and lose himself in the sight of her.

Kaji started to smile, and then squealed as Gaara picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, tossing her down onto his bed.

"Someone's in a hurry." She laid on her back, propping herself up on her elbows as she grinned at him. "Hey!" Kaji protested as he neatly grabbed both her ankles and yanked, pulling her to the side of the bed where he knelt down before her.

"Uhm. Gaara?" She managed to squeak out the words, suddenly a bit nervous. He looked so damned intense.

But her nerves never stood a chance. One moment they were jumpy with alarm, the next they were on fire. Kaji's neck extended back as she screeched the moment his mouth found her heated center. Her hands found his hair, but didn't pull on him to stop, instead urged him closer.

Gaara tasted and licked, using his hands to push her thighs wider, wrapping them around his head. His tongued delved into the heated core of her as her scent and taste flooded his senses. It didn't take long, a few minutes at most, before Kaji's thighs started to quiver and her back arched sharply. She was so close to something it was almost painful in it's intensity.

But he paid her flailing heels no heed as he continued his sensual assault. Suddenly she screamed as her orgasm nearly pulled her in two.

It took Hanabi long moments before she recovered her awareness. Her breathing was fast, but shallow as she clung to his head with her hands. The red strands of his hair caught in her fists. Her leg muscles were quivering in the after glow as she laid there on the bed, boneless.

Finally, after three attempts, she chuckled. "Wow. Maybe I should explain foreplay to you."

Gaara actually smiled against the soft skin of her inner thigh, his tongue tracing a non-existent pattern there. "Maybe I should explain it to you. That was foreplay."

Kaji squirmed up onto her elbows to stare down at the red-head still nestled between her thighs. She simply stared at him in wonder. Nothing intelligible came to mind. "Huh?"

"The last time? Our first time? You said I moved too fast, didn't bring you with me." He told her with a calmness that he didn't feel. His own body was burning with the desire to possess her, take her as his own. But he had something to prove first.

She grinned sloppily. "Well, you brought me literally kicking and screaming this time. Time to move on to the main course."

"No." He leaned in and ran his tongue over her nether lips in a long hot sweep. She sighed and stopped breathing for a moment as her lungs seized.

Kaji pulled on his hair slightly. "Come on, your turn next. You don't have to prove anything to me."

Gaara shook his head ever so lightly and blew a hot breath over her now overly sensitive skin. Nerves jumped once more and Kaji started to feel dizzy. "I'm not done with foreplay yet."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Purple? What about purple, Papa?"

"No." Baki sighed as he held open the front door for his precocious daughter.

Kimiko smiled as she raised one finger to her lips. "Kochi just went down for a nap."

Baki glanced at the clock. "A little late."

His wife shrugged and blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. "What can I say, he's been fighting sleep lately. Like he wants to see everything there is to see and there's not enough time. He was struggling to stay awake. If he hadn't been so fussy about it, then I might have even said it was adorable."

"Yellow?" Harusame looked up at her adoptive father. "Would yellow be good?"

Nodding, Baki agreed. "Yellow is better than pink. We can re-paint the room tomorrow."

Kimiko looked up at her husband. "Re-paint? We just got her room finished not even a week ago."

Harusame skipped over to her new mama. "Kazekage's can't have pink rooms. It's a rule!" She announced emphatically.

Baki refused to meet his wife's gaze as he took off his boots and stretched his sore ankle. "Still hurts." He complained deliberately, trying to turn Kimiko's attention. It didn't work.

His very gentle, very civilian wife smiled quite sweetly down at their daughter. "No one can tell the Kazekage what color to paint their room. Do you like your pink room?"

Harusame nodded vigorously.

"Then this future Kazekage's room will be pink." Kimiko stood up, speaking to her daughter even as she raised her voice slightly for her husband's benefit.

"Papa?" Harusame looked uncertain as she turned pleading eye on her papa. "I thought you said it was a rule. No pink for Kazekage rooms."

Baki mumbled something, then sighed. "It's an old rule. We need to throw it out." He recognized defeat when he saw it.

Kimiko smiled in satisfaction and patted little Harusame's hair back into place. "Good."

"Mama? Guess what? I start school tomorrow!" The six-year old bounced up and down on her toes in excitement. "Ninja school!"

Kimiko straightened and turned to stare at her husband. "Oh? I thought we decided to wait until she was eight. Six does not equal eight."

Baki sighed. "That was before she showed up everyone in the beginning classes. Harusame is a natural." He watched as his wife bit her lip and turned her head to look down into their daughter's excited eyes.

The shinobi sat down and propped up his swollen ankle. "They won't advance her unless she's ready."

"Physically ready doesn't mean emotionally ready." Kimiko whispered as she watched her daughter run into the other room to tell her dolls her good news.

"She'll be fine." Baki promised his wife solemnly.

"How do you know?" Kimiko asked, worry lacing her tone. "How can you possibly know?"

Baki nodded reassuringly. "Because she has you to watch out for her." He gave her a small smile. "Who else is going to make sure she gets the pink room of her dreams?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can't believe that you told my mother that!" Shiho protested as they headed back toward her apartment. "Dinner with BOTH our mothers? How could you promise that?"

Kiba shrugged, looking unrepentant. "That was only after you announced to your own mother that we were having sex together."

Shiho unlocked her door, entered and turned, about to close the door on him.

The dog ninja followed her into the apartment, crowding her out of the doorway before locking the door behind him. "Might as well give your old bed another try, maybe it'll seem bigger this time."

The code-breaker glared at him, but didn't protest much as she left him standing in the hallway, heading for her bedroom. He winced as she slammed the door. Akamaru whimpered and jumped up onto the futon, giving Kiba a cold shoulder.

"Hey!" The Inuzuka pouted. "This is NOT my fault!"

Shiho padded into the living room, petted Akamaru, and headed for the kitchen. She was wearing a pair of plaid pajamas. Kiba rolled his eyes.

"And if you think that we're putting a dent into those condoms you bought, think again!" Shiho said from somewhere in the kitchen.

Kiba's eyes snapped with temper. "That's it!" He gave a small roar, and stalked into the kitchen, grabbing the ice cream container out of Shiho's hands. He negligently tossed it back into the freezer.

"Hey!"

The shinobi turned and glared at his girl, who dared to still look cross at him.

"I was not the one to spill to your mother about us having sex. That was you." Kiba pointed one finger at her, which she snarled at. "I was trying to soothe the moment over and your mother asked about meeting my family. Big deal! It's a dinner, get over it!"

"It is a big deal." Shiho yelled back. "I thought it would take a little while for you to win over my mother, and look at you two! She adores you already!"

Kiba sighed. "You're mad because your mom likes me?"

"Yes!" She screamed, the covered her hand with her mouth. "I mean no."

"Too late." He grinned and slid in closer to her, crowding her against the counter. "Is everything moving too fast for you?" Kiba nearly crooned, pressing gentle kisses against her neck.

"Everything is falling into place!" Shiho moaned, though she leaned into Kiba's comforting arms, settling her head on his shoulder. "I'm a mess everywhere but with codes. How can it all be going so smoothly? Something will go wrong."

"Like announcing that we're having sex to your mother?" He said dryly.

Shiho chuckled. "I messed that up, didn't I?"

"I think your mother about had puppies on the spot." Kiba held her tighter. "I'm lucky that she wasn't serving chicken or turkey, or anything requiring a sharp blade to serve."

"She likes you." Shiho said in a small voice.

Kiba laughed. "Why? Because she didn't throw me out of the house for being a heathen rapist who preyed on her only child?"

Shiho blushed prettily. "Something like that."

He pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. Then on the cheek. Responding to him, she lifted her head and their lips met and clung. "Now. About not using those condoms tonight." He whispered.

"I rescind my objections." She whispered back.

"Spoken like a true librarian." Kiba laughed and leaned in for a far more serious and lengthy kiss.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi was awash in a sea of soft velvety black, her breathing labored and her body glistening with good sweat. The echoes of her last orgasm were still flowing through her shaky limbs.

Swallowing hard, she managed to slit her eyes open as she stared up into Gaara's far too smug face. He pushed her hair out of her face and suddenly she could see him better. "Ass."

His lips didn't turn upward into a smile, but she could see his amusement in his eyes. Reaching up with a shaky hand she tapped his cheek with her palm. "I've lost count. Was that five or five hundred?"

Gaara's lips finally did turn very slightly into a satisfied look. "Four."

"Is that all." Kaji closed her eyes and let her arm fall back to the mattress.

"One more." The red-head proclaimed.

Kaji moaned and rolled onto her stomach. "You're trying to kill me."

Gaara looked down at her bare back and his heart turned over neatly within his chest. He traced the edges of her tattoo, first with his eyes and then his mouth.

She moaned again, but this time not in protest. His breath was whisper soft against her skin, but still it felt so damned good.

"You're mine." He pronounced, looking down at the emblem she'd had etched into her skin. The same symbol that graced his forehead protector. A sign that proclaimed to any and all that she belonged to Suna. And him.

"No. You're mine." Kaji teased without too much emphasis, as she didn't have a whole lot of energy left right now.

Gaara grunted and pulled at his remaining clothing. Nude, he looked over at Kaji as she lay with her head watching him, a smile playing on her kiss-swollen lips. "Are you up for more?"

She responded by stretching like a cat, lifting her knees up under her and arching her back, watching him all the while.

It was all he needed. Rising up behind her, he ran his hands over the tattoo that he so admired, then down to her hips, holding her. Sliding in between her legs, her thighs widened for him, welcoming him.

Nudging her with his erection, her already wet body took him easily. Though her inner muscles were tight and squeezed him like a glove. He moaned and slid home.

Kaji let out a long breath, not believing how deep he felt like right now. Pushing her hips toward him, she dropped her head down and held him within her, squeezing.

Gaara lost his breath as he felt her inner muscles contract like they were doing. He was already riding close to the edge, having had to use supreme effort not to take her already tonight. That control evaporated.

One second he was savoring the feel of her wrapped around him, the next he was thrusting hard and fast, pulling squealing noises from her while his own rasping breath was far from restrained. His eyes focused on the tattoo in front of him, and then down to where his body impaled hers. The sight made him throw back his head and give a wild shout of victory. The sound of a warrior taking what was his, a roar of utter possession.

Gaara could feel the cutting edge of his own orgasm rising up to claim him, but he wasn't ready. Not yet. He pulled out completely, making Hanabi protest even as he flipped her over so that they were face to face.

None too gently he pushed her thighs apart though she wasn't fighting him, instead she was reaching for him. He looked down into her face and penetrated her once more, sliding all the way inside as pale-jade eyes met pale Hyuuga eyes. Neither looked away as he slowed his thrusts, pistoning his hips in a much slower ride that left them both gasping for air.

Her fingers clenched around his shoulders, pulling at him and leaving furrows of scratch marks as she urged him to go faster once more. But Gaara ruthlessly reigned in his body with the supreme skill of one trained to control himself in all situations.

Kaji's eyes narrowed on his. In control was he? She leaned up and deliberately bit his shoulder. Digging in her teeth until she wasn't sure that she hadn't broken his skin.

It was a simple thing. A small pain. But Gaara had grown up never knowing physical pain until later. It was still something unknown to him for the most part. The sensation and all it represented drove him over the edge.

His rhythm became ragged as he started slamming into he hard enough to leave bruises. Kaji didn't care, she reveled in the moment as she screamed out with her final orgasm of the night. The quivering feel of her exploding around him was all Gaara could take. One more thrust and he was spilling inside her, his muscles tight with the exquisite pain of release, a pleasure almost too perfect to be real.

They collapsed together in a sticky heap and she laughed as she pushed him to the side just enough so that she could breathe. "I love you, Gaara. But let a girl get a breath, okay?"

Here in the dark of his bedroom, the scent of their sex mingling together, his control gone. Gaara made a sound. No words, but the sound more like of an animal in pain.

Hanabi stopped, listening. "Gaara?"

He didn't respond.

She turned to look at him. The light from the moon shining in through the window, casting half of his face into shadows. What she saw there though, made her catch her breath. Pain.

Not breathing she reached out to stroke his cheek. His hand caught hers before she could touch him. "Gaara?"

His eyes left their hands and snapped to meet hers. Something feral looked back at her. When she'd pushed him over the edge, pushed him to slip free of his reins ...had she made a mistake. No. Taking a deliberate breath, she stared at him in the night. Just the two of them.

"I love you Gaara." There was no way to say it any plainer than that.

Something shifted behind his gaze, it was suddenly so intimate that her head spun. He really as hers, as she was his. The wrong words right now would end this great warrior. All he'd accomplished, all he'd made of himself, his heart was in her hands. She doubted that he'd ever been closer or more vulnerable to anyone than she as right now.

Without hesitation she repeated the vow. "I love you."

"I ..." The words stalled on his lips with a grating sound.

Hanabi pulled free of his grasp and touched his lips. "You don't have to say it. I know."

Gaara nodded, coming back into himself somewhat. "I need to say this."

She shook her head. "No, you don't. I know how you feel about me."

"I've never spoken these words to anyone else."

Hanabi's eyes misted up, but she couldn't wipe at her tears or it might break the spell of the moment.

He continued in something of a rush, the words tumbling from him in a very uncharacteristic manner. "If something were to happen to you, I'd die."

She nodded, more tears forming despite her best efforts.

Lost in the intimacy of the moment, Gaara pushed himself, trying hard to find the words to express what he'd never thought he'd feel. "I don't know how to love you."

She choked and ran her thumb over his lips. "We'll learn together." She vowed fervently.

Gaara caught her hand in his and the moment was just gone. He was himself again, looking at her with his jade-pale eyes.

If she hadn't been there she might have thought it a dream.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	65. Returning to the Fold

Two Months Later:

Hyuuga Hiashi rudely stared at the kunoichi through the group of people milling around the party. His face showed no expression, but his pale-eyes looked faintly disapproving.

Anko leaned in from her husband's side and followed his gaze, when she saw his target she sighed and patted him absently on the forearm. "She looks happy."

Hiashi merely gave a soft grunt and his head shook ever so slightly. "She should not be out in public at this juncture."

Behind the duo Kankuro gave a quick laugh. "You're old ..." He paused for a deliberate length of time before finishing his statement. "...fashioned."

Hinata looked over at the kunoichi in question. "What's wrong with Shizune? She looks perfectly fine to me. She's not even wearing those horrid pink and red striped boots that everyone else seems to be wearing."

Anko preened a bit. "Like those? Hideous aren't they? You don't know the bribes I had to make to get those shoes made in the first place."

Hinata smiled over at her step-mother. "When are you going to stop wearing awful fashions just to see who will follow the trend?"

Laughing a bit too loudly, as was her wont, Anko's eyes sparkled with wicked enjoyment. "Only when it stops being fun." She nearly purred.

From across the room Kotetsu walked up beside Ibiki and Shizune and shook the torture master's hand and patted Shizune on the stomach with a wide grin. Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "Disgraceful." He muttered.

Looking confused, Hinata looked up at her father. "Why? Because she's out in public while pregnant? She's barely showing at five months."

Kankuro rubbed his wife's back slightly. "Don't mind the crab. It's only because your father is old ..." Again with the pause. "Fashioned."

Anko sighed. "Never repeat jokes, puppet-man. Bad form."

Hiashi shook off his wife's hand and forced a polite nod as someone across the room raised a cup to him in greeting. When he spoke it was low so no one else could hear him. "Pregnant women should not be out in public, they should behave with decorum."

Narrowing her eyes, Anko gave him a glare. "I would have been out and about if not on ordered bedrest while carrying Jishin." She said, referring to their two-year old daughter.

Hiashi grunted again. He had little doubt that she was telling the truth.

"And I'm out and about now." Hinata said so low it was nearly a whisper.

Anko's eyes slid to her step-daughter as her grin widened. Hiashi caught his breath, his faintly disapproving air dissipating as he took a long breath. He even went so far as to pat his daughter on the shoulder for a moment. Another Hyuuga child? Perfect.

Kankuro grinned like the cat who'd snagged the canary. "This will make you a grandfather for the third time over. Old man."

Hiashi only nodded in satisfaction, the words having no ill effect on him.

Kankuro narrowed his eyes, ready to try and get a rise out of his father-by-marriage, a favorite habit of his. "And there's more gray in your hair tonight. Jishin get into your office again to 'help' you with your paperwork?"

"You can't get to me tonight." Hiashi said gruffly, giving his daughter an approving look and ignoring his now redundant son-by-marriage. "This is wonderful news."

The former Sand shinobi considered his options, but falling back was never his strong suit, so he pressed gamely forward. "And with Hanabi on her way to Suna, more grandchildren may be in your future soon."

The elder Hyuuga stopped cold, still upset that Hanabi was on her way to Suna without him. He'd had to wait for some Elder Council meetings to conclude and she'd been unwilling to wait any longer. It had been two months since Gaara had returned to his village and she was anxious to get started on the wedding preparations. Or was that all she was anxious to get started on? The thought was not an easy one for a father to face.

A sharp frown from Hiashi was Kankuro's only reward. But it was enough.

Hinata sighed as she watched her puppeteer gloat inappropriately.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Wiped, Kiba and Akamaru made no attempts at being quiet as they unlocked the door to the apartment. First thing he did was take care of his nin-dog. A full bath could wait until tomorrow, but he brushed the tangles left over from the bramble patch out of Akamaru's shaggy coat.

"Stupid genin." He muttered under his breath. "Fighting with each other and falling like that."

Akamaru gave an affectionate "wuff" and a small series of barks that weren't exactly quiet.

Kiba chuckled. "You're right, we got into worse when we were genin. Don't remind me!" He ran his hand over the nin-dog's coat. "Okay, I think the brambles are all out. Dinner."

Akamaru barked like a puppy and ran to the kitchen as Kiba got out the meat, slicing it up for him as the nin-dog watched greedily. He then sniffed and gave another series of barks.

Kiba laughed and refilled the water dish. "Okay, okay. Yes, while you can wait for a bath I need to get cleaned up. You don't have to remind me that I stink."

Akamaru yipped like he was laughing and went back to his meal.

Entering the bedroom, Kiba stopped and grinned. Shiho was curled up in an overstuffed chair, her hair covered in some kind of goop and she was engrossed in her paperwork spread out over the lap desk. He ate up the sight of her for a long moment before calling out to her.

A soft "hmmm?" was the only response he got. He thought about all the noise he and Akamaru had made coming in and sighed.

"Sweetheart? If I were an enemy ninja, you would be dead by now." He shook his head in wonder at how hard she could focus on something, tuning everything else around her out.

"Hmmm? Wha ...?" Shiho looked up at him and blinked owlishly, then winced and rolled her shoulders.

Kiba grinned and winked at her as he leaned against the dresser, crossing his arms and looking far too good for someone as grimy as he was right now. Shiho blinked again, then shook her head.

"You've been concentrating so hard that you've forgotten everything else." He said teasingly.

Shiho blushed and stood up fast. "Kiba! You're back!" The lap desk slid down to the floor and the blonde's eyes widened as she stamped one foot that had fallen asleep.

Laughing Kiba shook his head at her.

Still blushing, Shiho smiled at him questioningly. "Now I know I haven't been working on this project overnight, so it's not tomorrow yet."

The dog nin raised one eyebrow at her.

Shiho pursed her lips and shook her head. "I mean, I know you weren't due back from your mission until tomorrow." She stooped down to pick up her fallen notes, her hair gleaming slickly in the light.

Kiba sniffed, catching a light floral scent. "What's in your hair?"

"Deep conditioner." Shiho mumbled. "I put it on after I got back from work."

Glancing at the clock, and then out the window where the moon was just rising. Kiba looked back at Shiho. "Working late again?" He saw an empty bottle on the dresser and peered at it before he grinned once more.

"No." His little librarian rolled up some of her notes, tying them into a scroll. "Same time."

Kiba sighed and chuckled at the same time. "Meaning you've missed dinner completely. Again."

Shiho looked up and one hand went to her stomach. "Oh. Well, I ..." Not able to come up with an excuse she frowned. "Yeah, I guess so."

"And how long where you supposed to keep the conditioner on your hair?" He asked gently as he picked up the empty bottle and tossed it to her.

Shiho caught the conditioner bottle. "Thirty minutes, why?" Then suddenly her eyes went round and she spun to look outside at the moon. "Oh no!"

Kiba laughed outright as his personal code-breaker rushed into the bathroom to wash the goop out of her hair. Goop that had been on for a couple of hours at least.

Akamaru 'woofed' from behind him, questioningly.

"No boy, it's alright." Kiba grinned. "It just looks like I'll need to wait on taking my own shower." He paused as he looked speculatively at the bathroom door. "Or maybe not. I am awfully dirty, right boy?"

Clothes hit the floor near the hamper as Kiba quickly stripped himself bare and went to surprise Shiho in the shower.

Akamaru 'woofed' again and wagged his tail happily as he went back to the main room to take a nap on the futon. He ignored Shiho's sudden shriek, just as a good few minutes later he ignored even more noise coming from the bathroom. He sighed in doggy contentment.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're cutting it close." Gaara said in his usual dry tone. "The ceremony is tomorrow."

Naruto gave a cheesy grin, rocking back and forth slightly on his feet. "Yeah, well, there was a last minute ...request."

The red-headed Kazekage simply stared at the blond shinobi, waiting for more information. When none seemed forthcoming, he finally spoke up. "I trust that there was no difficulties with the Elder Council? I thought this matter settled."

"No, no! Nothing like that!" Naruto laughed like he knew a secret. "The Council was fine."

Sakura snorted and shook her head. "If you call three weeks of late meetings with ranting and raving on both sides being 'fine'. Sure. The Council had no problems with Naruto becoming a Godfather."

"So where are the little tykes?" Naruto asked, looking around Gaara's office like his new Godchildren would be hiding out under the furniture somewhere.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's getting close to eleven. At night. I'm sure they're asleep."

Deflated, Naruto nodded. "Sure."

"I'm sure they'll love you."

The husky voice from just outside his office had Gaara's eyes widening and for a moment, he forgot to breathe. "Kaji?"

A certain bone-masked kunoichi poked her head around the corner. "Suprise. I'm the last minute request by the way, in case you hadn't guessed already. I got tired of the delays and excuses and got Neji to help push through my travel papers."

Naruto laughed and rocked back on his heels, his hands behind his head as he gloated. "You didn't know she was out there, did you? Hanabi has been practicing her chakra suppression. Sakura said that'd you would notice anyway. I bet her that you wouldn't. I won and now Sakura has to pay up!"

Sakura shot him an evil glare.

Naruto's smile slipped. "Or not."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Inuzuka Hana watched with interest as the young lady stalked away from her escort, who looked completely blank. She gave a wry smile as she walked up toward Sai. "Rough night?"

The artist-nin cut his eyes to the veterinarian. "Not really." He sounded aloof.

"But your date just walked out on you." Hana pointed out the obvious.

Sai shrugged as if it didn't matter. "It happens."

"Apparently it happens a lot." Hana cocked her head to one side and studied the shinobi before her. "Word is getting around."

Sai looked over at her and slowly blinked. "Naruto told me that I might have to date several women before finding one that I could see myself with."

Hana took a deep breath and shook her head. "Yes. Date. As in getting to know one another. But, Sai ...seriously ...have you ever had a second date?"

The dark-haired ninja thought about it a moment and then shook his head negatively. "No. But does that matter?" He asked curiously detached sounding.

Staring at him, Hana thought about it for a long moment. "You know, I just thought it was funny that you were socially inept, but ...it goes deeper than that, doesn't it?"

Sai didn't answer, just looked at her in his detached way. No. Detached was wrong. Emotionless? No. Hana settled on observant. He was watching, taking in everything and giving away nothing. Hana reached out and snagged a drink off a tray as the server passed the duo. Sipping it, she started to observe him instead.

Used to having the other person break the silence, often feeling unnerved, Sai found the Inuzuka to be different. She didn't feel awkward in silence. So he and Hana just ...watched one another. Long moments passed, and Hana even finished her drink.

Finally, the Inuzuka pointed a finger at him. "How do you choose your dates? And why?"

Sai shrugged. "They're there."

Hana nodded. "So it doesn't matter whom you ask out? You have no parameters?"

"No." Sai agreed. "It doesn't matter."

"Liar." She verbally poked him.

The artist shinobi narrowed his eyes very slightly. "I am not a liar."

Hana put her glass down and held up one finger. "If you have no parameters, then have any of your dates been older than 40?" When Sai shook his head, she continued. "Older than 30?" Again with the shaking of the head. "Younger than 15?"

Sai frowned, knowing that he had not.

Hana continued. "Guess what?"

Sai frowned a bit more. "I do have parameters?" He hazarded.

"Sorry to break it to you, but subconsciously you do have some parameters." Hana gave him a gentler look. "Now then, why do you want to date anyone?"

No answer from Sai as he pictured Naruto with Sakura, Kakashi and Sakura's mother, and of course Kiba and Shiho. Why did he want that? He wasn't even sure. But they all had ...something. And it eluded him. And intrigued him at the same time.

"Now. You draw. So, how do you choose your subject matter? The prettiest things you see?"

Sai shook his head. "No. Pretty doesn't interest me. It's meaningless. Too fragile."

Hana nodded, knowing what he meant. Her husband had been good looking, but scratch beneath the surface and she found nothing but bitter ashes. The jerk. "So what makes you want to draw someone?"

"They have to be interesting. To me." Sai told her bluntly.

Hana nodded and patted his arm before leaving him to his thoughts. "So. Choose your next date the same way. Don't just ask anyone, look for someone who is interesting. To you."

Sai watched the Inuzuka heir leave and move lithely through the crowded room. He looked over at where Lee was laughing with that former Cloud kunoichi. His glance cut to the left and he saw Ibiki and his wife, talking to Kankuro and Hinata.

He grunted. He had been going about it all wrong. Now. How to figure out who interested him when nothing interested him, at least not yet.

o.O.o.O.o.O

At the tap on his door, Shino looked up, not surprised to see his father. The kikai had warned him of Shibi's approach after all. "You're up late." He commented.

The elder Aburame shrugged and nodded toward the closed bedroom door with a lift of his chin, asking without asking.

"Temari is resting." Shino said gently.

Shibi gave a soft grunting sound. "Six months now." He commented.

Both men nodded and looked at the closed doors. Temari was into her sixth month of pregnancy and so far ...so good. This was the longest she'd ever been able to carry though. Each day was a day of both hope and fear.

"I try not to be happy about it." Shino said quietly. "As if I was, then it would be ruined."

"I will send more of the clan home next week." Shibi said, accepting his son's words but not wanting to tread on the emotional minefield. "That leaves me and five others, not counting my aunt."

"The Kazekage will be relieved." The Aburame heir mentioned lightly, deliberately accepting the turn in the conversation. "Though, I would like to request you not send Katsumaru home just yet."

Suprised, Shibi looked at his son for a long moment. "Why?" He asked simply. "My grandson needs to train seriously, train in the Aburame ways. There are too many eyes here in Suna. He wasn't even supposed to come with us in the first place."

Shino nodded. "I know. But ...father. Temari's moods, well they're better. But with each day that passes her tension grows. As if she's waiting for something awful and it's just a question of when and not if she loses this child. She's afraid to hope."

Shibi sighed, nodding. He'd seen this too.

"But Katsumaru can get her to laugh, even when I can't. He ...there's something about him, he eases her." Shino looked up at his father and even with the dark glasses still in place, the man could read the tension on his son's face. It wasn't just Temari who was hurting.

The elder Aburame nodded. "Fine. He can stay. It will all be over in three months and then we can all go home." He said with conviction. Stating his faith that the child would carry full term.

Shino looked away, feeling some of his own growing fear leeched away. Slowly he unclenched his hands.

"You need to rest too, son." Shibi watched his son with more than his eyes, using his kikai too.

Shino gave a bark of a chuckle that had nothing to do with mirth. "I'll rest in three months." He promised.

Shibi gave a chuckle that was closer to the real thing. "Son? When the baby comes? That's when there is NO rest. So grab it now, while you still can."

And somehow, hearing his father say that he believed the baby would be fine, even though Shibi would have no way of knowing ...it still helped.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu smiled, an expression that would have made children wet themselves and adults flee in terror. But no one was around to witness his smile.

From his hiding place within Suna itself, Yurasu felt like dancing. Kaji was back, and though it had been awful waiting for her return ...it had given him time to put things into place. A plan.

All he had to do was to set things in motion. So. He needed Kaji alone? Great. A distraction. Something to pull everyone away. To put everyone in a panic. But not just everyone. He needed the Kazekage distracted, and absent from Kaji's side.

This time he wouldn't be going after a small target. Not Mizu or Tei, though they were back in Suna for a visit too. No. They weren't big enough.

For this, he needed someone close to the Kazekage. Very, very close. That would have been hard normally, but fate had played into his hands.

He had the perfect victim in mind.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	66. A Perfect Day

"I'm meeting some of the other genin team leaders, don't know when we'll be done. Discussing training methods for helping them make chuunin." Kiba yawned, and so did Akamaru at his side. "But should be done by two."

They were so cute mirroring each other that Shiho nearly laughed. "Chuunin exams are nearly a year from now." She reasonably pointed out.

Kiba shrugged. "Yeah, and I can teach fighting methods, but how do you teach 'leadership' and 'battlefield analysis' to genin more interested in if some girl likes their hair or not?" He shook his head. "None of my team were that bad back when we were genin. Definitely not."

"Back when we were genin? Stop sounding like you're an old man now." Shiho frowned slightly. "I'm sure you'll be fine, you're a great sensei. And I can meet you at the ...store later." She gave him a small glare for reminding her that she should be upset with him. This shopping trip shouldn't have been necessary. "Besides, it gives me time to get my hair fixed." She cocked a thumb back over her shoulder at the salon they were standing in front of.

Kiba eyed the flat, straight, limp honey-colored mess and nodded. "Next time, if the goop you're using says leave it on for a half hour, don't forget and leave it on for several hours. Okay?"

Shiho gave a pursed lip pout and Kiba swooped in to take advantage with a rough, if quick kiss. "Later." He grumbled, then grinned outright. "At the store." He teased her.

The code-breaker pushed him away, but he didn't budge until he'd stolen another kiss and she was smiling at his antics. The bell of the salon jingled merrily as she entered, waiting at the front desk for the receptionist, who looked up with a smile.

"How can we help you today?" The young brunette receptionist asked cheerfully.

"You can't." A snide voice said from inside the salon.

Shocked, both Shiho and the receptionist turned to stare at the blond woman currently getting her hair trimmed. The woman gave a nasty little smirk at Shiho. "She's beyond help."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki poked his head into the nursery, watching as his wife slowly looked up from where she was feeding baby Kochi his bottle.

"I have to report to the Kazekage's office and then meet with some trading merchants this afternoon." He informed his wife.

Kimiko nodded and smiled, tilting her head up to point with her chin. "Take Harusame with you, she wanted to go to the school early to practice her new jutsu. I think she wants to show it off to Gaara and Naruto tonight." She mentioned the children's two Godfathers.

Baki grunted and nodded, secretly proud that his six-year old adopted daughter was working on wind jutsu. She didn't really have a talent for wind especially, but she was determined and he had to admit she was actually making some progress. Still he'd have to take time out to work with her one on one to find out in what area her capabilities were the strongest. He suspected it would be fire, but they needed to train some more first.

"Make sure the Elder Council knows what time to be ready tonight!" Kimiko called after her husband, wanting the ceremony to formally name the Godfathers to go smoothly.

"Don't worry so much, it will be fine." Baki waved one hand as he went out the door. Everything for tonight was already set up. With his wife's meticulous planning, nothing would go wrong.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Miss!" The receptionist looked shocked as Takizawa Ise turned to stare fully at Shiho standing in the front area of the salon.

Kiba's former girlfriend waved one hand in front of her face as if to brush off a nagging insect. "Don't worry about my rudeness, it isn't as if the cow is up to par with your usual clientèle. She doesn't belong."

Shiho stared at the other young women, stung by the words, but more so just curious as to what was behind this attack.

Ise didn't seemed bothered by Shiho's lack of reaction, she just smiled her nasty smile a bit bigger is all. "Kissing a man in public? A shinobi known for playing around with the ladies? One who is never serious and not the settling down kind? One who never introduced his dates to any member of his family other than is dog? Congratulations, you've graduated from cow to whore. There's only one reason he'd be hanging around a cow like you... it's so he can get the milk for free." She looked the code-breaker up and down, sneering at the limp hair. "Kiba must be desperate these days."

Shiho cocked her head slightly to one side, ignoring the burn of the verbal attack. "Jealous are you? Since you couldn't hold on to Kiba? I can't help that you can only interest men in the short term."

Ise sucked in a deep breath, the blush not really pretty on her more sallow complexion. She was more than a little taken aback, the little blond looked so quiet and shy it was kind of a shock to find out that she could bite back. Still, Ise wasn't one to back down. She held up one hand and waggled her fingers, showing off her wedding ring. "How's that for short term? Cow!"

Crossing her arms, Shiho shrugged. "I'm so happy for you. I hope the wedding was nice and so glad to see that you've gotten rid of that lice problem you had."

The hairdresser and receptionist both took a long step back from Ise at the word 'lice'.

"That was two YEARS ago!" Hissed Ise.

"Yes. It was two years ago." Shiho slid in the verbal jab. "And I'm still with Kiba." She exaggerated, not stating out loud that back then the two of them had not actually been dating. Ise really didn't need to know that. "So much for the not serious and settling down type of guy. He seems to have settled himself in my life quite comfortably actually. In fact, after I'm done here ...he's taking me shopping."

Ise sucked in a harsh breath, her eyes bugging out slightly. "The Inuzuka? Shopping with a woman? You're a liar!" He'd certainly never taken her shopping! No matter how much she'd begged prettily. "Not for an engagement ring. I'll bet anything you name that you're not engaged."

Shiho shrugged. "As if the opinion of an idiot like you means anything to me." She leveled her blue eyed gaze on the other woman and went in for the kill. "No. Not engagement rings. A bed. Together, for the two of us. For our home. Together."

Everyone listening held their breath, but the code-breaker didn't care that she was admitting in public that she and Kiba were sleeping together. Quiet she may be, but shy never entered into it at all. She was a blunt and to the point kind of person.

"A bed?" Ise said with a smirk. "You are a little whore after all."

Shiho pinned her with a gaze and continued. "Yes. He may have tired of you after a few weeks or months. But after two years, he's still so vigorously interested in me that he broke my bed last night and we need a new one. Picked out together."

The meaning couldn't have been more clear. Shiho had just thrown down the gauntlet that Ise was awfully bad in bed , too bad to keep a man interested. Ise's face went scarlet red, then ashen white with shock.

Turning to the receptionist, Shiho gave a fake smile of apology. "I'm sorry. With the level of clients you obviously have here, I can no longer use the services of this salon. And neither will any Inuzuka, I can assure you." She promised rashly, but Shiho figured it was a good bet that neither Hana nor Tsume were the salon type anyway. So it was unlikely that they'd come here in the first place.

"You ...you ...you can't make promises for his clan!" Ise shouted, all pretense at civility gone.

Shiho turned back to the other girl as she paused in the doorway leading out of the salon. "I assure you that I can on a matter such as this." She brazenly lied, then went for broke. "See? Unlike you, Kiba does think enough of me to introduce me to his entire family."

With that, she swept through the door with her head, and her limp hair, held up high.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari laughed as little Katsumaru ran circles around her while they were out taking a walk in the park next to where she and Shino had taken a small apartment for while they were in Suna. It sure beat staying at the hospital. Shino's nephew grinned at her and quick-stepped to the edge of a rooftop overlooking the park.

"See? I can too do it!" The little boy laughed grinned.

Shino sighed and leaned back in the shade as Temari sipped her fruit juice. "He's getting his energy back." He said dryly.

Temari shrugged. "He's adjusting the the hive?" She guessed.

Shino nodded silently. Every hive-bearing Aburame was born with a surplus of chakra and was usually bouncing off walls all over the family compound up until receiving their initial kikai hive. The destruction beetles fed off chakra and new hives were usually ravenous as they set about molding the chakra pathways in their hosts to best suit their needs. It was a completely symbiotic relationship. But while a host adjusted to their first hive of kikai, their energy levels plummeted.

"You feel up to going tonight?" Shino asked quietly, not wanting to provoke his wife's temper. Her mood swings had been a bit on the intense side recently.

"Miss Gaara becoming a Godfather? I'm fine and I'll be there." Temari said firmly, but without heat, her temper not even rising.

"I can't believe the Konoha council agreed to let Naruto be the second God-parent." Shino commented with only a hint of dryness. "Still, I think it's a good move politically."

"Screw politics, Gaara and Naruto are the only natural choices." Temari sighed and reached for her glass. "I'd forgotten how dry the heat is here in Suna compared to Konoha." Temari sipped her juice as she relaxed with her husband.

"Too hot?" Shino asked, his ears perking up as he glanced at his six-months pregnant wife as she ignored him to wave at little Katsumaru who was showing off for her. She didn't look distressed and he forced himself to relax.

"No. I'm fine." Temari smiled and applauded lazily as Katsumaru flipped off the roof to land on a nearby bench. Usually she was chafing at the enforced 'rest' she was getting during her pregnancy. But today she was in a good mood and for no specific reason. So she leaned back and then smiled, grabbing Shino's hand to press over her swollen belly as the baby kicked and turned within her.

Both parents-to-be smiled, just enjoying the lazy day.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well, that's that." Kaji rolled up the scroll and handed it to Gaara's secretary to make copies. "We're as good as married." She yawned and stretched like a kitten.

The red-headed Kazekage eyed her and shook his head. "The ceremony isn't for two months."

"Details, details." Kaji blew off his reminder as being a petty detail. "The marriage contracts are all signed. Ceremony or not, we're basically married." She grinned at him as she lolled in her chair and made a come-hither motion with her finger. "Wanna get stared on the honeymoon?"

Michi coughed and turned his head to one side as Rocks looked up at the ceiling and whistled. Baki ignored everyone and continued reading some trading missives. And one poor elderly council member actually looked shocked, his mouth gaping open like a hooked fish.

Choosing to ignore her incendiary behavior, even though he'd really rather be taking her up on her offer, Gaara gave her a small frown and turned to the elder. "Everything is in readiness for tonight's ceremony?"

The elder, grateful to move on to another subject nodded. "Yes, Kazekage-domo." He bowed his head respectfully. "Everything is in order."

Gaara grunted as Kaji rolled her eyes, but no one noticed since she was wearing her bone mask once more now that she was back in Suna, having arrived late yesterday.

"Good." The red-head nodded. "Baki? I need you to meet with those traders. Something seems wrong in their attitudes, and I've had a request from some to leave the village earlier than planned. The ones connected to the Earth Country." He paused significantly. "Relations between Suna and the Village Hidden in the Rocks has not been the same since they attempted to take advantage of the Cloud Village's attack on the former Akatsuki fortress."

The wind-master nodded and headed for the door. Gaara frowned as he saw his former teacher still limping. The ankle he'd damaged in the fight against Shukaku had never fully healed. He could walk, but the joint would never stand up to the rigors of a shinobi fight.

"Mizu? Tei?" Gaara continued, addressing Michi and Rokuro by the names they'd gone by when they'd lived in Suna. "Meet with Naruto and make sure that he knows his role for tonight's ceremony." The blonde shinobi was great with battles, training, and all sorts of things. But formal events really weren't his forte.

The Suna council elder looked around, a bit alarmed to see the office emptying out. He was the only one left with Gaara and his betrothed. He squared his rather bony shoulders and shook his head. "I will not be leaving you without a proper chaperone." He announced, looking at neither Kaji nor the Kazekage.

Gaara grunted just as his secretary swept in to announce he had the third quarter budget figures for the Kazekage to look over as well as the latest requests for shinobi missions.

The elder sputtered a moment, obviously flustered as he realized that Gaara hadn't been necessarily trying to set up a romantic interlude, but was actually doing his job. And that the Kazekage's office in the middle of a busy day was never really private in the first place.

Kaji laughed, though not ungently, and stood. "Don't worry so much, besides I need to run. Two months until the wedding? I need to meet with the seamstress about the wedding kimono."

Relieved that the strange young kunoichi hadn't taken him to task for his jumping to conclusions, the elder nodded at her. "You didn't have the kimono made in Konoha?"

"Father about had a fit, but I wanted the wedding to be completely Suna. Only some of the guests will belong to the Leaf Village." Hanabi told the elder, though her eyes were fixed on Gaara. Only she saw the twitch at the corner of his mouth that indicated that her words pleased him.

The elder nodded. "And the bride of course." He gave her a smile as he bowed his head in her direction. "But she will soon belong to Suna. Soon."

Kaji paused as if to argue the point, but dropped it as she instead walked up to Gaara and invaded his personal space. For a moment the elder was sure he was about to witness a completely inappropriate display of affection, but Kaji merely smiled and took a deep breath. As if inhaling Gaara's scent. "Soon." She echoed the elder's word and turned to walk out of the office without looking back.

The elder suddenly gasped as he got a good look at Kaji's exposed back, and her blatant tattoo. He looked back at his Kazekage but read no surprise there. Obviously Gaara knew about the symbol of Suna gracing the back of his betrothed.

"Maybe she already belongs to Suna." The elder commented.

Gaara didn't respond, turning away to deal with the plethora of paperwork covering his desk. But deep inside, a flame of contentment burned.

Everything was going as it should.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho was window shopping as she waited for Kiba to join her. She smiled as she looked at the smooth fall of her newly restored hair. It hadn't hurt to go to another salon after all, though she'd had to pay a bit more to get worked in on short notice.

Suddenly there was a Kiba-like reflection in the window and she turned, smiling up at the real deal. "Hey."

Rough hands settled on her waist as the dog ninja gave her a swift kiss. "Ready?"

Shiho nodded as the two headed into the furniture store to be regaled by all the different choices in beds. Innersprings. Foam. Memory. Pillowtops. It was a good thing she'd done her research on the matter first!

"Sorry I'm running behind." Kiba apologized as a salesman spotted them and headed their way with an easy smile.

"No problem, I was a bit behind too. Had to take care of something before I could get my hair done." Shiho commented. "I had to get a bit catty."

Puzzled, Kiba was about to ask what she meant by that when the salesman arrived, going into his welcome speech.

Shiho looked up at her guy and smiled. She thought about today and realized that Ise had done her a huge favor. Any doubts that she'd had about Kiba and his feelings for her were suddenly gone. The former girlfriend had clarified everything, even though that hadn't been her intention of course.

For the first time she could look into the future and realize that there was no 'maybe' about Kiba being a huge part of it. They were buying a bed together. There were more of his things in her apartment than there were at his home.

Kiba nodded at the salesman and then looked down at Shiho, his arm still around her waist. "What do you think?"

"I'm in love with you." She said bluntly, making the salesman smile and step back for a moment.

The dog nin's eyebrows shot up. "I meant about the style of bed, but hey ...I can deal."

"Don't care about the style as long as it's reinforced for extra strength." Shiho said dryly, thinking of the shattered supports of her last bed.

Kiba laughed and called the salesman back over.

Shiho leaned up next to Kiba and let him negotiate, not even mentioning her research. They'd wing this decision and be just fine.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The first hint of trouble went without too much alarm. Baki frowned as he watched the Earth Country traders as they consulted among themselves. Their reasons for this meeting were spurious at best. And yet he'd been tied up here for over an hour now. And with no end in sight. It never occurred to him the whole reason for meeting with him now was to make sure where he was, and that he couldn't interfere.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The kikai bugs felt the second hint of trouble as unusual chakra patterns strayed too close to their hosts. Still, that was nothing unusual as they were not at home in the Aburame family compound, but in a foreign village.

Still, their little bodies started buzzing a bit more than usual.

Katsumaru didn't notice, as new as he was to his hive. But Shino did. The Aburame heir sat up slowly, on alert. His father suddenly stepped outside of the apartment to join them, leaving his correspondence on the desk.

Father and son looked at one another. In the past two months they'd responded to a lot of false alarms. But the were Aburame with basically a queen to protect. They didn't slack off just because all such alerts so far had turned out to be nothing. Still, they didn't snap immediately on the defensive as they didn't want to upset or startle Temari.

Half-asleep in the shade, the object of their protective instincts blinked her teal-eyes. "Shino?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

As a civilian, Kimiko missed any sign that there was danger. She was just picking up a fussy Kochi who had awoken early from his nap when she frowned, sensing she was no longer alone. Thinking it might be Baki home early, she started to turn.

She didn't have time to scream.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The first big sign of trouble though, no one missed.

One moment Harusame was practicing her jutsu and the next she was screaming loudly as she was grabbed from behind. Her screams cut short as she was struck and she fell totally boneless into unconsciousness. The other students arriving for afternoon class though, didn't stop screaming as the abductor leaped away.

Their instructor was two steps behind while another teacher rushed in to see what had happened. It wasn't enough.

The moment the abductor was clear, the exploding demolition tags ignited, bringing the school down on top of everyone inside.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hearing the explosion, Baki turned and it was only years of training and experience that saved his life as one of the Earth Country traders released the henge that hid him, sending poisoned projectiles to where the wind-master had just been sitting. The one-eyed shinobi had moved without thought at the first hint of displacement in the air around him.

He was three steps away and turning to attack when an arm came up from the ground below him to grab his weakened ankle. Damned Earth style jutsu! Baki winced, but managed to kick free and take down two attackers.

But when he landed a few feet away, his ankle buckled under him, unable to sustain his weight. The other three attackers approached, grinning.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara frowned, already on his way toward the school before the dust from the initial blast had even started to fall. What the hell had happened? Attack or natural disaster? He pushed away all thought, settling on attack. That had been an explosion. But whom?

Kaji ran from the seamstress' shop, dropping the sample book of fabrics as she hurried toward the sound of the blast.

Mizu and Tei, along with Naruto and Sakura looked at each other. Naruto sprang up and pointed toward the Suna gates. Saying without saying that the two should help reinforce the village's defenses. The two younger shinobi nodded and took off as Naruto and Sakura moved from unspoken accord to where the school had once stood.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kikai bugs surrounded the area as Shibi called Katsumaru toward them just as the attack began. Masked shinobi surrounded them.

Temari stood, reaching for her fan weapon, only to stop in mid motion as she realized that she wasn't carrying it. She scowled, not liking to leave fighting to others. The baby within her kicked and her hands went automatically to cover her womb as she glared at the men who dared to attack them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

From his vantage point, Yurasu smiled. So much mayhem! He loved it. To bad he'd had nothing to do with it. Or maybe that wasn't exactly true. It had been he that had gotten covert information to the Village Hidden in the Rocks letting them know who the next Suna demon vessel was, and where the child was to be found.

He'd left the rest to them.

The S-class criminal who was supposedly 'dead' rubbed his hands together. This was perfect! He'd known that the Rock Village, after being stopped at the Akatsuki fortress, would be more than interested in acquiring the new Sand Demon vessel for themselves. But the attacks on the Kazekage's sister? And the grabbing of the vessel's sister? It was GREAT misdirection!

And what worked for the stupid Rock Village ninja, would work even better for him! Now everyone would be looking to protect the children, not looking to surround his Kaji. She'd be part of it, and when she disappeared, it would take a while before anyone would guess that Yurasu wasn't as dead as everyone thought.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Cliffhanger? Well ...yeah! Sorry about that!


	67. Eight

Razan had one hand up to knock on the door when he heard the explosion. His first reaction was to look over in the direction of the blast. Sand, debris and smoke. His second reaction was to rush over to lend a hand for whatever might have happened.

One foot even lifted in preparation for a quick leap to a nearby ledge, and from there ...the rooftops of Suna.

The next second his foot was placed carefully back on the ground without making a sound. Razan had recently been ranked as a special jounin for Suna. Something he'd celebrated once, and hoped to have another celebration with his on-again-off-again boyfriend, Mizu. Or Michi as he was called in his native Leaf village. Mizu was Leaf. What a kick that had turned out to be.

Razan had no reason not to rush off, but he knew the blast would bring help running from all over Suna. But ...but ...what if that was the intention of the explosion? He'd used a similar technique on his jounin exam.

So. If this wasn't some natural disaster, then ...Razan chewed his lip uncertainly. Not the gates. That blast had come from around the area of the Academy school. So ...

His feet were in the air and moving before he even finished the though, his current business forgotten completely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara had no problem pushing through the crowd surrounding the remains of what had been the Suna Academy. The school had been reduced to rubble.

Rubble that was currently being pulled away by frantic looking parents and others who had responded to the noise of the explosion. One strongman had managed to wrestle a chunk of wall up and was pulling it from the pile when his foot slipped. The 'ground' he was standing on was also made up of debris and wasn't solid ...or safe. He fell, the chunk of wall coming down on top of him.

Until it stopped as sand exploded to catch both he and the piece of rubble, pulling both to safety. Relieved looks and murmurs flew around the area.

"The Kazekage's here!"

Tension levels didn't drop, but there was a burst of confidence in the crowd that made Gaara's eyes prick suddenly. His people had faith in him. Trusted him. He shook off the feeling and concentrated, feeling for chakra patterns below.

His sand crept through the crevices and spaces within the rubble, supporting, pulling, moving through and down to the life he could still sense beneath the destruction. Suddenly he became aware of a hand on his shoulder, a bit startled that he'd allowed anyone this close, he looked out of the corner of his eyes. Then he relaxed as he realized who was there and had his back.

Kaji concentrated as she peered through the debris that had once been a building, a school. "They're alive. Toshi is there and has formed some sort of barrier. But a barrier that strong is draining his chakra fast." She said, mentioning the main ninja instructor. Suddenly she pointed. "Over there, though, two students are trapped away from the main group. One is badly injured, his chakra looks sluggish."

"How many dead?" He asked, having to ask.

Kaji shook her head. She could only see the chakra levels of those still alive. There were too many odd shapes within the piles of debris to pick out bodies without the tell-tale energy flowing through them.

Gaara grunted. Priorities. Toshi was protecting a main group of students, but tiring. Two students off to the side, injured and needing help fast. His sand was taking up the weight of the debris, but there was so much of it.

Suddenly there was the sound of cracking knuckles and Gaara's eyes slid to the side. Naruto looked determined as he flashed through the hand signs of his kage-bunshin and just like that, there were orange clad blonds all over the debris field, digging in.

He saw Sakura talking to some of the Suna medics that had rushed over to the site and he nodded. They would get through this.

Kaji shifted her weight beside him. "This is a distraction."

"Maybe." He said. Might not be, but it probably was. "I've sent reinforcements to the walls, and to guard the new demon vessel."

"But without knowing the target ..." Kaji's voice trailed off as she looked vaguely eastward. "Kochi's house is too far and with too many houses and people in the way." She said mentioning the name of the infant Baki had adopted, Suna's new demon vessel.

A shout went up from the crowd as some of the debris gave way and formed a mini-avalanche. People leaped free, others were pulled clear. The dust hadn't even settled before they were back digging down toward the trapped students below.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"They are clones." Shibi said under his breath.

Shino nodded, he'd already figured that out. Earth clones. Solid, more like golems brought to life than shadow clones. These didn't 'poof' out when hit, being too sturdy for that. They could and did go inert in battle, but could be brought back with the slightest touch of chakra by their maker.

Shibi was sending out kikai bugs, trying to seek out the hiding places of the Earth style ninja controlling the clones.

The smallest Aburame squeaked as some poisoned darts flew right at his six-year old head. Temari cursed as she upended the round wooden table that had held her juice. The darts 'thunked' into the wood. But it proved unnecessary as the boy was no longer where he'd been.

Katsumaru looked up at his grandfather who hadn't appeared to move, then he looked back at the spot where he'd been standing seconds ago. The young boy blushed as he realized that he'd made a noise of surprise. "Sorry." He whispered, a little in awe over how quick his grandfather could move. Shibi didn't answer, but tightened his hand on his little grandson's shoulder for a second to let the boy know he'd heard. His eyes were still scanning for their enemy.

Temari looked around them and scowled. They were in a small secluded park. Open. But beyond that was a busy marketplace of stalls, tents, and wooden carts. Umbrellas to hold off the desert sun. Banners and flags everywhere. Too many places to hide.

Five clones approached them slowly, grinning evilly.

Shibi and Shino automatically stepped in front of Temari and Katsumaru. It was a toss up for who was most upset by this protective move. The boy was embarrassed to be considered too weak to fight and his blush intensified as he poked out his bottom lip.

Temari on the other hand, narrowed her eyes dangerously.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki neatly broke the man's neck even as several Suna guards burst through the chakra reinforced door. Once the man died, so had his special 'lock' that had been keeping reinforcements out.

The two remaining Rock Village ninja backed up a step, suddenly no longer faced with just a lame, over-the-hill ninja with only one good leg and one good eye.

Baki didn't even look at his guards. "Find the Kazekage. Inform him of this. Meet with our black ops team and search the village. Start with the home of our vessel." He didn't mention that was HIS home. "The explosion?"

"The school." One guard snapped.

Baki grunted, suddenly sick at his stomach knowing Harusame had been at the school this morning. "Go now." He couldn't afford to deal with 'what-if's' right at this moment. He had to trust in the response of the guards to an attack. And with his ankle currently on fire with pain, he couldn't race off to check on his wife and children on his own.

All of which served only to make him angry. His one good eye narrowed on the ninja who had attacked him.

The guards nodded and sped away, leaving Baki alone to face off against the younger, uninjured fighters all on his own. The two Rock Village ninja glanced at each other and grinned. That was just before the dancing wind ninjutsu nearly took off their heads.

They fell back, one touching the blood dripping down his neck in disbelief. They looked at each other again, this time a bit more grimly.

Maybe the one-eyed guy wasn't quite as over-the-hill as they'd originally thought.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Razan didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as he burst through the door of Baki's house, wincing at the thought of explaining himself if nothing was wrong.

That thought vanished as he burst in just as one man was holding Kochi like a sack of apples and another had a blade running across Kimiko's throat. Just at the start of the slice, Razan threw a kunai at the man's hand holding the woman's hair, and a punch right at the man's sternum.

The foreign ninja hissed, as if surprised the kunai was in his hand holding her hair and not the one holding the blade. His hand wavered, tilting Kimiko's chin up toward the ceiling but not stopping the path of the blade as it ran sickeningly across her throat. He dropped the bleeding and unconscious woman to die on the floor in a heap. He looked down at the arm still extended across half the room and connecting to his sternum.

It was an extension of Razan's real arm, made of something he wasn't sure quite what it was. He laughed, and cut the material in half.

Razan pulled back into a defensive stance, the strange material retreating back into his gloved fist. The remaining portion remained stuck to the other man's chest. Razan ran through a quick series of hand seals and the foreign ninja stopped smiling.

"What the hell?" He muttered, looking down at the blood now dripping from his chest. Small trickles, assuredly, but still blood. He eyed the spikes that had grown from the material and snarled. "Cactus. He uses cactus for his jutsu. Hardly fatal. A mere sting ..."

Razan smiled with feral satisfaction and finished the last hand seal.

The other man's grunt turned into a wheeze and then into a death rattle as the small spikes piercing his chest suddenly expanded over fifty times in width, and even longer in length. He now looked like a pin cushion. A bleeding pincushion.

His eyes glazed over before he fell to the ground. "This brat is the vessel, not the other one. Our source was telling the truth. Don't fight, go!"

The other man took off, but not running. He leaped through the window until he was standing away from the porch, on solid ground. Then the man sank right before Razan's eyes. The Suna ninja cursed vividly and ran through another series of hand signs just as the other guards sent by Gaara showed up.

One man knelt down by the bleeding woman. "Missed the jugular, I think." He sounded surprised as he worked to make sure she had an adequate airway.

"I hit him while he cut her, it was enough. Maybe. Made his hand jerk upward, tilt the chin to separate the two main arteries." Simple anatomy. The movies always got it wrong, you want to slice a throat? Tilt the chin down, not up. Razan growled, angry that one had gotten away but glad that he'd saved Kimiko, again with the maybe. "The other one sank into the ground with the infant. Earth style." He paused and took a deep breath. "He has the vessel."

"The guards around the house are all dead." The other Suna ninja scowled deeply just as Suna's version of black op ninja arrived. He quickly explained what little they knew.

One of the cowled and masked ninja stepped up next to Razan. "Tracking?" The black ops were aware of the Razan's abilities to track items underground using a form of complicated jutsu. Something about the displacement of minerals underground. It was an ability Razan had been taught by his father years ago, a jutsu especially developed for fighting against those who could melt into the ground itself. Suna and the Rock Village were historically not always on the friendly side.

Razan nodded. "Following his path through the ground until he comes up. He may be trained to travel that way, but the infant isn't. Even with breathing filters I'm hoping he'll need to come up for air soon...there he is." He frowned. "Near the eastern gate. Outside the gate."

The black ops ninja nodded. It made sense. The eastern gate was the closest and traveling with an infant was probably difficult. He looked at the ninja around him and pointed toward the fallen and still bleeding woman, and to one of the guards who nodded. Everyone else took off after the attackers as he moved to get her to the medics as quickly as possible.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Only a few minutes had passed, but it felt like an eternity. Temari scowled in irritation when one of the golem-clones exploded with the judicious use exploding tags, while another simply stopped moving as the swarm of kikai bugs ate the chakra currently animating it.

"Won't work." She sighed.

Shino didn't even look behind him at her as he nodded, sure she was right. Then the 'dead' golem disintegrated to the ground only to form about a hundred tiny golems which Shino was sure were still lethal despite their size. It was clearly an effort to make him split up the swarms of kikai as he watched the tiny golems scatter all over the place.

Temari sighed again, a twitch starting at her left temple as she saw the tiny Earth clone-golems hide everywhere, each and every one of them deadly and ready to strike. Some burrowed into the ground and others hid around the park and the now deserted marketplace.

Katsumaru made a strangled sound behind her and she looked down to see him pointing at the 'exploded' golem who was now forming even more of the diminutive stone creatures. The blond again reached automatically for her fan weapon, cursing roundly to remember she didn't have it with her. She was pregnant. Not supposed to help. Not supposed to fight. "Oh hell."

Katsuamaru again made a strangled noise and she looked down, then growled as she struck the tiny golem that had grabbed the boy's ankle. The six-year old was valiantly kicking, but the stone creature wasn't letting go.

Shino spun and sent a wave of kikai to eat the chakra from the boy's attacker then glanced at his father. "We need to stop fighting the clones and find the masters." He said, stating the obvious.

Temari looked down at Katsumaru, one hand on her six-month baby belly, and then glared out at the world around her. "Damn them all." She said with such utter calmness that Shino's breathing stopped for a second. He knew that tone of voice and it didn't bode well.

"Temari?" Shino reached out for her, but it was already too late.

"Think to attack a child and a pregnant woman do they? Hide and fight through constructs? Bullshit. Bullshit!" Temari casually kicked out with one foot and broke the round wooden table next to her in half. She picked up one half-circle of wood and then looked out at the myriad of tents and banners that made up the marketplace.

"I use my fanblade because I love it. It's fun. It's functional and it suits me." Temari yawned and flipped the half-circle of splintered wood in the air, catching it expertly with one hand. "But it's not like I need it. Just something to focus the wind. I can do that with just about anything really. Anything at all."

"Temari, no!" Shino barked, but then stopped as she flipped the make-shift fan in the air and sent a staggering amount of wind scythes at the deserted marketplace, the civilians having wisely fled at the first signs of the initial attack.

Shibi blinked behind his dark glasses as suddenly all those marvelous hiding spots ripped and shredded and tore apart completely. A few cries of surprise and then suddenly the Aburame were left looking at two very surprised looking Rock Village ninja.

Shibi smiled and Shino sighed.

"Go get 'em boys." Temari yawned again and sat down in her chair to watch.

o.O.o.O.o.O

With Naruto's assistance and Sakura's medical expertise along with Suna's own, the Academy instructor and his charges were reached and were even now being pulled from the rubble with resounding cheers from the onlooking crowds.

Gaara nodded as people babbled at him, ignoring both praise and questions alike as he checked on his people. The two students who had been trapped had also been found, but one young boy looked like his knee was crushed with some possible internal injuries. And three other bodies had already been pulled out as well. Two instructors and one civilian, probably a parent.

One grim young ninja hurried over to his Kazekage.

Attention caught, the red-head turned his unnerving stare onto the messenger who squared his shoulders before continuing. "The instructors were not crushed in the explosion, but all show battle wounds."

"Whose parent was caught in the explosion?" Kaji asked, looking over at the shocked students receiving medical care. So far it looked like none of the children had died, mostly due to their instructor Toshi who had erected a last minute shield over his class. Blessedly more students hadn't been in the school at the time due to their rotation out at the weapons fields, practicing.

"No one's." The coldness in the messenger's voice snapped everyone's attention to him.

"He wasn't a parent?"

The messenger shrugged. "Dressed like one, but this was hidden under his loose top." He held out a Rock Village ninja headband. "And he had several wounds with Oshi's sickles in them." He continued, mentioning one of the newly deceased instructors.

A young hand yanked on his robe and Gaara looked down into a face so grimy he wasn't sure who the boy was, though he'd approved each and every application to the Suna Academy. "They took Harusame." The boy croaked, his voice obviously affected by the dust.

Gaara's eyes intensified as he turned to stare at the messenger. "I was just getting to that, Kazekage-domo. It appears they kidnapped Baki's daughter, Harusame before fleeing."

The red-head looked back down to the student beside him, pinning his full attention on the boy. "Tell me."

While the young witness sputtered out his story, the Suna black ops leader dropped in to spread even more cheer. Kaji grimaced as she listened to the tale about little Kochi being stolen as well.

Gaara's eyes had gone calm. No longer did he look menacing or grim or even upset. He'd suddenly gone somewhere deep where no one else could reach him. A hard core where murder slept and anger gave way to an implacable will.

"Gaara?" Kaji took a step toward him, but he black ops leader held out a hand to stop her as the Kazekage of Suna stood there. He flicked one glance at her as a whirlwind of sand enveloped him and suddenly, he was no longer there at all. "Gaara?" She repeated in a whisper.

"The east gate." The black ops leader said quietly and Kaji nodded, pulling herself together as she and any other able bodied ninja followed their Kazekage.

Naruto looked up and signaled Sakura that he was following. She nodded and went back to work trying to save a young boy's knee, having already dealt with his more life-threatening injuries.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki left the door open as he hobbled out of the killing room, leaving only pieces of men behind for others to clean up. A masked ninja from their black op corps dropped neatly down beside him. "Report." The one-eyed wind master demanded.

The man did and Baki's face turned alarmingly red, though he said nothing. The coldness in his expression had even the assassin trained black ops member swallowing hard.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shibi slipped into the apartment and looked at Shino, who stood up and headed just outside the door with his father. "Bad?" He asked.

The Aburame clan leader nodded. "From what I can gather, attacks on the school, and on Baki's house. His children are missing. I think the attack on us was another distraction to give them time to escape. Confuse the issue."

Shino grunted and nodded. "The school?" His question was implied rather than spoken.

"One enemy dead, two instructors killed. The students that were actually in the school at the time were shielded though Sakura is working on one still." Shibi paused. "The other students out on the practice fields have been moved to safe keeping for the time being, but I doubt they are a target now."

The younger man nodded, grateful that the news on the school's attack wasn't worse. He didn't want to have to be the one to tell Temari. Thinking about his wife made him frown sharply.

His father, seeing his expression, shook his head. "She says she feels fine."

"I'd rather she see a medic." Shino replied anxiously.

Shibi looked into the apartment behind his son and shrugged. "She looks strong and comfortable. And the medics are rather busy at the moment."

Shino turned to look as his wife laughed at something little Katsumaru told her as the six-year old danced around her holding a toy dinosaur. "Why would she step in and perform a jutsu like that? It wasn't necessary. We would have protected her."

"Oh." Shibi nodded, finally understanding. "She is the queen to your drone? And she performed your job so now you feel useless?"

Irritated, Shino shook his head. "We are not kikai." Though he could tell there was some truth in his father's words. He did feel like it was his job to protect his family.

"Perhaps not." Shibi's lips quirked up in a slight lop-sided smile that disappeared quickly. "But don't forget how queens react when the nest is disturbed."

Shino nodded as Temari looked up to meet his gaze, she smiled at him. But beneath the sweetness of her smile was a core of tempered steel. He gave her a smile in return and watched her turn back to Katsumaru. He'd forgotten whom it was he'd fallen in love with. She may be female, but in every way she was like a kikai queen.

The queens let the other kikai do the fighting and the working, but they were deadly creatures all in their own rights. There were other females in the hive of course, but only the queen was fertile, and she was also the most deadly by far.

"They did disturb the nest, didn't they?" He said under his breath to his father, thinking of the Rock Village ninja that even now were in the morgue.

Shibi clapped his hand down on his eldest son's shoulder. "At least she let you kill them, she only brought them out into the open."

Shino nodded as he ran his eyes over the form of his pregnant wife. "We should name him Kashin." He said a bit loudly.

Startled, Temari looked up with a frown and shook her head. She had not wanted to name the child lest it bring ill luck to the pregnancy.

Shibi walked in and leaned against the wall separating the room from the kitchen. "Kashin means a happy day. Don't you think that will get him beaten up at school? Why not choose Shibikku. It means civic. A fine, upstanding name for a Leaf villager."

Katsumaru giggled.

Temari turned her frown on her father-by-marriage. "No." She said plainly.

"Hisshino?" The father-to-be walked into the apartment, shutting the door behind him and leaving his feelings of frustration out there. It was time to focus on building the nest. His queen needed tending, and a pointed reminder that he was part of the family too.

Temari sputtered and shook her head. "You want to name our child something that means 'frantic and desperate'?"

Shino shrugged. "Hisshino also means 'inevitable and necessary'."

Katsumaru faked a gagging noise and Temari gave him a weak smile. "That's what I think of it too." She turned her teal eyed gaze back on her husband. "No names, not yet."

"Shinchou means brand new. That's fitting." Shibi sounded like he didn't have a care in the world and was content to stand in their apartment being lazy.

"No names!" Insisted Temari as an uneasy fear began to fill her. "You know we can't name it yet!"

"Him. Not it." Shino slid onto the futon next to his wife. He reached over to lay one strong hand on her six-month belly. "And as of today, I know we will be fine. He will be fine."

Temari elbowed him and hissed her displeasure.

"Gairan? Hisunoizu?" Shibi suggested nonchalantly, looking anywhere but at his daughter-by-marriage. Names that suggested 'interfering noise and hissing noise'.

The kunoichi let out a small shriek and elbowed Shino again, who winced and rubbed his side. "Hey, those were my father's suggestions, not mine."

Temari was not placated. "You two can stop it right now! This is not a game and it is NOT funny! And you can forget about staying here with me if you insist on continuing with this nonsense!"

"What about Risshun?"

Everyone stopped and looked over at little six-year old Katsumaru who was looking plainly worried.

Shibi looked at Shino, who looked back at his father as they communed without words for a long moment. Finally the elder Aburame spoke up. "Coming of Spring. It's fitting and won't get him beaten up." Shibi sounded like he was considering the possibility. The first day of spring was a celebration, but it was also an end to winter, an end to death and harshness. New life and new strength.

"It could be a strong name." Shino allowed. "Maybe, that one is a maybe."

"No!" Katsumaru stamped his foot. "I meant what 'bout the Risshun holiday! If Aunt Temari doesn't let us stay in the apartment, do we have to send back the cake?"

Shibi's lips quivered and he actually let out a small laugh as Shino dropped his face into his hands for a moment.

Temari stood up, indignant and wrapping her pride around her she stared at one man and then the other. "Don't let the door hit you on the ass as you two leave. Come on Katsumaru. You and I are going to eat that cake now. Without them."

The little boy followed her into the kitchen, chattering happily about how could they eat the Risshun cake if it wasn't the first day of spring yet?

Shibi looked over at Shino, who shrugged. It was a given that neither was leaving, not after today's attacks. And moreover, Temari knew it quite well.

Shibi glanced back at the kitchen and sighed. "Once riled, queens stay angry for days." He said dryly.

"And deadly." Shino leaned back in his chair.

"What are the chances we'll get a slice of cake?" Shibi asked rhetorically, not that he was much on sweets. Still, it was fun to poke fun at his son.

Shino answered anyway as he leaned back in his chair, his earlier feelings of frustration melting away. "Never. Though we do need to come up with a good name. Ekichuu? Kadan?"

Shibi shook his head at both names. "Go get me a slice of cake."

"No." Shino grunted. "You don't even want cake, you just want to send me in there to certain doom."

"True."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The Rock Village ninja met up at their prearranged meeting place and nodded to one another. One held up little Harusame, who was awake now and struggling. The other man shook his head and held up the infant.

"This one has the seals on his belly." He roughly pulled up Kochi's little shirt and ran some chakra over the boy's stomach. The seals flared for an instant before disappearing again.

The Rock ninja all smiled with victory.

One man, with a scar bisecting his left cheek, grinned and roughly shook Harusame. "We don't need this one then." He reached for his weapons pouch.

Panicked, Harusame placed her small hand against the man's side and used the only jutsu she really knew well. The one that had gotten her into the Academy two years early. But bone was by far a denser material than the wood used in the Suna schools for training young ninja. His ribs did not explode.

Frowning, the little girl tried again, pushing every bit of chakra into her palm and focusing it with a force of will that would rival any jounin. With a shout, she released that chakra with all the force of a heavy blunted weapon and it slammed into the side of the man holding her.

The Rock ninja groaned and doubled over, dropping his kunai to the sand below, though he didn't drop Harusame even as she tried unsuccessfuly to kick him. "Son of a BITCH!" The other men laughed at his distress as he struggled briefly to pick up his fallen weapon. "I think the brat broke a rib!"

"Break hers." One man said with utter and vicious calm.

"Just kill her and let's go, we don't have time for ..." A slight hiss was their only warning. But they all turned anyway. There they stood, staring at what had appeared out of nowhere.

Gaara stood right in front of them all, his arms folded across his chest as he stared at them collectively with deep cold and murder in his teal eyes. Sand whirled around him silently, whipping the air like angry tails.

The leader of the group looked around and shook his head. "Ten against one, even if you are a Kage, it's not good odds. You shouldn't have come alone."

A shrill screech that was abruptly cut off had the other men spinning as they looked behind them at the blood on the sand where one of their own had been standing just a second before. Harusame was blinking at them all, lying alone on the ground. No sign of her captor at all. Except for the blood, he might never have existed at all.

Another noise had them whipping back around to stare at Sabaku no Gaara as behind him a geyser of sand erupted from the desert floor and the mangled remains of someone that might have once been human shot up and then fell with a sickening 'plop'.

The leader scowled, but was not detered. "Nine against one is still good ..."

Gaara pinned the speaker with a gaze of pure malice. "Eight." He interrupted.

"E...eight?" The man managed to say before the desert sand sucked him down beneath the sand.

The other men where scared, but also highly trained ninja, confident in their own abilities. The one with the baby took off toward home and safety while the remaining members of their band moved to attack Gaara all at once. If they died delaying him, letting their prize move to safety, so be it. That was their mission after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Razan pulled up next to the walls of Suna, right outside the eastern gate. The others moved on ahead, but Kaji stopped next to him. "What?" She asked.

The Suna shinobi shook his head, puzzled. He still had the tracker jutsu activated, and there was something about this section of wall that didn't seem right. He looked over at the gate, but they were just beyond where the guards could see them.

"Razan?"

"I don't know." The shinobi said, looking over at Kaji. "We need to catch up with the others, but there's something ..."

Kaji turned her still activated Byakugan up higher and looked at the wall carefully. Nothing. Rock that she could see through. Wait, she swung her eyes to the left, stepping a bit further from the gates. She couldn't see through this section of rock. She took a step forward, but something didn't feel right.

She looked down and found she was standing on rock, not sand. That wasn't right.

A section of the wall suddenly reached out and wrapped itself like an eggroll around Razan. Kaji fell into a defensive stance when she suddenly sank into the rock she'd been standing on.

Yurasu melted out of the stone wall and looked at his two captives, even though neither could see him. Not even Kaji with her miraculous eyes. Not with the minerals he had intertwined through the rocks he was using for this jutsu.

"Do you like it?" He knelt down and ran one hand lovingly over the ground holding Kaji. "Once I figured out you were a Hyuuga it took no little effort to find a way to thwart your sight. The minerals have a special reflective property, shielding chakra from even your eyes. Effective, no?"

A muffled sound from a still trapped Razan had Yurasu frowning. "You, I don't need."

With that, spikes formed on the inside of the rock wrapping around the young shinobi, and much like one of Kankuro's puppets, they pierced his body from every direction.

Yurasu ran his hand over the ground again as he slowly sank into it himself. "You on the other hand, I need very much. I was thinking to take you later, but one must take the opportunities as they present themselves." He sighed happily before sinking from sight. "It's like it was meant to be and fate itself is my accomplice."

Deep in her own prison, unable to move, Kaji fumed.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	68. Blinded

_"If something were to happen to you, I'd die."_ Those words were all Hanabi could focus on, the only thing that kept panic at bay. 

She was blind. For the first time in her life she could see nothing. Complete darkness enveloped her.

As a kunoichi, Hanabi wasn't claustrophobic nor was she worried about the way the rock surrounding her forced her to breathe with irritating shallowness. It was the simple fact that she couldn't see. A blind Hyuuga! It was like a bad joke.

Yurasu. The bastard wasn't dead after all. Hanabi frowned sharply in the darkness, somehow she was less surprised by the revelation than she should have been. After all, she herself had played 'dead' for a couple of years, at the Hokage's order of course.

Hanabi took as deep a breath as she could manage and used her Byakugan to try and seek out a weak spot in the rock surrounding her. Nothing. There was something in the minerals surrounding her that blocked her family jutsu.

_"If something were to happen to you, I'd die."_

Gaara's words haunted her though. Cursing, wasting her breath, she tried to will herself away from panic. She couldn't think of her fiance, her lover, not right now. He had his hands full with the Rock Village's attack anyhow. He'd have no idea she'd even been taken. And Razan couldn't tell anyone, he was more than likely dead already. Yurasu was nothing less than an S-class criminal after all.

And strangely enough, it wasn't personal fear that had her so close to the edge of outright panic. It was Gaara. The strongest shinobi she knew, although others would not necessarily agree, to her he was strength personified. Personal, physical, mental, everything ...except emotionally. There was his weak point, and at the center? She herself. The key to breaking the Kazekage of Suna.

_"If something were to happen to you, I'd die."_

She remembered how vulnerable Gaara had seemed, how raw and painfully honest he'd been as he'd told her that, lying in bed together. She bit her lip so hard it bled as she ruthlessly she pushed aside all fear as she focused on one thought and one thought alone. She was not going to let Gaara down. And she would not allow him to be hurt.

Not through her. Not ever.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Shino?"

It was the tone of voice that had his heart stopping rather than the use of his name. Temari stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her face carefully blank.

The two parents-to-be looked at each other, neither blinking.

"Temari?" Shibi queried from where he sat. Insidious fear crept up from his heart as he stared at his son's wife. "Are you alright?"

The blond's hand went to her pregnancy swollen belly. "I think ...I think I'm having contractions."

Shino's face paled. It was too early at six months along. Inside of a moment he was across the room as he picked up his wife and carried her out the door and toward medical help.

Shibi grimaced and offered up a prayer for mercy as he picked up a frightened looking Katsumaru to follow behind the duo.

"Will Auntie be alright?" The little six year old asked, his lips trembling. "What's wrong with her? We were eating cake and then she got a weird look on her face."

The head of the Aburame clan grunted and motioned for the boy to be quiet as they headed toward the Suna hospital.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki was more frightened of this one little man than he'd ever been of anyone else in his long career as an elite shinobi.

The stoop-shouldered, duck-walking little man entered the room like he owned it, lifting his weak chin in defiance. Despite his non-threatening demeanor, the man's dark gaze was as fierce and full of determination as anyone Baki had ever met on the field of battle.

That helped.

"Doctor?" He couldn't ask, he couldn't bring himself to to ask.

"Kimiko is your wife." The doctor asked without actually asking, more of a statement of fact. "The wound barely missed the main arteries. She'll live."

Baki's weak ankle buckled and he reached out for the nearest chair, but didn't sit. The one-eyed wind master nodded gravely and stood back up, ignoring the sharp pain in his ruined ankle. He turned to leave. "Take good care of her."

The doctor frowned. "Where are you going? You're injured too."

Baki shook his head. "I have children to find."

"But ...you're clothes. You have blood everywhere." The doctor tried again.

The wind master didn't even bother to look back, or to answer.

The doctor didn't protest again. After all, he was the lead doctor in a ninja village. He knew when he'd lost an argument. Shinobi were in a class all their own.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Naruto raced across the desert sands, fury in his every step. Who the hell would attack children like that? Someone who wanted to capture a jinchuuriki. He frowned sharply as a hint of red marred the blue color of his eyes.

As a jinchuuriki himself, Naruto felt more than merely sympathetic toward Kochi. An infant he had not yet met. His Godson, though the ceremony had not yet taken place. Naruto had been asked, and he'd accepted.

Now Kochi and his six-year-old sister, Harusame, had been kidnapped. Stolen.

Gaara had a head start on him. Gaara. A former jinchuuriki himself.

Naruto sped up. The weight of wanting to change history pushing down on him. While he and Gaara had not discussed it with words, they both knew that they were willing to do whatever it took to make sure that Kochi hadn't grown up like they had.

Alone. Unloved.

Did the Earth ninja want to extract the demon into a child of their own choosing? Or were they taking Kochi to raise as they willed, a weapon for themselves? Did it even fucking matter?

The blonde shinobi gritted his teeth, the sunlight flashing off his fangs as his now completely red eyes narrowed on the prey he sensed up ahead.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The struggle was basically all one-sided. Inuzuka Hana's eyebrows shot up as she entered her mother's house to hear Shiho pleading with someone to "let her go".

Not sensing anything dangerous, Hana merely peeked around the corner to the next room and had to cover her mouth to stifle the laughter.

Akamaru rolled his doggy eyes at her and gave a 'woof' of a greeting though his teeth were still clenched in Shiho's white coat as the little cryptologist tried to pull away, unsuccessfully. The picture was worth a thousand words. The large-nin dog held the woman immobile as she tried to enter the kitchen.

"Doesn't look like you're having much luck." Hana said dryly.

"No." Another voice spoke up calmly from his seat in the kitchen.

The Inuzuka heir sighed and walked into the room to look over at Sai, who was quietly drawing in his sketchpad. "What are you doing here?" She needled the artistic nin, ignoring Shiho's struggles as the cryptologist turned to grab her coat and tug ineffectively at it.

Sai, who answered every question literally, even when he knew exactly what was really being asked, merely shrugged. "I wanted to talk to Shiho. Shiho was here. I am now here." He looked back down at his sketchpad and added a few swipes of ink to the page.

Shiho let out a frustrated yelp and landed on her ass as her coat ripped and she fell unceremoniously. "Akamaru!"

The large nin-dog 'woofed' again and nosed her face in apology. Shiho's hands went up to fondle his ears and then stopped as she glared at the dog. "What was that all about?"

"I should think that obvious." Sai cocked his head to the right and studied his artwork with a critical air. "You said you were hungry and were going to make a sandwich. Akamaru objected."

Shiho blew several stray curls out of her face. She glared at the shaggy nin-dog, who looked completely unrepentant. "Kiba was only joking when he told you to keep me out of the kitchen." She explained as if to a child.

Akamaru barked and shook his large head side to side, then moved to place himself firmly between Shiho and the kitchen. He sat down and stared at her, as if daring her to make a move past him.

Hana laughed and shrugged at Shiho. "Sorry. I think you'll lose this battle."

Shiho leaned over slightly to stare at Akamaru. "It's only a sandwich. I can't burn anything making a sandwich!"

The dog huffed and woofed and didn't move.

Hana looked over at Sai. "Well? Why didn't you make her a sandwich, spare her this." She waved a hand a the recalcitrant nin-dog.

Shiho crossed her arms, trying hard to look stern, which only served to amuse Akamaru whose mouth opened like he was laughing. "I asked Sai to make me a sandwich. He sat down and started drawing."

The Inuzuka shook her head at the artist shinobi. "Not nice."

Sai ran his hand over his drawing and called in the 'sandwich' he'd drawn. He looked over at Shiho who stuck out her tongue at him.

Hana paused, staring at the ink sandwich in her mother's living room. She blinked. Then looked puzzled as she studied Sai for a long moment.

Sai stared back at her, unfazed. "It's a joke." He said simply.

Hana nodded slowly. "I got that." She pointed her finger at him. "I just didn't know you were capable of joking. Is this something you've been working on for your dates?"

Sai shrugged, but didn't answer otherwise.

Shiho threw herself into a chair in the living room, looking gloomily at the remnant of her coat that Kiba's nin-dog had torn off. "It's ruined."

"It's ugly." Sai pointed out.

Akamaru padded into the kitchen and raised himself up on two legs, his front paws on the clean counter. Hana watched with wide eyes as the nin-dog used his nose to open a cabinet and bark at the selection of cold cereals inside. Obviously letting Shiho know what it was he thought she could safely make for herself.

"I can make a simple sandwich!" Shiho huffed, turning her head away in disgust.

Hana grinned and shook her head. Her baby brother's little cryptologist was treating the nin-dogs just like people. And they in turn were treating Shiho like she belonged to them and were protecting her. It looked like there would be a wedding in the family soon.

Wedding.

Hana's smile slipped and she ripped off her small pack and tossed it into a corner of the room. The pack containing the final papers on her divorce from her cheating ex-husband. She turned back toward the kitchen only to find Sai staring at her, expressionless.

"What?" She snarled.

Sai blinked and said not one word.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Indigestion." The harried medic smiled and let her shoulders relax. "I assure you it's nothing worse than that."

"Are you sure?" Shino demanded as Temari's face heated up with a blush.

"Oh yes, it's actually quite common." The medic reassured the two prospective parents, patting Temari's baby bump. "And the fetal heartrate is showing absolutely no distress whatsoever."

Shino grunted. "But she used a jutsu. In a fight."

Temari shot him an evil look, her blush fading into anger. "That didn't hurt the baby."

"No. Indeed not." The medic, used to reassuring those expecting babies. And first time parents were always the worse. Especially when there had been delays and difficulties in conceiving, like these two. Their fears were not unjustified and she softened her voice. "You are further along than ever before, there will be new symptoms with the pregnancy as you head toward delivery."

"New symptoms?" Temari asked cautiously. "Like what?"

The medic took a deep breath and actually shrugged. "Everyone is different. Swelling, back aches, and yes ...bad indigestion. Every new mother has to weather these and more. You may feel all of them or none of them. Each pregnancy is different, each and every time."

Temari's teal eyes flew to Shino's glasses-covered gaze. "I'm sorry."

Shino shook his head. "Don't apologize for everything being alright." He said gruffly, his own heartbeat finally slowing as he took in the medics words.

Indigestion. Not early labor. Not another miscarriage.

Shino cleared his throat. "Should we move her back into the hospital?"

Temari slapped at his shoulder. "Not for indigestion. I want out of this place. I'm sick of it."

The medic shook her head. "We're pretty full up from the recent attacks, and your wife is in no danger. I don't think there will be any problem with going back home."

Shino nodded, though he did not correct the medic that 'home' was not actually in Suna.

A commotion and shouting out in the hall made them all turn to stare at the door, Shino have rising in defense mode until his father opened the door and shook his head, indicating no immediate danger. "They found another person injured."

The medic frowned, listening the rhythm and flow of the shouts. "Sounds bad. I'd better help." She hurried past Shibi as the Aburame clan leader looked at his son and daughter-by-marriage.

Shino shook his head. "Everything is fine. False alarm."

Shibi nodded, then turned to look down the hallway, seeing two familiar figures. He whistled. Rocks and Michi looked up from the nurses desk and headed on over.

"Sir?" Michi asked politely.

Shibi cocked his head to indicate the commotion over to one side of the big room, asking without asking.

Tei shrugged. "We don't know. Just checking in with Baki to see if we can help any more. Finished a short tour reinforcing the north gate. No problems there."

Michi straightened. "There's Baki."

They all turned to look at the limping, bloody, wind-master. Tei whistled. "He's been fighting someone. Or several someones."

Michi nodded, watching as one of the older medics explained something to the Sand jounin. The man's shoulders fell. "Not good news." He and Rocks stepped forward, ready to offer whatever support or help they could. As they approached they could pick up part of the conversation.

"He was already gone by the time they found him. There's no reviving him, I'm sorry." The medic bowed his head in respect and sorrow.

Baki grunted as one of his men spoke up. "This was by the east gate. We can send someone to try and pick up the trail."

But the wind-jounin shook his head. "We need to send back-up to the Kazekage. The invaders have stolen the vessel and ...both my children." He coughed to clear his throat. "There were no signs of anyone else? No signs that anyone infiltrated Suna any more than they already had?"

The other ninja shook his head. "The trail is faint, but it leads away from Suna. Though my people think he may be carrying something."

Baki gritted his teeth. "We can't spare anyone right now."

Michi whistled. "You can't spare Suna ninja, how about Leaf?"

But the wind-master shook his head. "I can't order you around anymore."

Tei shrugged. "So don't order. We'll go. Although we're Leaf, we're familiar with the area." He said with a sardonic smile, meaning the two years they'd spent living as Suna shinobi.

Baki looked back at the closed curtain, and the body laid out there. "I don't ..."

Another man came up and clapped Baki on the shoulder, murmuring something in his ear about how sorry he was for the loss in his family. Baki grunted.

Michi stiffened. His eyes shifted over to the curtain and he looked back at Baki.

"Don't ask." Their former teacher said brusquely, his one-eyed gaze meeting Michi's head on.

"Your wife will be fine." Tei whispered hoarsely. "We checked on her. The only other family that you have that might have been endangered ..." His voice trailed off as he slid his eyes over toward his own teammate. The only other family of Baki's that they really knew of was his nephew, the one Michi had been dating off and on again.

The young water-ninja's jaw tightened. He turned and headed for the dividing curtain. Baki stepped in his way.

"You don't want to see him this way." The wind-master warned. "He wouldn't want you to see him this way."

Michi stopped and stared coldly at his former teacher. "Tell me what happened. What happened to Razan?"

Baki put one hand on the younger man's shoulder, but Michi shrugged it off. "Tell me. Then we are going tracking." His voice was colder than death itself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Naruto skidded to a halt in front of Gaara as the red-head let the last body fall to the ground. The blond actually growled. "You took them all without me?"

The Kazekage didn't spare a glance at his friend as he pointed to a young six-year-old girl watching with wide eyes as she fisted sand and tried not to cry. "Your Godchild, Harusame. Take care of her."

With that the red-head disappeared into a whirlwind of sand, leaving Naruto behind. Sputtering. "Wait! Where do you think you're going?"

The little girl cleared her throat. "He's going to get my brother." She whispered.

Naruto looked down at the girl as the red in his eyes bled away in the face of her fear. He knelt down beside her and awkwardly held out one hand. "Harusame? I've heard a lot about you. I'm Uzimaki Naruto. You don't have to be afraid."

The little girl shot him a disbelieving look. "I'm going to be Kazekage." She announced with the complete certainty of childhood.

Naruto nodded.

"I can' be afraid if I'm going to be Kazekage." She tried to stand up and he helped her. "I hurt one of them." The little girl looked around at the corpse of one of the invading shinobi. "But it didn't stop him."

"If you hurt one, you did a good job." The blond nodded in approval, making Harusame stand up a bit straighter.

"I have a pink room." She confessed in a near whisper.

Naruto nodded again. "I have a walrus sleeping hat." He confided.

Harusame looked out at the desert that had swallowed up her infant brother, and her other Godfather. "I want my brother back."

"Gaara will bring him back." Naruto grinned cheesily.

The little girl thought it over carefully and gave a quick nod. Then looked up at Naruto strangely. "How come your eyes are red one minute, and blue the next?"

The Leaf ninja considered her question very carefully, far more carefully than he took most things in life. Then he took a deep breath. "Do you know about your baby brother?"

"Kochi?" Harusame wrinkled her nose. "He can't do much. Eats and cry."

"He has something inside him." The blonde said slowly, wondering how much the little girl knew.

Harusame put her little hand over his mouth and shushed him, shaking the finger on her other hand at him. "You be quiet. That a secret! Shush!"

Naruto grinned and pulled her little hand away. "Don't worry, I'll keep your secret." He vowed. "But ...what your brother has, is like what I have." He touched his belly and looked at her seriously. "I have one too."

The little girl looked at him with deep suspicion then pointed at his eyes. "Is that what make them red?"

Naruto nodded slowly. "When I get very, very angry sometimes the ...thing ...well, it lends me energy and it turns my eyes red. But only sometimes." He said, glossing over a whole lot of details the six year old didn't need to know about yet.

"You were angry at the Kazekage?" She looked at him with shock and worry.

Laughing, the young shinobi shook his head. "I was angry that Gaara beat up the bad guys before I could get here to help. I was angry at them for taking you and your brother."

Harusame thought this over a long moment, then nodded. "I was mad too." She let him know. Then paused and looked around to make sure no one was around. Then she leaned in to whisper to him. "I was scared too. But only a little."

Naruto flashed a quick grin, knowing bravado when he heard it. She was a lot like him. He looked up and stood. "In fact, here comes Gaara now."

Harusame ran forward, only stopping when Naruto put one hand on her shoulder. They both watched as the red-headed leader of Suna walked out of a cloud of sand carrying baby Kochi. Both were unscathed, though the infant was starting to fuss.

"Survivors?" Naruto asked, already knowing the answer.

Gaara shook his head. "Let's go home. It's over."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The rock surrounding Kaji's head melted down into the rock holding her immobile. She blinked at the sudden influx of light. The feeling of blindness vanished as her eyes watered.

Blinking to clear her vision, Kaji tried to take stock of her surroundings. But there was nothing. Sand. Nothing but sand and some cactus. Some lizards. That was about it. No landmarks at all.

She could see behind her, her Byakugan now working again once the impeding minerals were gone. The man behind her smiled darkly and walked slowly to face her.

Yurasu reached out and ran one hand down the rockface still holding her captive.

"Hello there."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	69. Two Against One

"I want to hold him!" The little six-year old had no business sounding as bossy as she did after the ordeal she'd just endured.

Gaara didn't even glance at her. "No."

Naruto patted her back as he carried her through the desert back toward Suna, with Gaara slightly in the lead carrying baby Kochi.

"But he's MY brother!" Insisted Harusame.

Gaara didn't even bother to answer.

The little girl frowned sharply and glared daggers behind her Godfather's back. "Is this a Kazekage thing?" She asked with deep suspicion.

Startled, Naruto looked at her questioningly. "A Kazekage thing?"

Harusame poked one imperious finger at the red-head's back. "Did you know no one can boss around the Kazekage? At all!" She announced this as if imparting the wisdom of the world.

Struggling to keep a straight face in light of the relief he felt that the jinchuuriki and his older sister were now safe, Naruto managed a quick nod. "That's right. And when I'm Hokage no one can boss me around."

Gaara grunted. "Sakura." He pointed out the obvious.

Naruto frowned but was saved from responding to the verbal jab by Harusame's next question. "What's a Hokage? Is it better than a Kazekage?"

The blond grinned largely and whistled. "Much better!" He announced, ignoring Gaara's soft grunt of disapproval.

The little girl eyed the blonde man as if trying to figure him out. "You're lying, nothing is better than being the Kazekage!" She proclaimed finally. "And I'm going to be Kazekage next!"

Naruto laughed with delight. "Oh, Hokage is much better than Kazekage."

Gaara's head slowly turned to look at his friend, but still said nothing.

Harusame glared, brandishing a rather small fist. "You take that back!"

Looking over at the red-head in question, Naruto smiled. "You have a rather small new guard."

Gaara blinked slowly, then with utter seriousness. "No. I have a rather small competitor. She's after my job after all."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "You did say she'd broken that one man's rib." He recalled the mangled corpse back at the rescue site. Sure, Gaara had done the actually killing, but the six-year old had not acquitted herself poorly when all was said and done. Especially as she'd had no formal ninja training until the past few months.

At that point, tired of being overlooked, Harusame ran one hand curiously down Naruto's cheek. He blinked at her. She frowned. "You have whiskers. But they not real." She pondered the moment and then added, "Papa has red tattoos on his face."

Naruto nodded, knowing she was speaking of Baki now. "Gaara has a tattoo on his forehead." He pointed out.

Harusame traced the faint whisker lines on the blonde man's face and wrinkled her nose. "I don't like yours, no color and no words. I decided. Hokages are NOT better than Kazekages."

Gaara turned a small laugh into a cough and turned away, tossing the words back over his shoulder. "Hurry up." He picked up the speed as they hurried back toward Suna. Behind him he could hear the two still arguing the point.

"They are so!"

"No they not!"

"Are so!"

"Are not!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kaji fought the vicious nausea threatening to swamp her as she glared at the S-class ninja known as Yurasu. Or once known. "I take it you're not a ghost." She needled him, searching for information while trying to stall for time.

"An obvious ploy. One you yourself used. Hanabi." The man said with an oily tone that gave her the creeps. "Hyuuga Hanabi."

"You're good." She thought pandering to his ego was worth a shot. "Very good."

Yurasu frowned. "I don't like that. You should be Kaji. Fire and destruction personified. You should have let the Hyuuga stay dead."

Hanabi wondered what he could possibly mean by that, but didn't pursue any line of thought that put her and death in the same discussion. "As do I." She demurred.

The criminal's frown cleared and he flattened his lips a second before backhanding her hard enough to knock her to the dessert floor. Darkness teased the edges of her sight, but she managed somehow to stay conscious. Yurasu knelt down next to her. "Agreeable is more Hanabi than Kaji." He chided her in a sickly sing-song voice.

"Mother-fucking bastard." She hissed, spitting out a trickle of blood from where her teeth had cut into the inside of her mouth.

Yurasu smiled. "Now that's better! Words that come from my corpse loving, fire breathing Kaji. Not the mealy mouth heiress." He peered at her with fathomless dark eyes that reminded her of a dead shark. "Now. How to kill off Hanabi without spoiling the meat?"

The frightened and angry kunoichi stared up at the man and fought not to groan. Not only was the man dangerous and a lethal shinobi, but he was flat out nuts. Shit. She thought to herself.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Feeling unsettled and ill at ease in her own skin, Hana sighed. This wasn't like her. And she didn't like that at all! She stopped and looked around, finding herself in Konoha's main marketplace, people bustling around her all going about their business. And they knew what their business was.

She didn't.

Day off from the veterinary clinic, she'd gone home. Only it wasn't home anymore. She'd HAD a home she'd thought she and her husband had made together, but she'd burnt that house to the ground after discovering him cheating on her. Hana sighed and ran one hand over her smooth hair, fidgeting, which wasn't like her at all.

Shiho was wonderful and Hana adored her, glad that the little cryptologist was part of their family now. Wondering just when Kiba would do the obvious and really make her legally an Inuzuka. But with Kiba and Shiho being so happy, it just exposed how ...unsettled she really felt herself.

Imagine being jealous of Kiba? Hana snorted. Not really. Usually she was just fine, but without a definitive schedule today and faced with the fact that everyone else around her was doing better than she was ... Hana growled and started walking again. "Bullshit." She muttered under her breath.

Feeling sorry for yourself was a trap, and a stupid one at that.

Hana looked over toward a cafe, something teasing the edge of her sight. Smiling a bit sadly she spotted Rinako and Lee eating together, looking terribly cozy. It wasn't that she wanted Rock Lee at all, but ...here was Rinako, a former Cloud-kunoichi and former hostage of the Leaf village and SHE was happily part of a couple.

Only Hana sucked.

The Inuzuka heir suddenly took in a deep breath, rolled her shoulders back and flashed fangs with a hard smile. No. This would not do at all. She needed to do something. Something hard and physical that would wear her ass out so she couldn't think.

Clean out the storage units. Hana laughed at herself on the inside as she turned down a side street. Years of accumulated junk, records and the such. Yep. Mind-numbing physical labor was exactly what this vet needed!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Mizu and Tei fairly flew across the sands of the desert, silence between them as they thought about Aihara Razan. Tracking the man's killer, following the faintest of trails.

Tei frowned. Very faint trails indeed. If the man weren't carrying something fairly large then there might not have been any trail at all. And normally they wouldn't have been able to follow, but Mizu and Tei had spent two years out here in the desert and had gotten pretty damned good at doing this.

Rocks sent a furtive glance out of the sides of his eyes at his teammate. Michi's face looked like it had been carved from stone. Damn. The air ninjutsu specialist frowned sharply. Razan's death was going to hit his friend hard. And Rocks didn't know what to say! Nothing seemed right.

"What do you suppose he's carrying?" Mizu asked without looking.

Startled, Tei shrugged. "Don't know, large though not too heavy."

"A person?" The water-user speculated. "The other ninja stole two children, the vessel and his sister. This could be someone else."

Tei shook his head. "Who else is worth taking? Seriously worth taking? Gaara and Naruto are accounted for, chasing in the other direction after little Kochi. Could it be a false trail, sent to split up the rescue effort?"

Mizu considered that a long moment, his jaw clenched then shook his head. "The trail is too faint. And if the bastard hadn't left behind ..." His voice trailed off, then picked back up a second later. "If he hadn't left behind a body to indicate a problem."

Tei nodded quickly, not wanting to dwell too much on Razan's death, not yet. Strong emotions and thoughts of revenge would only hinder them at this point. They needed to be clear-headed.

Apparently Mizu was thinking along the same lines and he gave a sharp cough. "What I do know for certain?"

"Yah?"

The water-ninja shot a glance at his teammate. "Kaji will be PISSED she wasn't with us and is missing this."

Tei whistled tunelessly. THAT was a given.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Wincing, Hanabi reached up and touched her swollen cheekbone, pretty sure it was cracked. Yurasu studied her from several yards away, watching her like prey. It was unnerving at best.

"Well little girl?" The S-class criminal asked expectantly. "Who are you? Leaf or Desert. Suna's princess or killer ninja. Konoha heiress or virago?" He licked his lips. "And don't just tell me what you know I want to hear."

The kunoichi shrugged, glad he'd freed her from the rocks he'd used to imprison her. "Kaji. Of course, you son of a whore!" She spat out the words venomously.

Yurasu's shoulder's drooped one second and then her world spun as the rocks at her feet, the remains of her prison, suddenly flew at her, striking her painfully all across her body before falling to the desert sand once more.

"Tsk." He chided her. "I warned you about telling me what I want to hear."

Kaji spat out a trickle of blood and blinked to make sure both eyes still worked as she rotated her now painful shoulder. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with some sort of plan to escape. Fighting him one on one just wasn't going to ... to ...she stopped, staring at the now inert rocks that had just struck her. He'd moved them. Yurasua had commanded the stones to hit her.

Kaji focused her eyes on the rocks and growled. "Liar."

Yurasu straightened, listening intently.

The furious young kunoichi pinned him with a glare, her eyes clearly visible as he'd long since stripped off her double mask. "You said you'd infused the rocks with minerals to reflect the Byakugan, but you lie." She hissed, pointing at the rocks. "They're normal rocks, but bursting with your chakra. I couldn't see through the energy as you overloaded the rocks with your own chakra. Showing me TOO much instead of nothing."

The missing-nin clapped slowly. "Nice." He allowed, but then cocked his head to the side as he wagged a finger at her. "But you haven't answered my question. Who are you? Did you figure out my little trick using information the heiress would have? Or through the cunning my Kaji would have?"

The kunoichi shuddered slightly to hear him lay claim to her so casually, like it was a foregone conclusion. "Both." She hedged.

"Too bad." Yurasu said, his only warning before he disappeared with a burst of speed and then was suddenly behind her, knocking her down with a killing blow to the back of her head.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai looked up, immediately sensing he wasn't alone from his perch on a low fence as he watched and sketched the people around him. He blinked. Inuzuka Hana.

The kunoichi gave him a smile that looked nearly predatory. Then pointed at his sketch-pad. "Find anyone interesting. To you, I mean?"

Sai turned the pad around to show that he'd been drawing many different people, young and old alike.

Hana shook her head. "I thought we'd talked about finding someone for you to date. Someone that you actually find interesting and not just anyone. That wasn't working out for you as I recall."

"Did you choose your husband randomly?" Sai asked in an almost bored tone of voice.

She stiffened, then forced herself to relax. "No, I didn't. And you're right, it didn't end well."

Sai nodded, but did not offer comforting words, it wasn't in him to do so.

Hana leaned against the fence, suddenly feeling better and the thought of physical labor faded from her mind. It was too nice a day to sweat for no reason. "Now. Let's see. You say nothing interests you, but something must. You're friends with Shiho."

Sai paused for a long moment, then nodded once, slowly. He could not deny that friendship, not to Hana who knew better.

"Do you find her pretty?" Hana asked curiously.

The artistic-nin blinked then shook his head. "I am not in love with Shiho."

The vet clucked her tongue at him. "That's not what I asked. What I'm trying to find out, is if you find the shy type of girl to be pretty?"

"Shiho is quiet, but she is not shy." Sai pointed out coolly.

Hana nodded. "But you only figure that out once you get to know her, not by looking at her. She LOOKS shy."

Sai considered the point and decided not to argue it and shrugged.

"So, do you find shy looking girls to be pretty?" Hana gave him a lop-sided grin.

The slender shinobi shook his head. "I don't like pretty. It's a shallow thing and useless. Pretty isn't worth the effort and is rarely interesting."

Hana straightened and gave the young man a long look. He'd told her once that she wasn't pretty. Had that been a compliment and she'd completely missed it? How odd. Clearing her throat, she leaned back against the fence. "But you don't want ugly, right?"

Sai thought about it and shrugged. "Not really, unless it's an interesting type of ugly."

The Inuzuka shook her head in amusement. "Too bad you can't draw your perfect woman and bring her to life with your jutsu." She teased.

Startled, Sai blinked at her. "Too much chakra." He said slowly. "And ink can not imitate life, not fully."

"Or a personality." She said, laughing. "I'm teasing you."

"I know." He said simply.

Hana leaned over and tapped the back of his sketch pad. "So. Without looking, tell me what or who you've drawn the most of recently. A person you find ...interesting."

Sai quietly and slowly closed his sketchpad and thought about it, before calmly shaking his head. "No one in particular." He lied smoothly.

"Once you find a subject matter to draw a lot, one you find interesting, then we'll talk about asking this girl on a date." Hana smiled and moved away from the fence, feeling better about herself. She wasn't the only one having relationship issues, not by a long shot. "See you later."

Sai watched the kunoichi leave with conflicting thoughts. Once she was truly gone, he flipped open his sketchpad and flipped down to the previous page. One he'd been drawing on earlier while at the Inuzuka household.

Dozens of small sketches of Inuzuka Hana with various facial expressions and poses. There was amusement, pensiveness, a threatening pose, a thinking pose, and several versions of her smiles and laughs.

Sai frowned as a new thought entered into his head. Inuzuka Hana was ...interesting. Now. What did that mean exactly?

o.O.o.O.o.O

The Kazekage of Suna frowned as he watched nearly all of Suna cheer for him as he and Naruto returned with the children. His eyes scanned the area, but could not spot a woman wearing the bone mask of a mountain lion.

Baki limped forward, leaning heavily on a crutch as Sakura passed the man, running with the other medics to the two children. One elderly medic tried to get Gaara to give baby Kochi to him, but the Kazekage ignored him and turned away, uneasy about relinquishing the child. He stopped in front of Baki and then there was no help for it, but handed the now fussing baby over to his adoptive father.

"They wouldn't let me hold him!" Protested Harusame as Naruto let the little girl down to run and look up at her Papa.

Baki held out the infant to the medic to check him for any problems, then rested one hand on his daughter's head. He looked down into her earnest little face. "Are you alright?" He asked gruffly, his heart rate finally slowing as he could lay eyes on his children.

Harusame nodded. "I broke one man's rib. The Kazekage say so."

Baki grunted in surprise, then shook his head, wondering why in the world he would be surprised. She was precocious this one.

"I need to know more jutsu though." The six-year-old announced, utterly serious. "I need to be stronger so I can break more than a rib. A Kazekage needs to be able to break more than one rib."

The one-eyed wind master felt relief pour through his body. She was fine. And with a mind so lethal it made him proud. "We'll start working on that soon." He promised, he looked up to find Naruto grinning from ear to ear as Sakura chuckled from where she was checking on Kochi. Only Gaara wasn't paying attention, staring out into the crowds.

Baki took a deep breath, then motioned for the Kazekage to step away for a private word. Harusame protested, but went with Naruto over to Sakura and her baby brother.

Gaara looked at his councilor stoically. "Tell me."

"Aihara Razan is dead." Baki said coldly, putting away his own feelings on the matter of his nephew's death. There were larger issues. "Mizu and Tei went after the killer. I couldn't spare anyone else as we were coming after you to retrieve the vessel, and those two left without direct orders to do so."

Gaara took a long moment to assimilate the information. "Razan?"

Baki explained how the young ninja had saved Kimiko's life and had been found dead outside the eastern gates.

"After I had left to track Kochi." Gaara asked, straight to the point.

Pausing, Baki nodded, with all that had been going on he had not fully thought that through. All of the other Earth Country ninja had fled together. His one eye narrowed in thought. "He got separated?" His voice showed he didn't really believe that, but had to mention the possibility.

Gaara shook his head. "He was going off into a different direction from what you've said. A second objective? A separate mission with the kidnapping as a diversion?"

"Costly and dangerous diversion." Baki pursed his lips, not believing that scenario either. "Unless ..."

The red-head nodded. "Unless someone used the Earth attack to cover their own tracks, for a different goal. We need to go after Mizu and Tei, they are not jounin yet no matter what they may think."

Baki nodded and started calling out the names of ninja around them, gathering a party together.

Gaara frowned, looking at all those surrounding them, finally giving voice to his unease. "Where is Kaji?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hyuuga Hanabi blinked as she watched Yurasu bash in the back of her head and the image of her 'poofed' from existence to reveal cactus. The shinobi ignored the spikes of the plant and laughed, trampling the remains of the substitution jutsu thoroughly.

He grinned at her and shook his finger in her direction. "Nice move, basic but nice." Throwing out his hands he turned in a small circle and grinned. "But not a lot out here for you to use for substitution." He waved his hands and his chakra-infused rocks flew in all directions to knock over the remaining cacti in the area. "Now there's even less for you to use."

Kaji watched him calmly.

Yurasu grinned wider and then threw the remains of the cactus she had used in her direction. "And the tag you hid here? Sorry."

He sent the burning tag right at her and she had to move very fast to avoid her own explosion.

Hanabi looked around, taking stock. She was injured, fighting a man several skill levels above her, and alone without much in the way of resources. She grinned. "Bring it old man."

Yurasu stopped, shuddered with pleasure and smiled. "Oh Kaji, how I've waited for this!" He flexed his fingers and flew in fast to attack as she fell into the Gentle Fist motion of her family.

A brief conflict and Yurasu jumped back, frowning. "That." He said, pointing at her accusingly. "Is Hanabi's defense."

Kaji shook her head. "I told you. I'm both. And that's why you won't win. It's two against one."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	70. Dangerous

Gaara waited anxiously, though you'd never be able to tell it by looking at him. He stood without moving in the middle of the hospital waiting room as everyone else scurried around him. His jade-pale eyes stared nearly unblinking at the door leading back to the exam areas.

Naruto clapped one hand on the red-headed Kazekage's shoulders. "They will be fine."

"Of course the children are fine." The medic said, looking down slightly as he was unable to meet the full glare of Gaara's gaze. Nevermind that the Kazekage wasn't looking at him. "Little Harusame is washing up in the restroom and Kochi is being cleaned and having his wounds tended."

A long pause. A very long pause as the medic started to sweat waiting for a response. A response of any kind, but the Kazekage didn't move or acknowledge the man in any way.

"Er. That is to say, not that the infant was actually wounded, as you know." The medic stammered. "More along the lines of cuts and scrapes that he received BEFORE his rescue." The hapless man nodded, still sweating.

Another long pause.

The medic loosened his collar, now perspiring even more profusely. "Not that anyone, anyone feels that the children weren't rescued quickly. There is NO way that those small, very small ... very, very small injuries could have been avoided. You rescued them as quickly as is humanly possible."

"Shut up." Snarled Baki from where he sat, resting his throbbing ankle, not even bothering to look at the medic.

Only the foreign blonde shinobi actually looked at the man. Naruto's crystal clear gaze pinned the medic haplessly. "Go away." He said, before looking back at Gaara. "Mizu and Tei are highly trained, they'll be fine."

Gaara frowned slightly, for he was worrying for the fate of the Leaf shinobi. But mostly, he had one other question on his mind. Where was Kaji? It irked him that she wasn't here with him, as irrational as that sounded, even to him. There was a lot going on in Suna. A lot of injured, and a lot of areas to guard and protect. She could be anywhere, and was probably bossing everyone around. So ...why did he feel so ...unsettled?

A shinobi messenger ran into the room looking haggard, pale and shaky. Gaara turned to stare at his man with an air of awful expectancy. The man, a ninja of Suna, squared his shoulders and took a deep breath but didn't drop his gaze being made of far sterner stuff than the earlier medic. "Kazekage-dono, the people I sent to check on Kaji's whereabouts at the guard posts surrounding Suna aren't all fully checked back in yet. However." He swallowed hard. "I've been going over the reports at the Eastern gate and it appears that Kaji left through there ... moments before Aihara Razan did as well."

Silence as everyone absorbed the awful implication.

Gaara didn't say anything but moved swiftly toward the door, only to draw up sharply with his nostrils flaring as someone stepped in his way. Naruto crossed his arms to block the path.

"Not alone." The Kyuubi container said simply.

Jade-pale eyes narrowed, considering.

"Kazekage-dono?" The shinobi who'd brought the message bowed low. "No offense, but it might delay your departure to argue with us on this and we need to catch up with Kaji and whomever might be with her." His words showed clearly that he didn't want his leader to go out alone either.

Gaara turned slowly to stare at the determined faces around him, seeing their resolution to follow him no matter what he might say. He shook his head. "I never said I was going alone."

Naruto grunted. "Good. And just remember, Hanabi is still a Leaf villager until you marry her. And ...and Michi and Rocks are out there too! I will definitely be with you on this one!"

The Kazekage stared at his friend with wide eyes. "I'm not arguing, but if you're coming get out of the way of the door and go!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba scowled, watching his genin team fall all over themselves in their objective, wincing.

"They suck."

The Inuzuka, who had known that Sai was behind him from the moment the other man had arrived, shrugged. "They're genin. They're learning." Or at least he hoped so. His words sounded more confident in his fledgling team than he felt.

By his side, Akamaru whimpered as the taller of the two boys shoved the kunoichi out of his way to protect her. Problem? The girl hadn't needed protection and had been in the correct position for the next move. Now she wasn't, and neither was either young shinobi. The nin-dog dropped to his belly and hid his eyes with his paws as if too embarrassed to watch.

"I know how you feel, boy." Kiba sighed to his dog. "I know how you feel."

"They really suck." Sai said blandly, watching without expression.

Kiba gave a shrill whistle, and his genin team snapped to attention, turning to stare at him. "Enough. Lunch break. Back here in an hour." He then completely ignored their grumbling that lunch was 'late' and they were exhausted, tuning them out as he turned to look at Sai.

"You don't care about my genin team." Kiba growled softly. "So, you either have a message for me or you want something."

Sai didn't answer, merely blinked once, slowly.

Kiba straightened, surprised. "You want something? From me?"

Sai waited a long moment, then shook his head with a small frown. Kiba's eyes widened. That had looked like a real frown to him. As in ...genuine.

"What gives?" Kiba prodded verbally.

Sai shook his head and turned to walk away. "Nothing."

"Everything alright with Shiho?" The dog-nin called out after the other man. The cryptologist was the only thing the two of them really had in common. Though it still mildly irked him that Sai's only friend happened to be Kiba's girlfriend.

"Ask your dog." Sai called back before leaping to a nearby rooftop. "He's the one who wouldn't let her have a sandwich."

Kiba looked down at Akamaru and then back at where the artistic-nin had disappeared. "Weird." The nin-dog 'woofed' in agreement. "Now, what's this about a sandwich?"

Akamaru barked and turned his back on Kiba as he ran over to join the genin team for a very late lunch indeed. Maybe they'd drop something good. Like bacon. The kunoichi's mother sent really good lunches.

Kiba sighed and rolled his shoulders. "This is one of those days."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu stalked his prey, circling the young kunoichi carefully. A wicked smile full of dark promise shadowed his lips.

Hanabi didn't bother to turn and look at him, she could follow his movements with her Byakugan quite well. Her lungs struggled to breathe normally despite the desire to pant and draw in more oxygen. But she didn't want her adversary to know how tired she was becoming.

"The Gentle Fist." The S-class criminal sang softly to himself. "It's been a couple of hours. How long before you fall over little girl?"

Not long. Hanabi's eyes narrowed. She couldn't let him know that though! Especially as all of his attacks had been designed to make her use the Gentle Fist movements and to wear her down. The attacks he'd used had been designed to make her expend more energy than he did. Damn it!

"Where is my Kaji? My sweet, fire-breathing destruction?" Yurasu crooned sickeningly to her. "All I see is Hanabi and it's fucking pissing me off!" With that, he once again sent the fragmented rocks infused with his chakra flying at her with lethal intent.

Once more Hanabi gracefully deflected the stones as she spun into her family's personal kata. Yet. She'd been 'dead' for two years while living in Suna. Forced to abandon the Gentle Fist lest it give away her identity. The kunoichi bit her lip as one small stone penetrated and struck her in the back near her spine.

A paltry strike, a small bruise. Yet ... Yurasu straightened and his eyes suddenly lit with inner fire. "So! You start to tire of the game?"

Game? Asshole. Hanabi gritted her teeth and reached into her weapons pouch, sending a barrage of her own for the first time. Switching suddenly from defense to offense.

Unfortunately, Yurasu only laughed as he dodged her attacks.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Blinking didn't help, her vision was blurry as she slitted her eyes against the light. She groaned, more of a whimper really, but it was heard.

"Kimiko?"

Baki's voice. Relaxing suddenly, Kimiko almost passed out with relief. She sighed as someone ran a cool washcloth over her eyes and this time when she opened them, she could focus. " ... " Frowning, she reached to grab at her throat even as her husband intercepted her hands, not allowing her to touch her neck.

"No." He said gruffly, then had to clear his own throat. "Don't try to speak, you're injured."

Kimiko's eyes flew open in shock. Injured? How? Thinking back produced nothing. She'd been feeding the baby and had been about to lay him down n the crib ...then nothing. Blank. Trying to speak again only made her throat throb with pain and she winced.

"Don't talk." Baki ordered, once again pushing her hands down from her neck as she tried to touch herself there. "I don't want to tie your hands down, but you don't need to touch the bandages."

Bandages? At her neck? Kimiko tried to sit up, but was struck with a sudden feeling of dizziness and nausea and collapsed back down onto her back with a sound like a rusty hinge. But none of this made any sense? How could she be injured? Had she fallen?

Kimiko nearly came off the bed as she grabbed at her poor husband. If she'd fallen, what about the baby? Last she remembered she'd been holding Kochi!

Baki read her panic and gently pushed her back down onto the bed. "The children are both fine, completely fine. Some scratches and bruises, but already treated. They are both fine."

Initially relieved, Kimiko stared at her husband a moment. Both children? But she'd only had Kochi with her, not Harusame. The little six-year old had been at the ninja academy. She caught her breath painfully and grabbed Baki's shirt weakly, though there was nothing weak about her stare.

"Tell me." She mouthed clearly despite her weakened state.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"How much of a head start did they have?" Michi asked, clearly growing irritated that they had not yet caught up with Razan's killer.

Rocks didn't answer except with a grunt.

His senses fully cast out in order to track the faintest of trails, Michi drew up sharply when he felt the change in chakra levels.

Rocks stopped too, his eyes narrowing on the horizon. He felt it too.

"Up ahead. Fighting." Michi's kohl-darkened eyes narrowed dangerously. "We can ..." He stopped as Rocks grabbed his arm painfully. The water user looked over at his friend and teammate.

The air shinobi shook his head, hissing as he tensed. "Don't your recognize the 'other' chakra pattern?"

Michi shook off Rocks' hold and scowled. "You're not exactly an expert in recognizing chakra patterns." They usually left that kind of thing to Hanabi, she was more suited for it after all.

Rocks pushed Michi back half a step. "I don't have to be an expert to recognize that pattern! We've only been together as a team for years!"

Hissing, Michi stilled and let go of his anger long enough to try and analyze the chakra patterns ahead of them. One was foreign, though not completely unfamiliar and the other ...he stopped cold, wide eyes turning to look at his teammate.

Nodding, Rocks swallowed hard. "Kaji." He and Michi said together with a sense of dread.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"How did you get Kiba to fall in love with you?"

Shiho squeaked, slamming shut her book as she nearly jumped three feet in the air.

Sai watched dispassionately as the cryptologist tried to calm herself, hands fluttering as she smoothed her hair and caught her breath. He cocked his head to the side slightly, considering. He'd not snuck up on Shiho, not really. She should have known he was there. Any competent ninja would have known. Any field ninja. He frowned.

The kunoichi frowned right back at him. "Don't do that!" She huffed.

"You need a guard." Sai pointed out. "I should not have been able to startle you like that."

"I'm working!" Shiho gritted her teeth. "And I'm in a protected building. With guards!"

Sai shook his head at her slightly, just once.

Shiho sighed. "Look. I'm safe here. And the guards only let certain people through the door. I don't have to be on guard myself."

"Yes you do." Sai pointed out with what he considered to be reason. "You're a ninja."

"I'm a codebreaker." Shiho retorted. "Not a fighting ninja."

The artist-nin shrugged, as if that didn't make any bit of difference to his argument at all. And to his mind, it didn't. She was vulnerable and he didn't like it. "You need to train more." Sai said flatly.

"I need to decipher these codes." Shiho waved a hand at her overloaded desk. "So, did you need something? Otherwise I need to get back to work."

Sai blinked at her and paused, for one of the rare times in his life, undecided.

Shiho watched his blank expression, reading far more into it than most as she knew him better. Re-running their conversation so far she stopped when she recalled the pertinent question. "You want to know about Kiba?"

"No." Sai felt a completely unfamiliar feeling. One that told him to flee. Somehow he didn't.

The cryptologist studied him like he was one of her codes in need of deciphering. "But you asked about Kiba." She finally said.

The shinobi shook his head, cutting his eyes to the side to watch the masked ANBU watching them both from the doorway. His inner unease grew, but it wasn't in him to run. He set his shoulders and answered her in his straight-forward manner. "I asked you how you got Kiba to fall in love with you."

Shiho, bless her, didn't spout off nonsense about love and fate. He'd anticipated a reasoned answer and so didn't get impatient as she thought over his question carefully. He'd even counted on her next question.

"Why?"

"No reason." He blocked her question effortlessly. Or so he'd thought.

Shiho drummed her fingers on the table a moment, then smiled. "You're interested in a girl." She finally announced with some satisfaction.

Sai blinked. She'd figured that one out quickly. "No." He denied. "A question in preparation for a mission. That's all."

Shiho smiled. "You are a superb liar." She told him gently.

He frowned, his second genuine facial expression of the day, only he wasn't even aware of it. Instead he focused on the cryptologist. "Yes." He acknowledged. "But this is really for a mission."

The kunoichi shook her head softly. "No. You didn't ask how a woman falls for a man or how a man falls for a woman. You said Kiba, and me. Making it personal." She held up one finger, then moved on to hold up a second one. "And you didn't go to a kunoichi with field experience for your 'mission' you came to me. A ninja who rarely sees outside of her own village and one you know has not had many serious flirtations."

Sai opened his mouth to deny her reasoning, but stopped as she held up a third finger.

"You came to me because I am your friend. Someone you know you can trust. Meaning you have something personal invested in my answer, which would not be the case if this was for an actual mission."

Sai closed his mouth and eyed her. "You are good."

"I know." Shiho said simply, not bragging. She held up a fourth finger. "And I know you've been trying to date and it has not gone as you might have liked so far."

Looking over at the ANBU guard who had not moved at all, Sai glanced back at the cryptologist. "Well?"

The honey-blond kunoichi shook her head sadly and shrugged. "Unfortunately, I can't help you. I didn't make Kiba fall in love with me and I still have no clue why he did. I'm just grateful and happy."

Sai grunted and nodded, accepting her answer. He knew Shiho to be quite logical and bright, if she said she didn't know ...she didn't.

"Ask Kiba." Shiho suggested.

The artistic-ninja didn't mention that he'd tried to earlier, but hadn't been able to make himself ask. He simply nodded and took off.

Shiho sighed and reached for her books again, wondering who had caught Sai's attention.

The ANBU in the corner smiled beneath his concealing mask.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Moving at top speed, Gaara and his group caught up with the jounin he'd sent after Mizu and Tei. His ninja reported nothing out of the ordinary and seemed genuinely shocked that the person they'd been tracking might have taken Kaji against her will.

Gaara and Naruto led the way as they followed Michi's trail that he'd left for them.

"How far out are they?" The blonde asked.

Jade-pale eyes narrowed on the desert horizon. It was late afternoon. He glanced at the sun and blinked. "Hours." He growled and sped up.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Aw." Yurasu mocked. "Won't the Hyuuga let Kaji out to play?"

The kunoichi gritted her teeth and fought not to scream in frustration. The man was seriously yanked. Nuts. Beyond sane. Gone. "I am both."

The criminal shook his head sadly. "I will carve the Hyuuga from your body to let Kaji free."

Hanabi scowled. "That would kill Kaji too." She pointed out.

Yurasu shrugged. "So?"

Yep. He was nuts. The kunoichi tensed slightly as the man reached into his weapons pouch again. Then forced herself to relax. Tension was not good for the Gentle Fist style of fighting. And without much in the way of weapons, she was at a serious disadvantage.

A fucking desert. Why did she have to fall in love with a guy who lived in a fucking desert? She needed things to blow up! She needed items, things, anything! But no. She had to be stuck out here with a man who'd even crushed all the cactus in the area! And the only rocks around were his. Infused with his own personal chakra.

Something niggled at the back of her mind, but before she could follow that line of thought, he attacked. Hanabi tensed again then frowned. He hadn't attacked ...her.

Two ninja shimmered into view as they dodged Yurasu's own exploding tags.

The S-class criminal smiled beatifically. "You know why I've not yet carved the Hyuuga blood from your body, sweet Kaji?"

Nuts.

"Because I felt them coming and wanted you to watch me dispose of them for you." The missing-nin waved one hand and bowed to the two young Leaf shinobi.

Kaji blinked. "Mizu? Tei?" How had she missed ...oh. Visual air shield, suppressed chakra, and ... oh yes, a deranged killer on the attack.

Yurasu cracked his knuckles as he smiled.

Michi and Rocks settled into fighting stances as Hanabi caught her first breath since being grabbed. Fear for her teammates warred with a sense of relief that she wasn't all alone after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	71. Konpai

Yurasu thought he was torturing her, making her watch as he destroyed her two teammates. Hanabi struggled to keep her breathing under control as she indeed watched the battle with her heart bleeding at the thought of either Michi or Rocks being hurt. Yet. It was also an opportunity to regroup.

Rest. Much needed rest after several hours of uninterrupted Gentle Fist defensive moves. Not that she thought for an instant Yurasu, the bastard, didn't know she was resting. He was probably counting on it, to draw out the torture a bit more. Fucking nuts, that's what he was. But besides rest, there was thought. Finally, a chance to try and think of a way to win this fight.

Kaji absently ran her hands over the areas of her outfit where she carried exploding tags. She winced as Michi's water clone fell, splattering across the arid landscape and quickly becoming absorbed into the sand. Lost.

"Shit." She whispered, knowing Mizu's water supplies to be limited out here in the Suna desert. Then she brightened as Tei used a hammer of solid air to slam Yurasu against the only hard surface out here. The ground.

"Shit." The kunoichi said again, as she watched with her Byakugan as the S-class criminal sank into the ground with an earth-style jutsu.

"Are you going to keep cursing, or help?" Snarled Rocks. Tei. Aw crap, she was getting as confused as the fucking jerk who'd kidnapped her!

Yurasu became visible as he slowly ascended from the sand to stand before the two young shinobi. "Oh, but she is helping. She's planning. Thinking. Come up with anything yet, darling Kaji?"

"Shit." She said again, sighing.

"Or is that mealy mouthed Hyuuga brat still too front and center?" Yurasu gave a rusty laugh that sounded like a rasp and made her stomach churn with nausea. "If will help bring out the destructive queen I know you could be, let me kill one of these for you."

No warning other than that. And suddenly Rokuro, her one time nemesis, her teammate who'd followed her into 'death', disappeared. Sucked down into the bowels of the earth.

Kaji screamed out in denial, unable to help herself even though she knew it was pleasing Yurasu. The man smiled at her and took a bow, as if expecting applause.

Fucking nuts. He had to die. He just had to die!

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari wasn't stupid. Blonde and pregnant, but not stupid. The medics were telling her nothing. Her husband was telling her nothing. She glanced over at her silent guard and sighed. Her husband's father wasn't even worth asking as she knew he'd tell her nothing.

Calmly, the wind kunoichi picked up her bowl of plain chicken broth and threw it at Shibi's head. Satisfied that even though he ducked from the unexpected onslaught, some of the liquid had splattered the man's dark sunglasses. "That's for not answering my questions!" She told him, lifting her chin.

Beside her, Shino looked back and forth between his wife and his father, clearly at a loss. "You didn't ask him anything." He pointed out reasonably.

"Doesn't matter." The pregnant woman announced. "He wouldn't have answered."

Shibi grunted slightly and wiped at the broth dripping from his nose. "True." He admitted, knowing he didn't want to worry Temari any more than necessary. With Hyuuga Hanabi missing, and presumably kidnapped and with half of Suna chasing after her ...well, that would have worried Temari. Simple.

Katsumaru yawned and nearly fell off his stool next to Temari's bedside. He blinked behind his little sunglasses and whined. "Can we go nooooow?"

"Not until I find out what's going on." Temari scowled, looking cross and out of sorts.

Shino frowned.

"There is nothing that we can do right now." Shibi's voice rumbled with authority. "Gaara and Naruto have gone after someone involved in the attacks here." He gave her part of it, hoping to calm the kunoichi down.

Temari's teal eyes narrowed. "That wouldn't be something to keep from me." She gave them all a hard look. "Unless, of course, there is more to it than that!" Her voice rose with each word until she was nearly shouting.

"Someone took Hanabi." Shino said deliberately, making his father frown sharply. "She'll get worked up if we tell her or not." He explained.

Temari sucked in a sharp breath, but nodded. Oh shit. If anything happened to Hanabi, Gaara would ...oh hell, things would be BAD. She sighed and winced, running one hand over her pregnancy belly. She shifted uncomfortably in her bed.

Shibi glared at his son, who shrugged. "She would have worried more not knowing." Shino defended himself.

With all that the adults had to think on, it was six-year old Katsumaru who caught on quickest of them all.

"Aunt Temari?" The little boy look puzzled as he counted by moving his lips while looking at the clock on the wall. "I thought the nurse said your medicine would have worked by now. How come your belly still hurts?"

The kunoichi's hand paused as she swallowed hard, realizing that her indigestion had not yet too looked at the clock, and then at Shino. Shibi was already out the door heading for the nursing desk.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba was about finished with his lunch when he sensed someone coming. Looking up, he frowned. "Sai." The dog-ninja acknowledged.

The artistic nin nodded back and stood there.

Kiba waited. Nothing. He frowned. "Did you need something?"

Sai nodded slowly and Kiba's frown deepened. The other shinobi looked ...almost hesitant. Very much unlike the Sai he knew. "Well?"

Unable to ask what he really wanted to know, and not even sure why, Sai sat down.

Kiba shook his head and shrugged. "You've sought me out twice today. Must be important. And Akamaru reported that Shiho was fine." His words made it a question.

Sai grunted. "She's at work."

"Okay." Kiba shrugged. "Which means you've seen her and ..." He snorted. "Sorry, my girl is the code-breaker, not me. I don't feel like trying to figure out your damned puzzle. If you have something to say, say it. If not, I don't care." With that he took a last swallow of his tea.

"I want to sleep with your sister."

Tea sprayed out everywhere as Kiba choked, his eyes wide with shock.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara and Naruto raced across the desert, each lost in their own thoughts. Half of Suna's fighting force was at their backs, but each man was alone nonetheless.

Naruto thought about what his state of mind would be if it were Sakura out there. Then frowned. No, Sakura would be alright, she was a fighter. Hanabi? Well, he just didn't know her.

"She'll be alright." The Kyuubi container said, more to be supportive than out of a real belief. Last he'd seen of Hanabi really, she'd been a raw green genin. He'd already lived through the aftermath of her "death" once, and hoped he wouldn't have to again.

The blond shinobi looked to his side and gritted his teeth. More to the point. If Gaara lost Hanabi, what would that do to his friend?

Gaara ignored his friend's attempt to comfort him. He knew Kaji's worth as a fighter. What he didn't know ...was who had her. And why. Yes. Yes he knew Kaji could take care of herself, but he couldn't dispel the fear sitting low in his belly.

Both men sped up as they fairly flew through the desert, each fighting the fears of what they might find.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino's own stomach turned over as he watched the doctors shrug. "Indigestion." They told him. Again.

The Aburame shook his head. "The medicine you gave her for indigestion hasn't worked." He pointed out, not wanting to think about what if it wasn't what they thought. What if Temari was in early stages of contractions? It was too soon. She was only six months along.

Shibi came around the corner and Shino's eyes moved to his father, and then felt relief as he recognized his great-aunt Yukiko. Shibi had obviously gone to fetch the elderly Aburame, who didn't even pause to offer a greeting before heading into Temari's room.

"It's merely bad indigestion. Many woman suffer from this." The words were almost patronizing. Learned doctor speaking to first time father. Shino clenched his teeth to keep from saying something nasty in return. So much for the famed Aburame calm exterior, when all he really wanted to do was tear the man apart for his dismissive attitude.

Instead, Shino turned to watch through the door as Yukiko ran her hands over Temari's pregnant belly, soothing her with her voice.

The doctor smiled. "Good, someone to calm the new mother." As if intimating that Shino was making things worse by being worried. The doctor stilled. "Here now, what is she feeding her?"

Shino looked through the door and saw Yukiko pull out some dried herbs while urging Temari to chew on them.

The doctor moved to enter the room and Shino, for reasons he himself couldn't name, stepped in front of the pompous man. Blocking the way. In his gruffest imitation of his own father, Shino frowned. "Clan business. Besides. You said it was only indigestion."

With that, he stepped into his wife's room and firmly shut the door. He took a deep breath and turned around to find Yukiko smiling at him. That smile did more to loosen the knots in his soul than any reassurances from the doctor.

"What is that?" He pointed to what Temari was chewing. "Something for indigestion?"

Yukiki shook her head. "She doesn't have indigestion."

Shibi and Shino both froze.

The elderly aunt didn't make them wait. "It's konpai. Conratulations."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You want to run that by me again?" Kiba sputtered, staring in shock at Sai.

The artistic nin blinked slowly and said, "I want to sleep with your sister." Saying it slowly as if Kiba might have trouble understanding his words.

"I can't believe you said that twice!" Kiba shouted growling, his fangs evident as he stood up and planted both hands on the small table and leaned forward menacingly.

Sai shrugged. "You asked me to repeat myself. I did."

Kiba looked skyward as if for help. "And you've decided you want to date my sister." It wasn't a question, but Sai corrected the other man anyway.

"No. I want to sleep with her."

Kiba nodded, and calmly as could be reached over and picked up his chair and smashed it over the cafe table, narrowly missing the other man as Sai neatly stepped out of danger.

They both stood there for a long moment as everyone around them scattered. Sai looked at Kiba and then at the destroyed chair. "Feel better?"

"Kinda." Kiba growled. "Now tell me why I shouldn't do the same to you?"

"Not that you could, but why would you try?" Sai asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, I'd manage it, trust me. As for why? Because you're not looking for anything honorable, like dating my sister. Which would be out of the question anyway. But just to sleep with her." Akamaru watched with wide doggy eyes, not interrupting one moment of this fascinating byplay.

Sai blinked slowly. "I don't like dating. It's not fun."

Kiba stilled and took a deep breath. He had to remember whom he was talking to, Sai was ...different. "You can't just sleep with a girl." He started slowly. "You have to date her. Marry her." He shuddered at the thought of Sai with his sister.

Sai shrugged. "You're not."

"Huh?" Kiba dropped his jaw slightly.

"You and Shiho sleep together nearly every night." Sai pointed out calmly. "You're not married."

Kiba closed his mouth and fought the urge not to break another chair. "We're dating." He said through gritted teeth. "There's a difference."

Sai shook his head. "No you're not. You don't go out to restaurants, parks, trips, movies or anywhere else. You go out with your genin team, and then go sleep with Shiho." He shrugged. "I want that."

Suddenly embarrassed, Kiba growled. He couldn't deny it. He and Shiho were practically living together. And he did prefer to be at home with her than out and about in Konoha. And ...he liked it like that. He loved her and he loved his life right now. With her. They weren't really dating. Huh. How about that.

Kiba shook himself, literally, making Akamaru stare at him a moment as he regained control of his thoughts. "I dated Shiho first." He said boldly. Which was true. A few nights out, he told himself, did equal dating.

Sai nodded. "So dating must come before sex?"

Kiba choked. "That is my sister you're talking about!"

"Of course it is." Sai said simply. "Can't you keep up?"

Kiba looked around helplessly, unsure whether to laugh or fight. Finally he shrugged. "I give up. If you want to sleep ...oh crud, the very thought! If you ...want Hana." He coughed and pressed onward. "Yes. You have to date her first."

Sai grunted and nodded with a slight look that may have been a 'thank you' or it might not have been. Then he was gone.

Kiba sighed and rolled his shoulders. He looked down at his shaggy white nin-dog and laughed. "Think we should take bets on which part of his anatomy Hana will tear off first?"

Akamaru woofed in a questioning manner. Human mating was beyond him. Why did people make it all so difficult?

Kiba grinned. "The only real question though is ...should I warn her?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi had a whirlwind of hardened water ribbons swirling around himself as he and Yurasu faced off together. He'd already had to call into action the water reserves he usually kept hidden on his body like tattoos.

The criminal smirked at him. "You haven't tried to save your teammate. Tsk. Is Hanabi worth more to you than the other boy?"

Refusing to be drawn in, Michi fought his emotions in order to remain controlled. He'd wasted the initial stages on this fight in a haze of hatred and anger. He had to calm down or he'd lose not just one person, but everything.

Michi fought the need to tell Yurasu that Rocks didn't need saving. That Kaji would have told him if things were going badly for his teammate. But he didn't want to let their enemy know that.

Kaji. She was in rough shape, she'd been through hell before he and Rocks had arrived. And it was no wonder. Yurasu had planned it all out carefully. They were in a place where there was no place to hide, no weapons to use.

Over to the side, watching with worried eyes, Kaji was thinking along the same lines. She could see underground and could see that Tei's chakra levels were fine. At the same time she was cursing under her breath. There was NOTHING out here she could use. Sand. Pft, that was Gaara's medium and useless for her. Rocks? The only ones out here were completely saturated with Yurasu's chakra.

Click.

Kaji smiled and wiped at the dried blood at the corner of her mouth. Now. Would that work? Was it even possible?

No. Not yet. She needed something. But how?

The boys. Mizu or Tei would have to do the first part. But how to tell them, without tipping their hand to Yurasu?

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Konpai?" Temari reached for her water glass, the herb that Yukiko had made her chew wasn't unpleasant, but the taste was a bit strong. Fatigue? I don't see how that's possible.

Shibi turned and locked the door, clan business needed no witnesses.

Shino's hand shook as he reached out for the bed rail before sinking down into a seat.

The blonde kunoichi watched all of this in confusion. "Konpai means fatigue, right?" She looked up at Shino's great-aunt. "Right?"

A tear slipped out from under Shino's sunglasses and Temari stopped breathing. "What's wrong?" Sudden fear gripped her until her husband grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips.

"It's what is right." Shibi grunted hoarsely. "Everything is right. As it should be."

Shino took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words to speak.

Yukiko took pity on the men and sat down on Temari's bed. "It means you're out of danger, there will be no miscarriage. No stillbirth. All is fine now. It's konpai. It's a clan thing."

"You're sure. Absolutely sure?" Shino finally found his voice, his hand tightening around that of his shocked wife.

The elderly matron smiled and put her hand over the combined grip of both Shino and Temari. "You can finally relax. Oh, you still have to make sure to be healthy and all, but no Aburame who has reached the stage of konpai has ever lost that child."

Temari didn't know what to ask, or if she dared believe. "Tell me." Her voice begged, moisture in her teal eyes as she looked around at the three adult Aburame.

Shibi cleared his throat. "Konpai does mean fatigue, but for our clan it means more." His lips tilted upward. "A lot more."

Shino tugged on her hand and Temari swung her gaze to him as he grinned. Flat out grinned. "You know how young Aburame are full of excess chakra? Yes?" He nodded over at Katsumaru. "Remember how wild he was until he got his hive?"

Temari nodded silently. She still secretly mourned the loss of all that energy, though it had often been a trial to be around a child that never stopped. She couldn't even begin to count the escapades and sundry broken items Katsumaru had caused before receiving his kikai hive.

"That starts during the pregnancy." Yukiko ran her hands over Temari's baby belly fondly. "You're about two and a half weeks early for that stage, but perhaps the excitement of the attacks brought it on? Who knows?"

The pregnant and hormonal kunoichi felt like screaming, she squeezed her husband's hand tighter. "What are you trying to tell me?"

But it was Shibi who spoke up. "Not every child in the Aburame clan is a candidate for a hive, like my daughter Sachi." He said, mentioning Katsumaru's mother who was also Shino's older sister. "But during some pregnancies, an Aburame will enter konpai. That's where the baby will start to store up a lot more chakra than normal."

"He's getting stronger." Shino said hoarsely. "Think of Katsumaru bouncing off the walls, but inside here." He patted her belly and Temari turned wide eyes on the youngest Aburame in the room.

The six-year old stuck out his bottom lip. "I wasn't that bad."

Everyone laughed at him. "Yes you were, and we wouldn't want you any other way." Yukiko reassured the young boy.

Shino's great-aunt stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her skirt. "What konpai means is that the baby is healthy and gaining energy, and you'll be so tired you won't know what to do. And he'll be so busy inside there that you'll have a lot of bad indigestion as well, I'm sorry for that."

"I'm not." Temari whispered, not if it meant her baby was fine. Would be fine.

"The Aburame mid-wives have some things that will help. Come, let's go home." Yukiko smiled.

"Finally!" Katsumaru pumped his little fist. "There's still cake left at home!"

The elderly Aburame smiled gently. "I meant Konoha. You can travel now, the danger is over."

Temari stilled as both Shino and his father held silent. They both wanted the baby to be born in the Leaf village. But if the blonde kunoichi was more comfortable in her home village, they'd make that work too.

Temari was torn. This was fantastic news! She'd been worrying so much and for so long though, that it was hard to take in the realization that everything would be fine. And there was another worry. "When Gaara gets back." Temari said slowly. "When Gaara gets back, safely with Hanabi. We'll decide then."

Shino smiled and raised her hand to his lips. But at the back of his mind, he worried. What if Gaara didn't come back safely? What if something happened to Hanabi? Temari wouldn't want to leave her brother if he was grieving.

He looked at his father who nodded, obviously thinking along the same lines. They would just have to wait and see.

Neither liked the pensive look that came over Temari's face when she mentioned what was going on out in the desert. Shibi shook his head and tilted his chin at Shino for him to do something.

"Ryozo." The young father-to-be suggested. "How about that name?"

Temari shook her head, having always been against naming their son in case it brought bad luck to the pregnancy.

"I like that." Yukiko nodded, catching on quickly. "But I like Shinichiro."

Temari opened her mouth to protest, but Shibi beat her to it. "I knew a man named Shinichiro once. Didn't like him."

And so it went, one name suggestion after another, keeping an expecting mother from worrying too much. Or at least trying to do so.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho looked up from her book to find Kiba grinning at her. She looked over at the clock, no she'd not let time get away from her again. She looked back at Kiba.

"Okay. You're a code-breaker."

Nodding, Shiho stared at him in wonder. "Yes."

"What does this mean?" Kiba held out a box from a local jeweler.

Shiho took the box without comment and opened it. Empty. She looked up at Kiba. "What?"

"Some code-breaker." He grinned at her.

The kunoichi frowned. "This isn't a code, it's an empty box. A ring box."

Kiba nodded. "And what comes in a ring box ...?"

Shiho looked at him like he was nuts. "A ring?"

"Want to go shopping for one?"

The code-breaker shook her head. "To answer your question, you're asking me to marry you. In reaction to what Sai said to you earlier."

Kiba blinked as his smile faded around the edges. "Sai talked to you?"

"Of course." Shiho nodded. "He had questions about dating. He told me what he told you."

The dog ninja sighed and stared at her. She stared back. "So? Will you marry me?"

"Not if you're asking from misplaced guilt because of something stupid that Sai said." She said pithily.

Kiba sighed and growled. "I don't know if I want to kill Sai more for ruining my proposal, or for wanting to sleep with my sister."

Shiho dropped her book. "He was talking about Hana? He never said who it was he was wanting to see."

Kiba nodded grimly. "Now. Let's go over and warn Hana and make life very difficult for Sai. But before that ..." He leaned in for a quick but very thorough kiss. "I love you and you've known I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Hell, we bought a bed together. Why can't we buy a ring and make it official?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kaji moved up beside Mizu as he faced off against Yurasu. He gave her a grim look. The pressed the attack, moving Yurasu around the area as the man grinned at them.

"Maybe I killed the wrong team member?" He started to make hand seals, then frowned. His fingers weren't connecting properly. But what was stopping them?

Michi nodded to himself. Tei was underground, but uncrushed due to his air shields. And was holding the jutsu he'd been working on since he'd used it on Gaara back in Konoha. Air shields around the enemies fingers, blocking his hand seals.

Something pressed into his hand and he looked at the note Kaji had just slipped him.

"Break his ribs."

Michi let water saturate the note, destroying the ink. Ribs? She wanted him to go after Yurasu's ribs? Why? He glanced at her and saw the resolution in her eyes.

He saw death there. Yurasu or them. It was that simple. Kaji obviously had a plan and Michi had no clue what it was. None. They were fucked. Except ...Kaji had a plan.

Not even bothering to wonder what it could be, he jumped into battle. If Kaji wanted the man's ribs broken. Then that's what would happen.

They had all been through too much together to not trust each other now.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	72. Boom

"No." Her voice brooked no argument, but that didn't stop Kiba from trying.

"Marry me." He whined again as he dragged his reluctant girlfriend away from her apartment, and her books.

"No." Shiho sighed, exasperated, thinking about the work he'd left strewn all over her home desk. "I meant 'no' as in we should not interfere with Sai and Hana." She tried to sound as firm as possible.

Kiba stopped, giving her a wide-eyed look. "First of all, there is no Sai and Hana other than as individuals. Not a couple. And if the 'no' was for warning my sister then you're saying 'yes' to marrying me?"

"No." Shiho shook her head, grimacing, so much for sounding firm. He was impossible! "You're confusing the issues. It's two no's."

Kiba suddenly grinned widely and shook his finger in her face. "Double negative. That's a double negative and bad grammar. C'mon sweetheart!"

The code-breaker looked at him askance. "Double negatives are bad grammar, true ...but that wasn't an example of ...wait! Stop!" She tugged ineffectively at her hand and then sighed as Kiba finally did stop pulling her along.

The dog-ninja bowed low. "I stopped, just for you." Kiba grinned cheekily at her and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her gently to face the shop window. "And see where fate has landed us?"

Shiho sighed at the sparkly display of rings in the jewelry shop. "Kibaaaa ..." Right. Fate. Who did he think he was fooling?

"Yeeeesss ..." He teased her. "What about that one?"

The kunoichi's eyes widened as she saw the diamond nearly as big as her pinky nail. "No! Absolutely not!"

Kiba shook his head. "No need to get huffy, how about that one?" He pointed to a princess cut stone in white gold. "I don't know anything about buying these things."

"Me neither!" Shiho felt shocked all the way down to her toes, was he being serious? "It looks expensive though!"

Kiba looked at her a long moment, completely solemn looking ...but she could tell the wheels were spinning in his mind. She narrowed her gaze on him. He grinned, deliciously flashing his fangs at her. "Something you don't know about?" He asked smoothly. "I didn't think that was possible."

Shiho shook her head slowly, trying to see where the trap was lying. "I don't know everything, that's why I do research. You know that."

The Inuzuka nodded thoughtfully and reached to open the door to the shop. "The we need to research this subject immediately."

Shiho shook her head as he ushered her inside to the smiling clerk. "I haven't said yes yet!"

"Details." Kiba grinned as he turned to the clerk. "We need to learn about diamonds. Especially pretty ones to go here." He pointed to Shiho's left hand, which she jerked away from him and hid behind his back as he flashed a cheesy grin at her.

"Of course, sir." The clerk smiled happily.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Yurasu, denied use of his earth style jutsu due to Tei's interference, was no less deadly an opponent. Mizu had not been able to get close enough to break a nail, much less a damned rib on the man. He moved too fast, used too many weapons, and just plain outclassed them at every step.

Kaji snarled, frustrated no end. She was running low on explosive tags and she needed her more powerful ones in reserve if they had any chance to survive this fight. She had a plan, but no way to implement it! Damn!

"Time." Mizu moaned as he was thrown back into a heap at his teammate's feet. Pain lanced throughout his body as he moved his limbs, testing for breaks and injuries.

The bloodied kunoichi nodded miserably. Time was indeed growing short for Tei, who was still trapped underground. His air-jutsu was protecting him and providing breathable air, but he only had a limited amount of time before the air became too stale to breathe. Or he lost too much chakra to maintain the shields of air blocking Yurasu from forming hand seals.

The S-class criminal looked up at the descending sun. "Yes, your time does run short." He grinned nastily even as he misunderstood their reference. "But a kiss from fire wielding Kaji might persuade me into merely breaking every bone in your body rather than killing you."

Michi rolled his eyes at the hyperbole.

"Deal."

Shock ran through Michi as he turned his sea-foam green eyes toward his friend and teammate. Was she nuts?

"Tsk, tsk little girl. That's not a Kaji move. That's the mealy-mouth Hyuuga heiress move." Yurasu frowned mockingly. "Am I supposed to fall for your trap?"

Hanabi smiled back at him, her voice taunting. "Only if you're man enough."

Michi stilled at her feet. Baiting the homicidal crazy man was not his idea of a good plan.

Yurasu smiled suddenly. "What did you say?"

Hanabi stepped around Michi and stood resolutely in the face of danger. "If you want a kiss, you'll have to be man enough to survive the trap."

"Shit." Michi said as he spit blood out of his mouth. "Shit, shit, shit."

Yurasu stared at her a long moment. "I take it back, not the heiress at all." He nodded. "Kaji."

She nodded.

Michi groaned.

Yurasu struck like lightning.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari laid her head back in the large over-stuffed chair where Shino and his father had ensconced her now that she'd been released from medical care. She closed her eyes wearily and rubbed her baby belly. The baby kicked, more of a flutter than anything else. She smiled. Or was it a punch? Either way, she was growing a fighter and that was good news. Another flutter, and then a rolling deep within her. Maybe. She frowned, it was hard to interpret what was going on. Either way, it was really good ...and she was really tired. It had been a long day.

"Temari?"

The pregnant kunoichi sighed. "I only just found out about konpai. And the extra fatigue it will bring. So why am I so damn tired all of a sudden? I was fine before you told me about it, but it's like once I knew my body got permission to completely flake out."

Aburame Yukiko smiled gently and fussed a bit as she prepared an herbal tea for Temari. As Shibi's elderly aunt bustled around, she shook her head. "It's like when you bump into something and it doesn't hurt until you actually see the blood or the bruise, then it starts to hurt."

Shibi settled down onto the futon and accepted the offer of tea from his aunt. He looked over as Shino hovered nervously over his wife. "She's fine now, just tired."

"She's pale." Shino grunted and put his hand on her forehead.

Temari batted his hand away and shot him a glare that wasn't nearly as angry as she'd intended it to be. "Go sit over there with your father. I just need to rest. Don't hover."

Shibi steepled his fingers and felt more at ease than he had in a long time. His grandson was safe and growing well in his mother's womb and with konpai, he was assured the child would be a full hive-bearing Aburame. "I like the name Norio, or how about Taikan?"

Temari frowned sharply, but didn't open her teal-colored eyes as she rested. "I said no. No names until the baby is born safe and sound."

Shino looked at his pale, but resting wife and then over at his family as they watched him. Yukiko nodded gently, as if to say it would all be alright. Shino finally took a seat and then stood up again immediately. He paced the room a few times, until his wife stopped him.

"Shino? Sit down, you're making me dizzy."

The Aburame heir opened his mouth to point out that her eyes were closed and thus he could not possibly be making her dizzy, but then stopped. He did not want to rile her, not now. She still looked ashen.

Suddenly it was all to much, he needed to DO something. Anything. But there was nothing he could do. "I need air." Shino mumbled and fled the room.

Temari nodded slowly, and then dropped into slumber, unable to fight the onset of konpai for long.

Yukiko looked at Shibi, who looked back at her. "Go to him." She prodded.

Shibi sighed and sipped his hot tea. "It's just nerves."

His aunt reached over and rudely relieved him of his tea cup. "Go."

Shibi sighed and looked longingly at his tea, but his aunt wouldn't hand him the cup. "Fine." He muttered and went after his son.

o.O.o.O.o.O

One minute he was far away, and the next he was in her face. Kaji looked up a the S-class criminal who stood menacingly over her. She did not even blink. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. It was there though, oh it was there.

He smiled, the stuff of nightmares.

She smiled back, forcing her facial muscles to mimic him even as every instinct was for her to run.

He jerked her off her feet and into his arms, their lips close together as he smiled cruelly.

But the kunoichi had raised her arm before he grabbed her and blocked a full embrace. Her palm slapped his chest, right over his heart.

Yurasu's smile widened to an evil grin. "Let's see. Can I steal a kiss and still have time to defuse the bomb you've just put over my chest?" He chuckled. "I have time, since you still have to leave yourself room to escape."

Kaji smiled, and it equaled his. Her fear stilled. She narrowed her gaze on him in victory.

Yurasu's grin faded as the bomb exploded between them, knocking them both back away from each other. Flinging Kaji's lighter form against the sand as she rolled over and over again, still smoking away from him. Her long hair tangled and fell over her face as she lay terribly still.

Michi's breathing stopped, and he wasn't sure if his heart was still beating either. He turned quickly to look at Yurasu.

The S-class criminal choked on the acrid scent of his own burning flesh as he peeled back his shirt and stared in wonder. He looked over at the motionless body of Hyuuga Hanabi and began laughing, a grating, rough sound.

"So. Kaji commits suicide in order to try and take me out?" He grinned, wincing as he climbed slowly to his feet. "Didn't have any intention of kissing me, a trap through and through. I miscalculated. I thought she'd want to be away from me when it blew. Thought I could have my kiss and as long as I held her close to my body she couldn't detonate."

Michi watched the crazy man with wary, pain-filled eyes.

Yurasu pointed at the young man. "No kiss, so I can kill you just fine."

The soft sound of water dripping stopped the man before he could take a step, however. His dark eyes widened as he saw Kaji sit up slowly, dripping wet.

"Water shield." He breathed, then grinned. "Smooth but useless. You must have used up the last of your reserves to protect Kaji that way, boy."

Michi didn't answer, though the guess was true. He had very little water left, having used most of it to shield his teammate from that blast. He'd realized what she was going to do with just a split-second to spare and had moved to shield her quickly. Had it been enough?

Kaji raised one hand and pushed her wet hair away from her face, turning her pale-eyed gaze on Michi first, then over to her nemesis. She coughed and moved to sit up, moving all too slowly. "Missed you." She said blankly.

Yurasu smiled ingratiatingly. "Poor child. If it helps, I think you broke a rib."

Michi stilled, remembering her words from earlier. Had that been her goal the whole time? Not an effort to kill both of them and save himself and Tei? Damn girl! So now what? She'd managed to break the man's rib, but what next?

Kaji smiled. "Yes. That does help I believe." She coughed and spat out blood before climbing painfully to her feet.

Michi mirrored her. Waterless as he was, he would still stand with her. Kaji shot him a twisted smile of gratitude. He winced to see she was still burned, and her right arm looked like so much raw meat. Blood was dripping down her fingertips to stain the sand beneath her.

"I'd say that I was sorry about your rib." Hanabi spit out some more blood and winced as she took a step forward. "But I'd be lying. The news actually makes my day complete."

Yurasu frowned.

"Thank you."

Yurasu's frown sharpened as he stared at her. Death looked at him through her pale eyes.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Father found son outside on the patio, staring at the setting sun. He leaned against the railing and looked carefully over at his eldest son and heir. "We don't have the luxury."

Shino turned to stare at his father through his dark glasses, but said nothing.

Shibi cleared his throat. "We're men. Biologically we can not take this burden from our wives. So get over it."

The younger Aburame let a bitter smile grace his usually stoic features and then he sighed. "You're not being comforting."

Shibi shrugged. "Have I ever been?"

His son shook his head. "You've taught me everything I know."

The Aburame clan leader shrugged again. "That doesn't make me a comforting person."

"No." Shino allowed. "But you are a good father."

Shibi stilled and looked at his son. He grunted, looking away embarrassed.

"I've been so scared." Shino very reluctantly admitted.

Nodding, Shibi stayed silent.

"So why when everything is safe, do I feel so jumpy?" Shino turned and stared at his father head on. "Why do I feel like falling apart now?"

Shibi shook his head and shrugged. "One battle won, but the war continues. When your son is born, that's another battle won, but the war continues. When you survive his early childhood and he gets his hive, that's ..."

"Another battle won, but the war continues." Shino finished the sentence without inflection. He lowered his glasses and looked at his father with naked eyes. "Is that how you see me?"

Shibi shrugged. "Get you married and with an heir, one battle won."

Shino shook his head in wonder. "You're awful." Yet he was finally relaxing, losing that awful sense of foreboding. His muscles ached as they finally let go of the tightness in which he'd been holding himself. "So what's next? One grandchild to raise, that's the next battle?"

"No." Shibi grinned finally. "One grandchild to spoil and let my son deal with the consequences."

Shino groaned and gave a rough laugh. "You don't seem the type to spoil a child."

Shibi gave his son an odd look of anticipation. "Just wait. Just wait until I feed my hyperactive Aburame grandson nothing but sugary sweets until he's bouncing off the walls ...just like my father did to you."

Shino groaned, looking up at the heavens. "You wouldn't."

"Watch me."

Shino sighed, dreading what was to come but feeling better than he had in months.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I see something!" Naruto called out, his blue eyes fixed ahead on the horizon.

Gaara's own jade pale eyes narrowed as he redoubled his efforts and sped up even further. Suddenly his eyes widened. A chakra signature. Kaji and her teammates he recognized. But that other one was also sickeningly familiar. But how could that be? The man was supposed to be dead!

The Kazekage's lips thinned out in fatalistic determination. So what. He himself had died once and come back. And Hanabi had "died" in Konoha. Whatever had happened, it seemed Yurasu was back.

And he had Kaji.

Gaara gritted his teeth as he sent a silent prayer flying upwards. He wasn't one for praying, and he wasn't sure anyone was listening. But he couldn't help himself. Let her survive until he could get there to rescue her. He couldn't bear it if she died. He couldn't.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You what?" Hana couldn't have been more surprised if the moon had suddenly turned bright yellow with pink polka dots.

Sai simply looked at her. "I want to date you."

She didn't need to know, she didn't need to know, she wasn't going to ask, she wasn't ...she didn't ..."Why?" She asked anyway, mentally kicking herself for giving in.

Sai blinked, hesitated, then told her straight out. "So I can sleep with you."

Hana nodded, as if that made perfect sense, though it didn't. "So. To sleep with me, you feel you must date me."

"Kiba said I had to." Sai admitted.

Hana's dark eyes widened and she nearly swallowed her tongue. "Oh really?" She said with deep sarcasm and not a little bit of malice. Her baby brother was going to pay for this.

Sai cocked his head to one side. "Your tonal inflection shows you to be upset."

"Oh, you think?" Poison dripped from each word. Hana put down her scalpel that she'd been about to put away, before she could be tempted to use it. "Why would I be upset?"

Sai shrugged. "I don't know." He told her simply, truthfully.

Hana took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. She rolled her shoulders and turned to stare at the strange young man in her veterinary office. He was nice looking, young but not too young, older than Kiba by a year or two maybe. Smart, a capable fighter. She sighed.

"How old are you?"

Sai shrugged.

Hana stared at him a moment, then her gaze softened. "You don't want to say, or you don't know?"

"Don't know, not exactly." He told her in his matter-of-fact voice. Then he blinked slowly at her. "Does it matter?"

"I'm older than you." Hana pointed out.

Sai shrugged as if it meant nothing to him, she frowned. It probably didn't mean anything to him. "Never mind." She sighed. "Tell me, why do you want to have sex with me? Specifically me."

She watched as he frowned and shook his head slightly. "I didn't ask you that."

Hana nodded and waved one hand airily. "I know, I know ...you want to date me so you can have sex with me."

Sai shook his head negatively again, then spoke up. "I said I wanted to date you, so that I could sleep with you."

"Sex." Hana pointed out.

But the artistic ninja shook his head.

Suddenly Hana remembered how he'd said she 'smelled' and she had assumed he meant that she smelled badly, which had not been true. Or when he said she wasn't pretty, but it had also turned out to be a compliment as he felt 'pretty' was useless. Slowly she straightened, giving him a long look. "Explain."

Sai's eyes slid away, and then back to her. A sign of nerves? From him? Hana's curiosity was piqued. "Tell me." She insisted.

The shinobi shrugged. "Kiba sleeps with Shiho."

"Yes." Hana nodded slowly.

"He had sex with other women first." Sai then pointed out.

"Yes." Hana agreed again.

"See?" Sai asked.

Hana shook her head. "No."

Sai frowned. "Naruto and Sakura sleep together."

Hana nodded. "Naruto and Sakura are engaged. My brother is fully committed to Shiho. They are couples."

Sai nodded. "I could have sex anywhere." He looked at her point blank. "I want to sleep with you. I want all of that, with you."

Hana's eyes went as round as saucers.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You don't have much left." Yurasu pointed out ruthlessly.

Hanabi shrugged, ignoring the pain as she blocked out everything except her opponent. "I don't need much."

He frowned, she sounded so calm. So sure. Had he miscalculated somewhere? No. No, of course not.

Michi watched, unsure, but trusting. He knew this tone of voice. She had already won.

Both men watched as her fingers flew, then she dropped her hands. It was done.

Yurasu frowned. He shook his head. "A substitution jutsu?"

"My specialty." Kaji smiled through the pain and fatigue. She lost her balance slightly, and Michi reached out to steady her.

The S-class criminal shook his head, not liking to see anyone else's hands on what he considered to be "his" property.

"Do you remember what I said the day we met?" Kaji asked with a sharp sweetness.

Yurasu shook his head. "What?"

"Boom." She whispered.

It registered just as the hidden explosive tags she'd put inside his body exploded with all the demolition force needed to take down a stone tower ten stories high.

Michi gaped as chunks of S-class criminal rained down over them just as help arrived. He turned, blinking blood out of his eyes as he watched Gaara and Naruto race up toward them.

"Nice timing." Mocked Kaji as she swayed, perilously close to collapsing.

Gaara caught her as she fell into him. He held her sweet weight, even as his eyes widened with alarm. The rest of the Suna forces arriving to look around the area in shock. There wasn't a big enough piece of Yurasu left to identify.

Michi coughed, jade-pale green eyes focused on him. "She blew him up."

Gaara nodded, then looked at the spent water user as Mizu too collapsed in a heap of exhaustion, breathing heavily. "Tei's trapped underground."

Naruto looked around at the sand in shock. "How do we find him?"

Kaji laughed, coughed, sputtered and then pointed even though her eyes were technically closed. "Hyuuga, remember? Dig there."

Naruto turned to gather several of the shocked Suna shinobi and began digging out the trapped air ninja where she'd indicated.

Gaara, eyes jade-pale eyes wide, shook his head. "That chakra ...he's dead."

Michi nodded. "He is now. Guess we were wrong about before." The usually fastidious water shinobi sighed and shook his hair as small bits of Yurasu flew out in each direction. "Yuck."

"How?" Gaara asked, alarmed as Kaji leaned more weight onto him. He held her tighter, his heart racing, still having trouble assimilating everything.

"Substitution jutsu." Michi shrugged. "I think she substituted something in for a piece of his broken rib. Don't know how."

The Kazekage shook his head. "Not possible."

Kaji grinned, putting her head down on Gaara's shoulder, letting him take her full weight. "Not usually. But the only rocks out here are the ones Yurasu completely filled with his personal chakra. Filled up. They resonated with him."

Michi grinned suddenly, finally understanding. "Just like his own bones."

Hanabi shrugged, winced and closed her eyes in pain. "I couldn't substitute for his organs, they are too integral to his body, too many connections and variables. But a small piece of bone ..."

Gaara frowned. "Like a kneecap?"

Michi frowned. "You mean we didn't need to break his ribs? You could have used the kneecap?"

Kaji shook her head. "I needed something near his heart. I didn't need him wounded, I wanted him dead."

Gaara stepped back on something squishy. He looked down. "You did that." He said blandly.

Michi looked around. "Boom." He chuckled. "Wow."

Gaara shook his head. "We need to get you back to Suna."

Kaji didn't answer. The red-headed shinobi looked down at her face and went pale. He threw her over his shoulder and took off for Suna. His fear back in full force, she was unconscious and the ultimate weapon of Suna panicked.

Michi waved at them, even as several of Suna's shinobi followed their leader while the rest stayed to dig out Tei. Mizu sighed. Rocks was going to be mad he'd missed the show.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	73. Trying to Move Forward

"He shouldn't be in here!" The voice whispered hoarsely.

The head medic looked at his assistant, and then over at the glowering red-head standing in the treatment room. The older man shrugged. "You tell him." His voice clearly indicating that he wasn't going to be the one to say anything.

The junior medic looked shocked. "You never let anyone in this area when you treat!"

Again the head medic looked over at the man currently invading their territory. The Kazekage of Suna. He shook his head warily. "He's not just anyone."

Gaara stood frighteningly still, an immovable object. He was not in the way of the medical personnel, physically. However, his glowering presence had everyone on edge.

Suddenly those jade-pale eyes cut over to look at the head medic, though Gaara's head didn't move. Just a look. The medic straightened his white coat and shouted for everyone to get back to work.

No one again mentioned that the Kazekage shouldn't be in there.

The door swung open and a pink-haired kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves walked into the treatment room. She didn't even look at Gaara as she brushed by him and right to the patient, Hyuuga Hanabi.

The head medic's lips thinned, but one glance at the Kazekage and he kept his mouth shut. The red head actually looked a bit relieved. Sure, the Leaf medic had saved Kankuro that ONE time, and it's as if the Kazekage didn't trust any other medic.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Naruto paced the hallway outside the treatment area as Baki limped up to him. The blonde shinobi gave a small smile as he saw Harusame trailing her adoptive father, scolding him for not resting his foot. Though the man was using his crutches.

Baki pinned Naruto with a look. "She's alive?"

The blonde nodded. "The medics are looking at her now, but she's alive. Sakura too."

Tei snorted from a seat that another medic had forced him to take, as they stitched up a place on his arm. "Sure. Don't ask about the rest of us." He winced, but made no other comment as the needle flashed in and out of his skin.

Baki didn't even look at the air-jutsu specialist. "I can see you're alive. And that you're too stubborn to let them take you into another treatment room. You shouldn't be out here."

Tei grunted and shook his head, his usually spiky blue-green spiky hair laying flat and limp to his sweat soaked skull. "Look who's talking. The Daimyo of stubbornness, himself. The medics told you to rest your ankle."

Harusame scrunched up her six-year old face. "Don't scold Papa!"

"Thank you." Baki said dryly, well aware that she was reserving the job of lecturing him all for herself.

Naruto grinned, having already once been the recipient of little Harusame's scolding during her rescue. "Your wife doing alright?" He asked.

Baki grunted, then nodded. "She sleeps." Was all he said, though the actual relief he'd felt when the medics had told him that Kimiko would live had nearly dropped him to his knees. "Kochi is well too."

The Leaf shinobi nodded, taking a deep cleansing breath. "I'm glad." Again, the actual words did not convey the depth of the speaker's emotions. Naruto still felt almost shaky at the thought of losing baby Kochi, the newest Jinchuuriki. The vessel for the One-Tailed demon had looked so very ...small. "Very glad."

"Harusame? Have you properly thanked your Godfather for rescuing you?" Baki asked gruffly.

The little girl pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Well?" Baki prodded his adopted daughter.

The little girl's small shoulders rose up in a shrug. "He's not my Godfather yet." She said mulishly. "And the Kazekage did all the work."

From his seat, Rocks looked away quickly lest he start laughing. Even the medic ducked his head slightly to hide his smile.

Baki sighed even as Naruto broke out into an unrepentant wide grin. Before the wind-user could chide his daughter though, the Leaf Shinobi spoke up. "Gaara didn't do ALL the work." He pointed out. "You broke one of the men's ribs."

Harusame's face fell into a scowl as she glared suspiciously over at the blonde young man. "Are you making fun of me?" She looked angry and wary, unsure if she was being poked fun at by her Godfather-to-be.

Naruto shook his head, holding out his hands as if to show his innocence. "You did break his ribs."

The six-year old thought about that for a long moment, then took a deep breath and nodded imperiously. Finally she smiled a little. "I need to practice. So I can break more."

Baki sighed as he stared down at his little fighter. Still, he was proud of the fortitude she'd shown during the whole ordeal. She hadn't fallen apart at all. Stern stuff there.

Naruto gave a rueful laugh and absently scratched the back of his neck. "Actually, Hanabi just beat an S-class criminal, and she did that by breaking the guy's rib."

Harusame's eyes went huge, round as pie plates. "Really?"

Baki eyed the young Leaf shinobi too, wanting to know more. "Really?" He mimicked his daughter. "I need details." His daughter nodded in agreement.

Tei slid down in his seat, making the medic angry and slapping at him to sit still. "Hey. It's not like she fought the guy all by herself!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Lee!"

Neji greeted his former teammate with pleasure as the servant ushered the green-clad shinobi into the Hyuuga study. Though his smile slipped into neutral territory when he saw that Lee was not alone.

Rock Lee looked around with interest. "Nice place." He was referring to Neji's rise in station as the head of the Hyuuga Clan rather than the decorating within the room. Then back at the girl next to him and his smile went tender and soft. "Hyuuga Neji, this is Miss Rinako."

Nodding, Neji offered a coolly polite greeting. "May I send for some refreshments?" He offered.

"No, no." Lee shook his head. "I, we merely came by to drop off a wedding gift for little Hanabi. Unfortunately we will not be able to attend the wedding. The Hokage has a mission that Ten-Ten and I will be leaving on very shortly. And Rinako has just returned from a mission with the Inuzuka."

Neji considered this for a moment, unsure of what was going on. Rinako was the former Cloud ninja that had "killed" Hanabi, though it had been an act. A ruse from start to finish. His pale eyes did not miss the Leaf insignia now gracing her new forehead protector. Nor did he miss Rock Lee's proprietary hand on the small of her back.

"Thank you. Both of you." His voice warmed slightly, making Lee relax a bit. "Why so nervous?"

Rinako didn't blush, but she did fidget with her hands a bit and Neji watched it all. He thought he knew. "You are welcome in the Hyuuga household." He spoke directly to the kunoichi at his friend's side. Hoping to alleviate any nerves she might have. Neji nor Hiashi blamed the girl for her part in the ruse.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she gave a slight nod to show she'd heard.

Neji frowned. He knew that Lee had been seeing the kunoichi on a romantic level, but her nervousness on meeting the head of the Hyuuga family was unnecessary. Unless? He took in a deep breath. "Has it been so difficult here in Konoha?"

Lee's lips thinned. "Not outwardly. Not where I can see it, at least."

That left a lot unsaid. So, no one was rude while Lee was with the girl? But otherwise? Neji's frown sharpened. "I was unaware."

Rinako shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm new, I'm from a different ninja village. Changes in affiliation like that are not the normal course of life for a ninja. It's natural for people to be cautious."

"Cautious does not mean rude!" Lee avowed sternly.

Shaking his head, the current leader of the Hyuuga clan, showed his displeasure. "If my family accepts you, then none should look down on you." It wasn't just pride speaking, but the truth. If Neji and his family did not hold a grudge against Rinako for her part in Hanabi's faked death ...then no one else in Konoha should either.

Lee looked sour for a moment. "The Inuzuka clan have taken her in completely. ANBU has cleared her and the Hokage has accepted her as a ninja for the Leaf."

Neji didn't like Lee looking so down, it wasn't how his former teammate should be. An idea formed. "A dinner out. Yugao and myself along with the two of you."

Lee's sudden smile was like the sunrise after a long, cold night. "You are brilliant!"

Rinako looked unsure, but seemed pleased.

"In fact," Neji grabbed some paper and a pen. "I have an idea."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho was still acting as if in shock, so Kiba bustled her over to the Inuzuka household before she could say nay. There was apparently a thing as too much research. She kept mumbling something about the different cuts of diamonds versus the carats and clarity. It wasn't until he instilled her on the couch and wrapped her in a thick blanket that she even seemed to realize where she was.

Kuromaru looked up from his spot in front of the hearth, watching the young couple with his one good eye. The dog yawned and dropped his head back down onto his paws.

Blinking her blue eyes up at Kiba, she looked around and suddenly frowned as she realized where he'd brought her. "I thought we agreed NOT to warn Hana?"

Kiba grinned mischievously and leaned forward to buzz her nose with a quick kiss. "You made a statement, that doesn't make an agreement."

"You can't just decide everything!" Shiho hissed, appalled at his high-handed manner.

Shrugging, Kiba tweaked the blanket closer around her. "You decided we weren't buying a ring today." He pointed out, still miffed that she'd escaped the shop without a purchase.

"That's not the same thing!" Shiho set her lips in a stubborn line. "I haven't said yes yet!"

"You will." Kiba promised, with a stern look that had her wanting to hit him.

Sounds from the hallway had everyone turning to look as Tsume walked into the room, yawning. She sighed as she saw the couple. "I'm too tired to deal with you two. Go home."

"Long mission?" Kiba asked, knowing his mother had been away for the past few days.

Tsume nodded and padded barefoot into the kitchen. "No sleep for two days. But we're home now. You're not, go. Shoo."

Kuromaru, who didn't look any more rested than his mistress, yawned. "They want to warn Hana about something. And Shiho doesn't want a ring."

Shocked, the code-breaker stared at the talking dog. "You were listening?" She took a deep breath. "And since when did you become a tattle-tale?"

Tsume reappeared in the doorway, a hunk of bread in one hand. "He lives here. You don't."

"Kiba does." Shiho pointed out, still looking rumpled. Her hair was starting to curl and frizz from sheer stress she was sure.

"His stuff is more or less at your apartment, not here. Only the mail carrier thinks he still lives here, heaven knows no one else does." Tsume blinked twice, frowning. "Wait. Warn Hana about what?"

Kiba opened his mouth as his mother tore a bite of bread and then nearly choked as her eyes widened. Everything finally clicked. "A ring? As in an engagement ring?"

Shiho blushed beet red and pulled the blanket up to cover most of her face.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Michi didn't look around as the door opened. He couldn't, the nurse had a hold of his head as she cleaned the blood out of a particularly deep cut on his temple. Then again, he knew this chakra signature.

"Don't." He begged.

Baki grunted. "Tei is fine, grumpy but fine. Kaji is out cold, but Sakura assures us there is no head trauma. Her right arm is a mess though."

Michi ground his teeth against the pain as the nurse continued her job. Finally he grunted, having nothing else to say.

"I'm sorry." Baki said simply.

Sea-foam eyes burned with the need to cry, but didn't. His face showed absolutely no emotion. "Don't." Cold, he felt cold.

The wind-user nodded. "Tomorrow." He didn't have to explain what he meant, they both knew.

Michi blinked slowly. "I'll be there." He promised solemnly, unsure if he actually could go through with it though.

Baki hesitated a moment before asking. "Will you speak?"

Michi held his breath, thinking of Ahara Razan. Baki's nephew, and Michi's sometimes boyfriend. Speak? About what? How funny the man had been? How hot he'd looked the last time they'd seen each other? "I can't." His voice was nearly a whisper. He had no memories of Razan that he wanted to share with other people. Those were his memories alone.

Nodding, Baki opened the door, and hesitated. "You did well."

A raw sound escaped Michi's throat, but then he caught himself, schooling his features back into line. Baki left without another word.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"She's taking advantage of me." Kiba said in a mocking tone of voice. "I'm the victim here."

Shiho's blue eyes narrowed dangerously on her boyfriend.

Tsume scoffed and finally managed to swallow her bread. She looked back and forth between the two young people and sighed. "You're supposed to ask the head of your clan's permission to become engaged."

Kiba shrugged, uncowed. "You like Shiho."

"True." Tsume admitted.

"You like her more than me." Kiba continued.

"Possible." Tsume allowed, making the code-breaker's jaw drop open slightly. "Probable, in fact."

"That's not true!" Shiho said breathlessly. Both Inuzuka ignored her completely.

Kiba held out his hands, palm up, as he shrugged. "You'd love it if we got engaged."

Tsume gave a long-suffering sigh. "You're still supposed to ask."

"Exactly!" Shiho sat up straighter, dropping the blanket around her waist. "He didn't even bothering to ask properly! Or for the right reasons!"

The Inuzuka clan leader pinned the younger kunoichi with a glare. "I meant he's supposed to ask me, not you. Well, yes ...he is supposed to ask you but not until he clears it with me first!"

Kiba coughed. "May I marry Shiho?"

"Yes."

The girl in question nearly fainted on the spot.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee looked around with a wide grin. "I like your idea."

Neji nodded as he and his wife, Yugao along with Hinata and her husband stopped in front of the Maitre d'. The man looked up, his haughty expression widening with pleasure to see whom was at his establishment.

Neji nodded imperiously. "I'm afraid we do not have reservations."

The Maitre d' waived off the words as of no consequence. "How many tonight, sir?" He bowed low, his manner obsequious as he played suck-up to the Hyuuga clan leader.

Rinako smiled and rolled her eyes as Lee grinned widely.

"I have very special and important guests of the family with me tonight." Neji said in all seriousness. He gestured toward the green-clad shinobi and his date. "I would like to show them the finest of evenings. Your chef is in good form, I trust?"

Kankuro made a face behind the guy's back as the man assured Neji that all would be of the finest. Hinata shushed him with an embarrassed look as Yugao tried desperately to keep a straight face.

Lee nodded gratefully. By the end of the evening, all the high-steppers in Konoha society would know that the full weight of the Hyuuga name was behind Miss Rinako. He would no longer have to worry about people being rude to her while he was away on missions.

"Yes. Let us hope so." Neji was in his element, mimicking his uncle's manner when he noticed Hinata and Kankuro both stiffening, looking behind him. "I would hate to have to be subjected to anything less." He finished, then turned slowly. Neji paused, a bit taken aback, then having nothing else he could do ...nodded at the man himself. Former clan leader and current Konoha council member, Hyuuga Hiashi.

The man frowned at them, clearly having overhead the last part of the conversation.

The woman at his side laughed outright. "The words are right, the tone needs work though. Not haughty enough. Not hot enough either." She gave a purring shiver. "Nice try there though, mini-trout."

Hiashi closed his eyes and sighed, praying for patience as his wife Anko slipped her arm through his.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Say yes." Kiba's voice was wheedling as he knelt in front of her. "Please?"

Shiho looked at him wild-eyed, as if he were a crazed stranger. She glanced up and saw a laughing Tsume and a puzzled Kuromaru. She frowned suddenly. "Where's Akamaru?"

"Catching a nap in my room. I sent him over here earlier." Kiba shrugged. "Besides, I wanted to propose to you in private."

Shiho waved one hand at his mother and her nin-dog. "This is NOT private!"

Kiba grinned wider. "Your fault, you wouldn't say yes earlier."

"And I'm not saying yes now!" Shiho replied, horribly embarrassed.

"Hey now. Something wrong with marrying into my clan?" Tsume tried to look stern, but her lips kept twitching.

Shiho's blue eyes narrowed. "No, of course not!"

"Something wrong with my boy?" Tsume probed deeper.

"No!" The cryptologist sighed. "Of course not!"

"So what's the problem?" Tsume pressed onward.

Kiba grinned and sat back, letting his mother work. No one resisted Tsume when she wanted something.

Shiho crossed her arms, looking as dangerous as a frizzy bunny rabbit. Which was ...not at all. Kiba whistled under his breath and waited for the inevitable.

"I'm not ready." The younger kunoichi announced.

Tsume's eyes closed a moment, then she nodded. "Fine."

Kiba shot up with a growl. "Fine? What do you mean fine? You're going to let her go without getting a yes?"

The Inuzuka clan leader gave a rough laugh and shook her head at her son. "You have this battle all wrong brat. It's not Shiho versus the Inuzuka. It's women against men. If she says she's not ready yet, she's not ready."

"Exactly!" Shiho nodded, much relieved.

Kiba growled and Kuromaru looked confused.

"Now. What was it you were going to warn Hana about?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"No."

Sai didn't show any reaction to her answer. He thought about it a long moment, then nodded.

Hana frowned, unable to let him leave without an explanation. "I'm not ready to be in another relationship yet."

"Okay."

Feeling awful, Hana ran one hand over her face and looked down. Sai looked so strong, but emotions were brand new to him. And to shut him down like this was really bad of her. "Look, I'm not right for you."

Sai listened, thought about it and then shook his head. "You can't decide that."

"Okay, you're not right for me." Hana snapped, then mentally scolded herself for giving into to her bad mood. Sai wasn't responsible for what her ex-husband had put her through. Nor was he responsible for her dissatisfied feelings of late. She shouldn't take it out on him.

The artistic ninja shook his head. "You don't know that." He pointed out. "We haven't dated. I've been assured that dating is when you find out these things about each other."

Surprised, Hana actually gave a rough little laugh. "You've been really thinking on this." She teased him.

He took her completely seriously. "Yes." He said, his sincerity clear.

The Inuzuka vet took a step back mentally and watched the young man for a long minute. "How long have you been thinking about this?"

Sai shrugged. "Since you told me to date whomever I find interesting." He paused and pointed out what was to him very obvious. "You."

"Anyone else interesting?" She asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer but unable to let the moment go.

"No." He said simply. "Just you."

Hana shook her head and broke the moment deliberately, walking over to her desk to sit down. "I'm sorry to mislead you, but dating is more than finding someone interesting. You have to be attracted to them. You have to feel a connection. Feel. As in emotion."

Sai looked at her, sitting on her desk. "I'm not good at expressing myself in words. As you pointed out, I've never even had a second date."

Hana nodded and closed her eyes, feeling the beginnings of a headache.

"But I have learned that I do have emotions. And while unfamiliar with attractions and connections ..." His voice trailed off and Hana's eyes snapped open as she suddenly felt him standing in front of her.

Sai leaned in, his gaze on hers. Hana didn't move as he invaded her space. He placed his hands on the desk, on either side of her as he brought his face closer to hers. Her breath caught at the intensity in his usually blank eyes.

"I think this is attraction." Sai said slowly, his breath stirring the air in front of her as her lips parted. "And you have to eat sometime. So do I. Why can I not take you on a date to find out if this is attraction?"

"You know you're attracted or you don't." She tried to make him step back.

"Are we talking physical attraction?" Sai asked bluntly. "Because I am reacting to you. I won't say where, because Sakura and Shiho assure me I shouldn't say that in front of females."

Hana's hormones sat up and nearly sang at the heat emanating from the shinobi so close to her. "Eat. Fine. One date." She found herself promising.

Sai backed up and held out his hand for her.

"Now?" Hana nearly sighed on the word.

"Why not?" He asked. "I don't want you to date anyone else before you find out if you're attracted to me. It's not fair that a man's attraction to a woman is so obvious physically, but hers is not."

Hana blinked several times and took a deep breath before smiling wryly. "Such candor is not supposed to be attractive."

Sai frowned. "Should I lie? I am good at it."

Lie? Like her bastard ex-husband? Hana's dark eyes narrowed on Sai. "No. No lying."

"Alright." Sai nodded, very serious.

Suddenly, Hana felt safe. She'd never even known this feeling of utter security existed. Sai was so straight forward. Honest to the point of brutality. But definitely honest. If he said he was attracted, it wasn't a game or a line.

Slowly, she put her hand in his. "I'm not saying I will have sex with you, or sleep with you."

Sai frowned, but nodded reluctantly.

Hana found his reluctance refreshing and had to bite her lip to keep from smiling.

"Is it still a date then?" He asked, unsure.

This time she did let the smile form. "Yes. Real dates don't come with guarantees of physical contact."

Sai nodded. "I know that, I just wanted to make sure you saw this as a real date. With the possibility of a second date."

Hana let him guide her to the door. Sure, for a moment there she'd felt her hormones sit up and take notice of Sai. But then, she was starved for this kind of attention. It didn't mean that Sai was the one she was really attracted to, just that she ...was lonely?

That didn't sound right. She looked covertly over at her ...date. And found his dark eyes on her. She felt her skin prickle heatedly.

This may have been a bad idea after all.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Pale eyes blinked open, but felt heavy and crusty. She tried to raise her hand to her face, but frowned when her arm wouldn't move.

"Here." A soft voice. A known voice. How, who?

A soft, wet rag gently wiped her eyes and she was able to bring things into focus. Pink. Pink hair? A name floated into her head. "Sakura?"

A rough noise from the other side. Hanabi turned slowly and fell in deeply. Jade-pale eyes stared at her with a burning need.

Sakura chuckled. "I'm stepping out, call you need anything."

The Suna nurse protested as Sakura drew her away, leaving the young couple by themselves.

Kaji blinked and stared hungrily at her betrothed.

He stared back.

"Yurasu?"

Gaara grunted. "No pieces big enough to bury."

"Good."

He stared down at her a long moment, then knelt down next to her bed. Kaji watched as he leaned in closer to her, brushing one hand over her dark hair. "You scared me." He said simply.

"Scared myself." She admitted, then paused. "The others?"

Gaara told her how everyone was doing, including Razan. Kaji closed her eyes briefly, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry. I ...he took me and I couldn't stop him." From killing a friend.

The red-head shook his head. "It was an ambush. Not your fault."

"Michi?" Her voice sounded anguished.

"He knew." Gaara said plainly. "He knew about Razan before heading out to find you." Telling her that Michi didn't hold the man's death against her.

"My fault."

"No."

"Okay."

Gaara blinked, surprised.

"I don't want the fault. The guilt." Kaji explained. "But it's mine. So I'm saying 'okay' I understand your argument and it's not going to change my mind so don't bother arguing. I'm too tired."

He shook his head at her. "Not too tired to think in a convoluted line like that."

"And if you get all protection mad and refuse to let me go out on missions, so that I won't get hurt then I'm calling off the wedding."

The red-head stared at her in all seriousness. "I nearly died seeing you hurt like that."

The kunoichi stared back at him, her heart melting at the heart-felt confession. "Would you change who I am?" She asked hoarsely.

Gaara watched her struggle, then slip back into sleep. Trembling slightly he leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	74. Date Night

Her closed eyes twitched, then she frowned.

The shinobi leaned forward, watching intently. She had done this several times so far, but hadn't woken up but for that one time earlier. The medics had sedated her. They'd also told him he should go home.

Pale eyes blinked groggily, taking several moments to focus. A weak smile. "How long have I been out?"

Gaara twitched his mouth slightly. He had no idea.

Hanabi coughed roughly, making a pained sound. Gaara frowned sharply, reaching out with one hand. That's when she realized he'd been holding her hand while she'd been out.

"Same night, or is it another?" She teased, though it was a struggle to get the words out. Her tongue felt funny and her eyelids were getting heavier.

"A few hours." His voice sounded rough too.

Hanabi's eyes closed, though she clung to this side of slumber for a few moments more. "You should go, come back tomorrow."

"No." His tone was like a brick wall, immovable.

"Okay. Promise me ..." Her voice trailed off weakly. "Eat something at least."

Gaara grunted, and watched her for long moments until he was sure she was no longer awake. Eat? Like that would happen. He tightened his grip on her uninjured hand and kept watching.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai stared at Hana and Hana stared at her food.

"Is something the matter with your fish?" Sai finally asked his date. She hadn't touched more than two bites. "Wrong place?" He asked, thinking about the nice restaurant he'd chosen basically at random because it looked like a 'date' sort of place.

Hana shook her head without looking up at him.

Sai ran through his options, weighing them carefully as he might a battle strategy. "Do you like your family?"

Finally, the Inuzuka looked up from her plate, her face a careful mask. "What kind of question is that?"

He shrugged. "I have already asked about your veterinary practice, your training, and your dogs. All subjects that will let me know more about you according to Sakura."

Hana looked puzzled. "You spoke about me to Sakura?"

"No." Sai said simply. "She told me to talk about what interests my dates. As far as I know, those things interest you."

The kunoichi picked her napkin off her lap and put it on the table. "This was a mistake."

Sai quickly slipped his hand out, trapping hers onto the table. "I have not mentioned any topic or word Sakura told me I should not. And I have not attempted to rile your temper."

Hana's mouth twitched slightly. "Sakura warn you about that too?"

"Yes." Sai stared at her intently. "What have I done wrong?"

"Nothing."

The artistic ninja frowned again. "I must have done something wrong, for you to feel this was a mistake."

Hana shook her head sadly. "I'm just not ready to date yet. It's too soon after ...it's just too soon."

Sai nodded slowly. "Okay. This date is over."

"Thank you." Hana let her shoulders relax, then frowned as she tried to pull her hand away and Sai didn't let go. "You said the date was over."

"It is." The shinobi nodded. "But you should still eat. And I have not yet finished my meal. No need to let it go to waste."

Hana's eyes narrowed. "Strategy. You're trying to stay on the date by saying it's not a date."

Sai blinked slowly. "Would that be a lie?" He asked, remembering that he'd told her he wouldn't lie to her.

A chuckle escaped her even as she shook her head. "Men lie." She said, only in a half-way laughing manner.

"Women lie too."

Hana shook her head. "I kept my marriage vows." She said with some temper mixed in with the words.

"I haven't made any." Sai pointed out the obvious in a very calm manner. Then he shrugged. "Was burning down the house part of your vows?"

Hana smiled, but it wasn't pretty or nice. Fangs showed through. "It did make a pretty blaze, didn't it?" She almost purred.

Sai nodded slowly, at a loss in this conversation.

The Inuzuka heir pointed a long finger at his chest. "I am not a nice person when crossed. I don't do 'cutesy' date stuff. I don't go to movies unless there are explosions and I have a tendency to bite during sex."

Sai looked at Hana for a long minute then nodded. "No one has ever accused me of being nice."

"I drink, belch, and I swear." She told him bluntly. "And when I get angry I tear things up. Or burn them down."

"Don't forget biting." He reminded her. "You mentioned sex. Not me." Sakura had told him not to bring up the subject of sex on a first date. But she'd said the word first, so did that count?

Hana's eyes narrowed dangerously on him. "This is the wrong place."

"For sex?" He asked almost hopefully.

She laughed roughly. "You wish. I meant for food. Come with me."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi waved a sardine in the air, as if baiting a cat all the while grinning from ear to ear.

Kankuro rolled his eyes over to his wife, where Hinata was making a face of disgust and shaking her head. He contemplated his gorgeous wife for a long moment. "You loved sardines the last time you were pregnant."

Hinata's mouth made a weird puckering move and her face turned slightly green.

Kankuro sighed slightly. "You need to eat. You didn't touch your dinner, and it was delicious." He remembered the lobster soup followed by the delicate flavors of seared ayu fish. The father-to-be then frowned as he remembered how Hinata had fled for the restroom.

Hiashi looked over at his daughter from his seat behind the desk. He frowned slightly. "Perhaps some broth?"

Determined, Hinata shook her head. "No thank you." She managed weakly.

The younger Hyuuga, the now ten year old academy student, held up the fish again. Katashi waved the sardine at his half-sister and giggled as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Kankuro scowled. "Hey, kiddo. What the hell? Take that thing and throw it out, it's making her sick."

Katashi grinned wider. "Would it be any better if I put some pickled herring eggs all over it?"

Hinata went green then gray, rising to hurry from the room.

Hiashi sighed. "Anko and Yugao both went through this phase with their pregnancies two years ago, but not Hinata. The medics did say that every baby is different."

"Guess that's a no!" Katashi yelled out after Hinata as she retreated. Then he held up the sardine to eat it himself. "Her loss."

Kankuro shook his head, worried. "She's having no cravings and all thoughts of food are making her sick. The medics say she's fine and keeping hydrated, but still ...I think ..."

A slight sound was the only warning.

One moment Katashi was about to eat the sardine, the next ...Asobu the cat had snatched it cleanly from his hands as the feline scampered over Katashi, hitting him in the nose with his tail. The ten year old sputtered and jumped with surprise as Kankuro nearly fell over with laughter.

Hiashi blinked to suddenly find the cat on his desk, eating his son's sardine. Pale eyes blinked slowly as one time adversaries looked at each other. However, ever since Asobu had helped alert the elder Hyuuga to an intruder, things had been different between the two of them.

Hiashi nodded to the cat, and allowed Asobu to finish his purloined treat. He didn't pet the cat, well, number one it wasn't wise to try and pet this particular cat when he was eating. And number two, he never petted Asobu. While there might be a truce, there was not friendship between the two.

Katashi sighed.

Kankuro grinned. "Serves you right for trying to torture Hinata like that. Owned by your own pet. Sad, kid, very sad."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked with all possible sympathy.

Shiho sighed. "I'm fine, Kiba."

He walked backwards, in front of her, keeping her as his sole focus. Yet he never stumbled and didn't run into anything so good was his awareness of everything around him. The cryptologist sighed again. "Kiba. I'm not sick."

"You sneezed."

"Thank you for pointing that out. It could have been anything, and I only sneezed once." She told him calmly. "I don't know why you're all worked up over a sneeze."

Kiba studied her face, obviously trying to gauge her words. He turned to look where they were going. "This is your office, not home."

Shiho shook her head at him. "I told you, I need to pick up some papers to go over tonight. Forgot them earlier."

"You work too much if you're getting sick." Kiba pointed out with a sharp frown. "And if you're not feeling good, it can mess with your head. Make your thinking all fuzzy."

Shiho stopped dead in the middle of the doorway to the building housing her office. Ignoring the ANBU guard who checked on everyone as she turned to face her erstwhile boyfriend. "Is THAT what this sudden interest in my health is all about?"

Kiba sucked in his cheeks and blew out an exasperated sound. "I'm not suddenly interested in your health, but you sneezed!"

Shiho waggled a finger in front of his face. "My thinking is not muddled with illness and one sneeze does not put me in the category of unable to think straight! Kiba!"

The Inuzuka scratched the back of his head, looking all adorably confused. "But ...there has to be some reason you won't agree to marry me."

Shiho shot a harried glance at the ANBU guard, who didn't appear to have heard anything. "This is not the time or place."

"Are you sure you don't have a fever?" The shinobi asked with concern.

"I do NOT have a fever!" She hissed back. "And nagging at me will not make me change my mind!"

Kiba pretended to think it over carefully, then smiled. "I know what will make me stop nagging!"

Shiho threw her head back and stared up at the night sky, as if praying for patience. "Let me guess, you want me to agree just to shut you up."

Kiba's smile turned cheesy. "It would work."

"No it wouldn't." Shiho brushed back some escaped curls that would not stay tamed. During the day they'd stayed in place, but now, late in the evening several pieces had slipped free of the hair clips.

The Inuzuka reached out and tugged one of the recalcitrant curls and opened his mouth to speak.

Shiho put her hand over his mouth to stop him, then gave him a melting look of pleading. "Kiba, please. I don't want to be asked simply because of something stupid Sai said. We're fine, we don't need to get married." She smiled at him. "Not yet."

Kiba growled low, but not in a threatening manner, more like he was frustrated. "Shiho. I love you. It would make everything better if you'd just marry me. We could move in together officially, find a nice spot on the Inuzuka family lands and build our own house. I'll let you pick out everything, I promise."

"It's not that simple!" Shiho nearly yelped, holding out one hand to stop him from advancing forward. It didn't work, he simply took her hand and wrapped it around his neck so he could move in to steal a kiss.

Shiho's resolve started to melt as her blood started to heat up. She stopped trying to push him back and opened her mouth for his invasion. He took immediate advantage, his growl turning nearly to a purr of contentment. Kiba drew her into his heated embrace and she lost herself in the moment.

A soft coughing sound didn't dent the moment.

A louder sound had Kiba drawing back with a cheeky and self-satisfied grin. "Guess this isn't the place."

Shiho, still lost in the moment made a soft sound of loss and leaned back into him.

Pleased, Kiba rubbed his cheek against hers. "Sweetheart. We've been caught kissing in public. I think your reputation can only be saved now ...if we get betrothed."

Kiba chuckled. He loved that he could muddle her like this. "Pay attention, sweetheart. We have an audience."

For such a sharp mind, it took her a moment to work through his words. Suddenly her blue eyes snapped open and wildly looked around until she saw the masked ANBU guard, who gave her a saucy salute with two fingers and a slight nod. She blushed beet red, all the way down to her feet.

"See. Now you have to marry me." Kiba sounded so content that her embarrassment turned to fury in less than a second.

"No, I don't!" Shiho snapped, stepping back and crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

She looked so adorable that Kiba had to bite his tongue to keep from smiling. His sweetheart was busily outlining all the reasons she wouldn't marry him just yet, but all he could think about was how hot she was making him right then.

She was decently dressed enough, but the dress clung nicely to her figure. And her hair! Kiba couldn't keep the grin from his face. Shiho would detest her hair if she could see herself right now, a frizzy mess escaping all attempts at taming the mass. Yet he found the honey-blonde nimbus of wild curls endlessly fascinating. He wanted to tangle his hands in those curls so badly! Maybe guide her face over his body.

Kiba's grin faded and something hot and disturbing entered his dark eyes.

Shiho stopped, swallowing hard. Then her gaze sharpened. "You're not even listening to me!" She accused.

The dog ninja gave her an unapologetic wink. "Marry me, and I'll make your wildest fantasies come to life." He promised huskily.

Shiho caught her breath and couldn't hold his gaze, her eyes slipping away from his heated stare. her own gaze fell upon their sole witness and her blush intensified. Stupid ANBU, she couldn't get away from them. A lightbulb went off in her head.

The code-breaking kunoichi lifted her chin sharply.

Kiba tried to rein in his smile. She was about to let him have it, he knew that stubborn look.

Shiho smiled victoriously. "I can't get married to you without permission. And despite what you and your mother might think, as a cryptologist for Konoha, I have to get this arranged through the Hokage's office. And you have to be completely vetted by ANBU."

Kiba blinked, having not really thought about that at all. She might even have a point. He frowned.

"Don't hold up on our account." The ANBU guard spoke up, making Shiho's eyes go wide with surprise. She never heard the guards speak much. "The Inuzuka family has already been cleared, or he would never have been allowed to move into your apartment."

Kiba's frown disappeared as he laughed with delight.

Shiho pursed her lips, wrapped her tattered dignity around her like a cloak and swept into her office building without a backward glance. "Men." Was all she could mutter, her voice dripping with disdain.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Hana threaded through the crowd and he followed, his eyes basically glued to the smooth gliding motion of her hips. She turned her head to look at him and saw his downcast gaze.

"Are you staring at my ass?" She asked him, point blank.

"Yes." Sai told her the truth.

Hana gave a short bark of a laugh and continued to push through the crowded bar. She got to her destination, but found the table already occupied. "Gentlemen."

Sai watched the three men impassively, ready for anything. The bar they were in wasn't exactly a dive, but it certainly wasn't upscale either. And no one in here other than the two of them were ninja. He surreptitiously moved his hands toward his weapons pouch. Ready for anything.

"Inuzuka!" One man smiled widely and stood up immediately, a welcoming smile on his lips.

Sai blinked. Actually, he hadn't been prepared for their welcome after all. Trouble yes, but not this.

"Good to see ya gal!" An old farmer slapped his knee. "That calf you saved is growing great, putting on weight faster than a ninja can run!"

"Haven't seen you around here, not since you went and got married on us!" A grizzled man looked around her at Sai, frowning. The heavy muscles on his broad frame basically screamed that he was a blacksmith. "This your husband?" His voice was carefully neutral, yet Sai felt he was being judged.

"Naw." Hana laughed. "Caught the 'ex' ..." She stressed the word with disgust. "In the wrong place with the wrong person and doing the wrong thing. This ..." She jerked her thumb back at Sai. "Thinks I'm interesting and stares at my ass."

Sai looked lazily at the three farmers, ready for any response except the one he got.

The first man slapped his knee and laughed heartily. While the other two raised their drinks in a salute. "Well now, it IS a fine ass." The first man chuckled.

"Don't let your wife hear you say that." Hana teased. "Where is she anyway?"

"Getting the drinks, gal ...getting the drinks." The blacksmith smiled and kicked a hapless farmhand out of his chair at another table and dragged it over to theirs. "Join us?"

All eyes turned to Sai.

Pasting a fake smile on his face he quickly nabbed a second chair and pulled it up to the table. He stared at each of the men in turn.

Finally the blacksmith smiled lazily. "This one is made of better stuff than your first choice. You're ex ...didn't like to drink with farmers."

Hana smiled and accepted a cup from the returning farmer's wife. "His loss."

"My gain." Sai's smile ceased to be fake.

Hana pinned him with a long look. "That remains to be seen."

The other men all laughed and made wild jokes, most of them bawdy but not crude. Sai accepted a drink and toasted Hana with it silently before taking a long drink.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's late."

She looked into his eyes and smiled bewitchingly. "You could stay."

Lee frowned, obviously torn. "But Miss Rinako, doing so would only besmirch your reputation. And I hold you only in the highest of regard."

The kunoichi took a deep breath, determined that he wasn't going home alone. Again. "Would you think less of me?"

Rock Lee dropped to his knees in front of her, his eyes large pools of emotion. "I could never think less of you! You are the pinnacle of bright youth and honor! You are the most brilliant flower in all the gardens of life!"

Rinako did the only thing she could do that had proven capable of stopping one of Lee's rants. She leaned in and kissed the breath out of him.

Lee's eyes were nearly crossed when she pulled back. "Stay with me." She whispered.

He took a deep breath and then met her gaze with his own earnest one. "Beautiful Rinako, light of my life, you hold all the love in my heart. And I would never so disgrace you."

Rinako sighed. "Does Naruto disgrace Sakura?"

"No, of course not!" Lee frowned sharply. "It's not the same!"

"Of course it is!"

Lee took a deep breath. "I am not Naruto, and you are ...most wondrous. You hold my heart. No matter how other couples might behave, I will always show you the utmost in respect."

Rinako's eyes teared up as she traced the lines of his face. "Oh dear."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You can stop smirking." Shiho slapped at Kiba's hands as he rubbed lotion on her feet.

His hands stopped and she glared at him. He laughed as he began rubbing her feet again, whistling under his breath.

The code-breaker pouted, even as she wiggled her toes. The massage felt fantastic. "I'm not changing my mind."

Kiba nodded thoughtfully. "Everyone thinks we should get married. My mother, your mother, and even ANBU. But if you don't ...then it won't happen."

Shiho frowned, sure there was a trap in his words somewhere. It just wasn't like him to give up.

The dog ninja looked over at Akamaru, who was sleeping next to the hearth.

The kunoichi sighed, beating him to it. "Yes, yes, I know. Even Akamaru wants us to get married." She said sarcastically.

"Not really." Kiba shrugged.

Surprised, Shiho looked over at the large nin dog. "He doesn't? I thought he liked me."

"He does." Kiba flashed her a wide grin. "But ninja dogs don't really care about human rituals. We're already mated as far as Akamaru is concerned."

"Oh." Shiho settled down.

Kiba shrugged and shot her a sly glance. "He just wants to know when the puppies will get here."

Shiho's foot jerked in his hands, an involuntary movement from shock. "Puppies?"

The clever Inuzuka chose that moment to run his hands up past her knees and up to more sensitive skin. Shiho hissed and her head dropped back in pleasure. Kiba leaned in and let his mouth trail up her knee, following his hands.

Kiba bit the end of her robe tie, tugging it with dark playfulness and letting the material slide free. Her robe fell open just a bit and he growled with need. "Mine."

Having trouble catching her breath, Shiho stared at him and nodded. Yes. She was his.

"Why?" He asked gruffly, opening his mouth her her navel, tasting the sweetness of her skin.

Shiho moaned, grabbing at him, trying to pull him up her body. She stopped when he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her hip, just this side of pain. Then he let go, licking the sting away. Kiba looked up her body at her. She met his gaze and reached again for him.

He nipped at her hands and she stopped, staring at him. "Why?" He repeated.

Shiho did not pretend not to know what he was asking. "Give me time." She begged.

Kiba growled. "I love you." Rising up over her and nudging aside the sides of her robe, his mouth settling first on one aching breast, and then the other.

Her hands settled in his unruly hair, tugging until he rose up higher. Blue eyes met dark brown. "I love you too." She said and as the last word left her mouth, his own mouth took hers in a passionate attack. She welcomed him completely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hana had been drinking heavily, yet her movements were still graceful. Only her smile seemed a bit lopsided, Sai decided. He watched her openly as he walked her into the Inuzuka main house.

The Inuzuka kunoichi turned on the lights in the living room and turned to face her 'date'. She frowned. "I think I meant to leave you at the door."

Sai simply looked at her. She frowned, raising one finger to point at him. "You were drinking too."

The artistic ninja nodded. He had indeed been drinking, though he'd been trained in ROOT to handle his alcohol well. He didn't see the need to explain that though, not now.

"Well?" She asked.

Sai blinked at her and shook his head slightly, a concession in how much he had been drinking this evening. "Well, what?"

She pointed at the door. "You said you were going to walk me home, unnecessary but a nice gesture. Since you don't do 'nice' I'm assuming you had another reason?"

Sai shrugged lightly and stepped closer to her. "I've been told that a goodnight kiss is appropriate following a date."

Hana frowned. "You've been told? But you've been dating, don't you know?"

"They usually walk out on the date before we get to their door." Sai said plainly. "But then, it wasn't important. Sex would have been welcome, but I wasn't looking forward to kissing them."

Hana's frown deepened. "There's something terribly wrong in that thought, but I don't feel like going into it right now." She turned and dropped down onto the comfortable futon.

Sai moved and sat next to her. Hana's head turned to stared at him. "You're not moving toward the door."

"You haven't kissed me or agreed to a second date." He told her, his dark eyes tracing the line of her throat. They'd been in a smoky bar most of the night and he could not smell the usually clean scent of her skin. He missed it.

Hana saw him leaning in toward her and she put her hand out, catching his shoulder. "Whoa."

He turned and looked at her hand touching him. Suddenly he wished she was touching his skin. He reached out and took her hand in his and brought it to his face, sniffing her fingers and then letting her fingers touch his mouth.

Hana laughed slightly. "All evidence to the contrary, you're drunk."

"No." Sai wasn't sure about that answer, actually. "But I'm not sober." He admitted.

The Inuzuka heir laughed. "Me neither."

Sai stared deeply into her eyes and her laughter ended slowly as she became aware of a singular heat. Damn it. She might actually want him to kiss her! "I'm not ready to start dating again."

Sai read the desire in her eyes and ignored her words. Words lied. The reactions in her face and in her body told a different story. He leaned in.

Hana stiffened and leaned back. "I'm not kidding, Sai."

The shinobi stopped, unsure. "You're attracted." It was more of a question than a statement. He still had her captured hand. "And so am I." To prove his point he started to move her hand down toward his lap.

The Inuzuka's eyes sharpened despite the alcohol in her system. She resisted and talons flashed at the tips of her fingers. She growled as he stopped. Staring Sai right in the eyes she warned him. "If you put my hand on your penis, I promise to shred it."

Sai stopped, deciding that what he knew of this particular kunoichi meant that she would follow through with her threat. Somehow, the thought wasn't helping his body to settle down any. For some reason, her stubbornness and willingness to turn to violence was ...nice. Strong. Attactive.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm attracted." Sai told her bluntly. "You told me it was a prerequisite to dating."

Hana sighed. "It's still considered rude, especially on a first date. Or even a second date."

Sai nodded. "Can I pick you up tomorrow?"

The Inuzuka blinked. "I told you, I'm not ready to date."

"But you just said there would be a second date." Sai leaned in closer. "I promise not to put your hand on my penis tomorrow either." He said, as if it would help her make up her mind.

Hana laughed, unable to help herself.

A sound at the doorway had them both turning to look at Tsume. The Clan leader stared at the two on her futon with an odd expression. "Kiba came by to warn you that Sai wants to sleep with you. But I see you already know that."

"Yes." Hana couldn't help herself, blaming it on the alcohol. "We were just discussing his penis."

Tsume blinked, opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Then she sighed as she realized that she had nothing to say to that. "I have odd children." Was all she could come up with.

Hana turned back to Sai. "Say goodnight, shinobi."

"Goodnight." He said, but didn't move.

Hana shook her head. "I'm not touching you tonight or tomorrow. And no kiss. Go away."

"Tomorrow?" He hung on to the most important word.

The Inuzuka sighed. "Yes. Tomorrow. Against my better judgment. Second date. No promises about a third."

"Okay." Sai stood and looked at her for a long moment. "What do people do on second dates?"

Tsume dropped her chin down to her chest in exasperation, turning she headed upstairs.

Hana shook her head. "Dinner. You're choice."

Sai thought about that, he'd chosen their initial restaurant tonight and it hadn't gone well. He would need to come up with a better plan. "Is this a challenge?"

Hana stood, facing him. "Only if you take it that way. And I'm only agreeing to this because I've had too much to drink."

Sai shrugged, not caring why she was agreeing, only that she was doing so. He looked at her a long time and then suddenly his arm shot out and dragged her in close to his body.

Hana gasped at the sudden movement. She looked up into his eyes, it wasn't hard as they were very close in height. She frowned. "Are you trying to steal a kiss? You didn't learn this behavior from Sakura."

"Kiba." Sai mentioned her baby brother.

Hana shook her head. Though he was right, this was something an Inuzuka would do. "I told you no."

"Change your mind." Sai leaned in so close she could feel his breath mingling with hers. Butterflies erupted in her stomach.

A growl. Two. Three. Sai's head turned to look at Hana's three nin dogs. He paused.

Hana took advantage and pushed him away, surprised by how reluctant she felt to make him let her go. She took a steadying breath. "Tomorrow, shinobi."

Sai blinked over at her. "For a date, or a kiss?"

The Inuzuka paused, then shrugged. "Date first, then I'll decide."

Sai nodded, but couldn't help himself. "Why do you get to decide?"

Hana laughed outright. "Because I'm the girl. And I have the nin dogs."

The artistic ninja looked at the three canines baring their teeth at him and figured she had a point. "Tomorrow."

Hana nodded and showed him to the door. At last he was gone and she turned, bracing her back on the door. Looking up the stairs at her mother.

Tsume shook her head at her eldest. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"No." Hana admitted, then smiled. "Not in the slightest."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I'm in love with you and want you to marry me."

Shiho turned her head and looked at the man in bed with her. "I love you too."

"Marry me."

The kunoichi stated at him and then nodded. "Yes."

He grinned.

"Next year." Shiho said, completely serious.

Kiba's mouth snapped shut. "Huh?"

She leaned into him, trailing her finger down his nose. "Weddings take time to plan."

The Inuzuka shook his head, his eyes a bit wide. "What's to plan? We hit the Hokage's office and it's done."

Shiho frowned. "Dress, ring, flowers, attendants, cake ..."

Kiba hissed and sat up in bed, suddenly horrified. "I take it back, let's not get married and just keep on like we are."

The cryptologist laughed at him, and pulled him back into her arms.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Something uncomfortable pulled her out of slumber. Hanabi frowned.

Gaara, attuned to her movements, sat forward, staring into her face as her Hyuuga pale eyes opened once more.

"Call a nurse." Hanabi rolled her shoulder muscles.

Gaara frowned sharply. "Is anything wrong? Are you in pain?"

"Somewhat." She said, wincing. "Not too badly."

"What do you need? I'll get it." The red head stood over her.

"The nurse." She reiterated.

He frowned, feeling lost somehow that she didn't need him.

Hanabi turned to look at him and swatted weakly at his frown. "I have to pee, damn it."

Gaara blinked his jade-pale eyes and flushed ever so slightly even as he nodded and headed out to get the nurse.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	75. Healing

"It's going to scar."

Gaara looked up at the medic and then back down at Hanabi's arm. He'd seen worse wounds, hell he'd inflicted a lot worse. But seeing her flesh burned like that was disconcerting.

"I should have made you sit outside." Kaji flashed her smile at him.

"You tried." He reminded her gruffly.

Kaji was sitting up in bed, looking far more healthy than he felt. Gaara's eyes felt like he'd emptied his sand gourd into them. She wiggled each of her fingers, then formed opposition moves such as touching each finger to her thumb in turn. The muscles all responded. She smiled. "I thought the damage would be worse."

"Mizu's water barrier apparently protected you from most of the explosion." The medic nodded, referring to the report that said the kunoichi had detonated an explosive tag on her opponent's chest, with her hand trapped between the two of them.

Gaara watched as the medic began slathering an ointment over the worst of the burns. "This will help numb the pain and speed the healing as well as protect against infection. How much of this will scar, I don't know yet but there will be some scarring."

Kaji nodded and looked over at Gaara, then back at the medic. "At least the bandages won't be visible at the wedding." She smiled wickedly. "Very long kimono sleeves."

The medic grinned.

Gaara's frown deepened.

Kaji took a deep breath and waited until the bandaging was over, then politely asked the medic to step outside. The medic looked at the stone-still Kazekage and nodded, patting the kunoichi's shoulder as if to say 'good luck'.

She waited until the door closed behind the medic and they were alone. "Well? What's going on in that sneaky raccoon brain of yours? I won. I'm alive. He's not. Does the term celebrate come to mind?"

The red-head looked around the room, but finally had to look back at her. She waited. Gaara shook his head.

Hanabi reached out her good hand to him and he took it, but didn't move closer. She tugged. He let her hand go and she put it back on the bed. "Are we breaking up?"

Gaara's eyes went wide and he shook his head.

Kaji smiled, but it wasn't a nice one. "Good. Because I don't feel up to kicking your ass today and I'd have to if you tried that."

A long silence. Kaji studied him, taking in the sleep-deprived circles under his eyes. They were almost a part of him, but today they were worse. And he was holding himself very tightly, protectively. She frowned.

He reacted immediately. "Are you in pain?" Gaara asked quickly, his eyes suddenly concerned as he reached for her.

Hanabi shook her head and grabbed his hand, this time he let her pull him in closer. "No, I'm fine. Had a pain pill only an hour ago." She didn't mention the dull ache in her right arm, there was no telling how he'd react.

"Kaji, I ..." His low grumble of a voice hesitated, very unlike him. But then she knew he wasn't good with expressing his emotions. She squeezed his hand with her uninjured one. "I don't like seeing you hurt."

That was an understatement. Gaara's stomach turned over and he took a deep breath. "And I want, I need to tell you ..."

Hanabi nearly yelled when someone knocked on her hospital door, poking their head inside. She had to paste on a fake smile as several members of the Suna Elder Council came by to express their concern and show their support.

She was recounting her fight with Yurasu for the umpteenth time as she watched Gaara off to the side talking to two other council members.

Whatever her Kazekage had been going to tell her, it would have to wait.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba blanched as the magazine dropped down in front of him and Shiho pointed to a page with a wedding cake. All the time he'd been trying to maneuver her into saying 'yes' and now ...he was stuck!

"Whatever you want." He mumbled.

Shiho grinned behind his back, loving torturing him after all he'd just put her through yesterday. "No, no. We need to agree on these things. I like tiers, but the current fashion is for wildly decorated layers. And do we want a filling?"

Kiba's eyes got bigger. "Filling?"

"Chocolate, raspberry, cherry, lemon ..." Shiho started naming off the flavors.

He groaned and Akamaru looked up in question, but seeing no apparent danger, went back to his snooze.

"Whatever you think is best." Kiba said weakly.

"This is your wedding too!" Shiho sat down beside him giving him a bright and innocent smile.

His head drooped down toward his chest in defeat.

"Or we could just wait ..." Her voice trailed off suggestively.

Kiba's head snapped back up, his dark eyes full of sudden determination.

Shiho nodded. And that was the end of that.

Her Inuzuka pointed a finger at her. "No. No, you are not using this wedding crap to scare me into taking my proposal back."

Shiho's eyes narrowed. "Wedding crap?"

He grinned. "Cherry. For the filling, because nin-dogs can't eat chocolate and with my family one will try to eat some of what we're having. Tiers because you like them. Screw fashionable. Cake done, what's next?"

The cryptologist stared at him for a long moment. "We need to go to different bakeries to taste them and figure out which is best."

Kiba shook his head at her, laughing. "I liked the cake at Hana's wedding, even if the groom sucked. Use that bakery."

Shiho's lips compressed.

"Or if you want to try every bakery in town? I'm sure your mother will love to go with you." Kiba said with a gleam in his eye. "Cherry. No chocolate. Tiers." He leaned closer to her, as if daring her. "We are getting married. End of story. If I have to put up with a wedding, fine. But I get you."

"You have me." Shiho nearly whined, exasperated.

Kiba grabbed her left and and pressed a kiss to the palm. "My ring, right here." He nibbled her ring finger. "The cake won't matter, that's for everyone else. For me? I get you."

Shiho's stomach dropped and her bones went all melty. Kiba grinned and leaned in for a very hot kiss. When he pulled back, she looked dazed. He grinned. "There's caramel sauce in the kitchen." He whispered.

It took her a moment to pull his words into focus, when she did ...she didn't understand what he meant. So he showed her. Explicitly.

It was over an hour later, exhausted and breathing hard that Shiho cracked open one blue eye and looked down her body at a nude and completely happy Kiba. He licked his lips. She sighed happily.

"Do they make caramel wedding cakes?" Kiba mused absently. "Maybe I will go to the bakery with you after all."

Heaven help her. Shiho wiggled, then frowned in disgust. "I'm sticky."

"Shower." Kiba agreed, but couldn't find the energy to move. Then again, neither could she. "That was ...delicious. You're delicious."

Shiho blushed and swatted at his head, missing. "That was perverted."

"You loved it."

She had indeed.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume looked completely blank. She shook her head and opened her mouth, but couldn't think of what to ask. Finally, she turned away from the young man in front of her and looked over at the newest Inuzuka.

Rinako shrugged weakly, looking embarrassed.

Finally Tsume wiped her dirty hands on a towel and turned away from the nin-dogs she'd been training. She turned to Rock Lee. "Say that again?"

Lee bowed. "I came upon you and I said, 'Good morning to ..."

Tsume put her hand over his mouth. "Kid. Don't repeat everything, it was quite a speech the first time around." She nearly shuddered. "Just repeat your question."

Large, earnest eyes stared at her pleadingly and he nodded. She removed her hand.

"I would like your permission to take Miss Rinako to the port town for one of the local festivals. A dance." He looked so sincere.

Tsume sighed deeply. "Kid. You and Rinako have been dating since she arrived. What makes you think you need my permission to take her to a dance?"

"You are the Clan matriarch." Lee pointed out, as if she might have forgotten.

"Yes. I know." Tsume closed her eyes and prayed for patience. "But why suddenly ask permission now? You didn't ask me if you could take her out to dinner last night, but you went."

Lee's eyes got even rounder and his mouth dropped into an 'o' of dismay.

Tsume's mouth dropped as she watched the green clad shinobi drop to his knees. "I beg your forgiveness for my horrible oversight in not asking your permission for last evening's repast! No disrespect was intended toward you or my loveliest Miss Rinako ..."

Rinako's eyebrows rose as suddenly Lee was sliding backwards toward her on his back, having been kicked sharply. She looked up at the Inuzuka clan leader.

"Complaint?" Tsume snarled.

Rinako shook her head, saying nothing. She'd felt like doing that a time or two, and she was in love with the guy! "No."

Lee jumped up immediately, and rushed up to Tsume while dropping to his knees once more. "I know I deserved that ..."

Rinako sighed. "Lee! She doesn't feel you need her permission, I told you that when you asked if I wanted to go to this dance!"

But the green-clad shinobi only shook his head. "But this trip will take us out of Konoha proper. We will be alone, at a dance, out of town ..."

Rinako sighed and dropped her forehead.

Tsume sighed. "Kids. Go where you like."

Lee looked up, frowning. "Far be it from me to censor you, Lady Tsume. But you haven't asked me my intentions, asked when we'll be returning or even asked about my background. I assure you that my feelings are honorable ..."

"Too honorable ..." Rinako muttered.

"But you don't know me that well ..." Lee continued.

Tsume slapped him lightly, then snarled. "Kid. I know you're Gai's student. That's good enough for me." She made it up as she went along.

Lee's whole expression changed as he leaped upwards. "Of course! No wonder you are the clan's leader, as brilliant as you are! You already knew about me before I even approached! I should never have questioned your ..."

Tsume let Lee ramble on and leaned over to look in wonder at Rinako, who smiled cheekily and shrugged.

The Inuzuka clan leader shooed them both away and looked down at her nin-dog, Kuromaru. "I thought having children got easier once they got older."

The dog yawned.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"We're leaving tomorrow." Hiashi looked over at his eldest with a frown of concern.

Hinata nodded at him, though looking a bit confused. "I thought not for a few more days."

Her father said something about weather patterns, and wanting to make sure they made good time. Hinata nodded, telling him she'd be ready.

Anko shook her head at him as his daughter left the library, shutting the doors. "Softy." She teased her husband. "Marshmellow, that's your name today."

"Disrespectful." Hiashi said, ignoring her as best he could.

"Weather? You want to take the journey to Suna slow because Hinata's not feeling well." Anko purred and leaned in closer. "Marshmellow."

Hiashi looked up at her, but knew better than to protest a new nickname. That was a sure-fire way of making the name stick around even longer. He spied his son's cat, lounging on the floor in front of one of the windows, soaking up the sun. He frowned at the cat.

Asobu ignored him.

Anko walked over to his desk, leaning against it with one hip. "Leaving early will pull Katashi out of the academy early."

Hiashi shook his head, unconcerned. "I've already sent a note to his instructors, they're sending along some written assignments for him to do on the journey."

The kunoichi laughed. "He'll be ...thrilled." She twisted the word so that it showed that the ten year old would be less than 'thrilled' at the prospect of doing homework on the trip to Suna.

A knock on the door to the library brought in one of the servants, who announced lunch being ready. Hiashi held out his arm for his wife, who took it with a sly smile. The Hyuuga looked at his wife of two years now and wondered at the changes.

Anko saw the odd look on his face and stopped. "What?"

He shook his head slightly. "Just wondering at how you've changed my life."

The kunoichi tilted her head toward the desk and her eyes sparkled. "What if I'd hidden behind the curtain instead of under there?" She purred.

Hiashi's face flushed very slightly with the heat of that memory, and how she'd tortured him while hiding beneath his desk. Anko leaned into him. "After lunch, how about we ...walk down memory lane." She purred suggestively.

He didn't answer, but something hot shone out of his pale Hyuuga eyes and Anko's breath caught. "Well, now. Seems marshmellow isn't the name for the day. Are you sure you want to even bother with lunch?"

He didn't. Leading her upstairs toward their bedroom, Hiashi closed the doors to the library with Asobu looking back at him lazily while Anko sent word to the rest of the family that they wouldn't be joining them for lunch.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The door opened slowly and Hanabi looked up, expecting Gaara or one of her teammates. A nurse or a medic, maybe. She'd been having visitors all day long, and had only just gotten rid of them all by claiming fatigue. She looked at the clock, almost supper time, maybe this was her dinner. Still, she'd lay odds that it was her betrothed. He hadn't looked happy being dragged away from her room in the first place.

Actually, she'd used the elder council to take Gaara away or he'd still be here. As the Kazekage he had a lot of work to do, following the attack by the Earth Country ninja.

But the person blinking owlishly at her was much shorter, and younger. "Harusame?"

The little girl took her name as permission to enter and ran toward the bed, climbing up to sit on the edge next to Hanabi.

The two stared at each other a moment, finally Kaji smiled in encouragement, not sure what the six year old wanted.

Harusame was studying the bandages wrapped around Kaji's right arm. Then up at the kunoichi. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes."

The little girl nodded. "My new mama is hurt too."

Hanabi nodded, she already had heard. "She's going to be fine. The medics said so."

Harusame nodded back, twirling her fingers across the bedspread covering the older kunoichi. She kicked her heels slightly, then peeked up with her eyes. "I broke that man's rib." She whispered, conspiratorially. "The one who grabbed me."

Hanabi nodded again, she'd heard all of this from Rocks earlier. "You did a good job. Better than me, I got hurt."

The little girl frowned, not liking being patronized. "You won your fight, I was rescued." She said it like it was the worst thing in the world. "And I was real scared."

Kaji leaned in, whispering. "Me too."

Harusame licked her lips and shrugged. "The Kazekage never looks scared." She looked down at her fingers as they traced the lines on the bedspread.

Leaning back, Kaji took her time, trying to decipher what it was the little girl was saying. Finally, she thought she had it. "Kazekages do get scared." She started. "But they hide it better, they can't LOOK scared or they can't lead well."

"So I can still be Kazekage?" The little girl finally looked up, misery in her eyes, her little lip trembling.

Hanabi smiled reassuringly. "You have to grow up first, but yes ...if you're strong enough one day you could be Kazekage."

A sound had them both turning, Kaji smiled to see the object of their conversation standing at the door. Harusame jumped down and ran up to her Godfather, tugging on his pants. Gaara blinked down at her.

"I'm going to be just like you." The little girl announced, scrunched up her face as she studied him for a long moment, and then ran from the room without another word.

Gaara stared after the departing six-year old with a sense of wonder. Finally he looked back into the room to find Kaji smiling softly at him.

"She likes you."

The red head shook his head.

"Then again, she doesn't know you like I do." She teased.

Gaara shot her a sour look, then as his jade-pale eyes traced her face he stepped into the room. Carefully he shut the door, leaving them alone together.

Kaji eyed him carefully, he still looked far too tense. "Gaara-coon?"

Another knock on the door, then a nurse bustled in a chart and the moment was lost.

o.O.o.O.o.O

After a pleasant afternoon, and a very late lunch, Hiashi had gone over to the Hokage tower. He'd turned over several reports he'd been working on for the council and had met with Shizune about some small matters to do with road repair.

Hiashi snorted. Not a glamorous job being on the Konoha Elder Council. But he'd gotten quite a lot accomplished today.

"Almost time for dinner, father." Katashi said, nearly bouncing on his heels. "Then you promised to spar with me tomorrow morning? Remember? We can do it before we leave for Suna, right?"

Hearing the excitement in his son's voice, Hiashi smiled slightly.

"I wanna!" Jishin's little voice piped up and her father looked over at her in surprise. She was beaming and running around Kankuro as the puppeteer entered the hallway. He was holding a rag doll.

"I wanna! Gib, gib!" Kankuro handed the doll over, shaking his head.

"Sorry." The puppeteer shrugged. "The twins were playing in the nursery today and Ani just found it in their stuff, it must have gotten mixed up and we brought it home by mistake."

Neji snorted lightly as he and Yugao came in, also heading for the dining room. "More likely, they hid it from her to torture her."

Kankuro shrugged. It was a possibility.

"She does love to boss them around." Katashi grinned at his baby half-sister, now happily hugging her favorite doll.

Hiashi grunted. "She's still saying 'gib' for give." He commented.

Yugao laughed. "Give the child a break, she's only two. And at least she's talking in more than one word sentences. Katsuro doesn't seem to want to talk at all."

"He'll talk when he's ready." Neji said, but he too was wondering when their son was going to talk. Though the boy was an expert at getting his point across without speaking.

Kankuro shrugged. "The twins do talk. Unfortunately you can only understand about one word in every ten. It's like they're not speaking Japanese at all." Yet both his sons seemed to understand each other perfectly.

"Dinner." Hiashi announced, holding out a scroll. "Katashi, would you put this in my study? We need to discuss what we're bringing on the trip to Suna. There are a lot more presents than I'd originally thought."

Kankuro shrugged sheepishly. He too had been surprised at how many Leaf villagers were sending gifts. Not just Hanabi's friends, but ... "Gaara has more friends here than I realized."

Hiashi nodded and shifted his weight slightly. "We may need another wagon. Which means more guards. I was thinking about a carriage, actually."

Kankuro frowned. "If you're doing that for Hinata, don't bother. I said something to her about her fatigue and she told me to stop worrying. Very sweetly, but quite determined."

Hiashi ignored his son-by-marriage's comment. "It will be safer for her in her condition."

Yugao sighed and looked at Neji, who shrugged.

Katashi trailed back into the hallway, looking puzzled.

Eager to change the subject, Kankuro looked over at his wife's little brother. "Something up, squirt?"

The ten year old shook his head. "Asobu hasn't eaten today. And he's not jumping around like he usually does."

"Probably ate a bird or two, and just isn't hungry." Yugao said. "That cat is a definite hunter."

Hiashi frowned, remembering the look the cat had given him earlier. In his library. With no birds to hunt.

Neji shook his head. "We're leaving tomorrow. Have the servants take the cat to the vet if he still doesn't eat in the morning, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Katashi nodded, looking relieved.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki handed baby Kochi back to the nurse. His wife, Kimiko, looked longingly at the infant. Baki leaned down and brushed the hair from her face. "You're tired." He grumbled. "You can hold the baby again later."

Kimiko nodded, wincing ever so slightly. Baki frowned, hating the sight of the bandages around her neck.

His wife saw where he was looking and self-consciously rose to touch the white bandages. He stopped her, holding her hand. She gave him a weak smile.

She'd not tried speaking yet, and the medics had warned her not to, not for a little while. They'd said her voice might or might not be the same. They had repaired the damage, but the tone and timbre of her voice might change due to the attack.

Baki didn't care, as long as she was still with him. How could such a little civilian have taken him so? He didn't know, but she had and he was grateful. Gently he brushed a non-existent hair from her face, using it as an excuse to touch her.

Kimiko reached up and took his hand in hers, giving a squeeze. Then pointing at the door to her room, where the nurse had disappeared with baby Kochi. The newest vessel for the One-Tail, Shukaku.

The wind master shook his head firmly. "The baby is asleep, and you should get some rest too."

She tried to shake her head, but that hurt so she stopped. She held up one finger and spun it around the the room and then pointed at the door.

Baki shrugged. His wife was not a kunoichi, she knew no hand signals, but he knew better than to laugh at her attempts to boss him around, even silently.

"I'm not leaving." He informed her.

She crossed her eyes deliberately at him. That wasn't what she'd been trying to tell him. She made writing motions in the air.

"What?" He asked, then sighed and sat up, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper. How come he'd not thought of this earlier? Some brilliant strategist he was turning out to be.

Quickly she wrote something and handed it back to him. He blanched.

It said: We have two children. Where is Harusame?

Baki looked sheepish and got up to go find his six year old child, who should have been back from the water fountain ages ago.

He looked out the door, and felt his body relax. He turned to his wife. "She's right out here, coloring."

Kimiko smiled.

Harusame answered her new papa's summons and came running into the room.

Baki watched in wonder as his wife petted the child and fussed over her, as if she wasn't injured and in a hospital bed from an assassination attempt. Civilian or not, his Kimiko was something special.

"Did you draw a picture for us?" He asked paternally.

Haruasme shook her head, all serious. "It's for the Godfather ceremony. Shhhh." She held one finger over her mouth to indicate a secret.

Both parents smiled, oblivious.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The music was loud, and even though it was still early the place was crowded and hot, and it stank. Rinako smiled happily, waiting for Lee to come back from requesting a song. She'd mentioned she liked it once, and he'd glowed with pleasure to give her something she'd like. So he'd run off to speak to the band.

The waitress stopped at their tiny table and put down a tall glass filled with pink liquid and sporting an umbrella. Rinako shook her head. "Didn't order this." She had to yell to be heard.

The waitress didn't answer, but pointed toward the bar where a burly man with barely any neck waved hopefully at her. Rinako smiled her thanks, but shook her head. The man shrugged good naturedly. Lee came back at that time, grinning from ear to ear.

"They said they would play it next, oh lovely lotus blossom!" He looked at their table and pointed at the pink concoction in question.

Not wanting to mention the other man, Rinako shrugged and leaned forward. "I was about to send it back. Why don't we go out and grab a bite where we can talk, then come back for the later set?"

Lee nodded, not having heard a word over the band. But it was hot and the drink looked tasty. So pink and innocent looking. Probably a fruit juice of some sort.

He picked it up, sniffing, but only caught a whiff of strawberries and something spicy.

Rinako, had no clue the momentous mistake about to be made, she smiled at her guy as he took a sip of the cocktail.

"Yum." Lee smiled, apparently pink drinks were really good! He downed the rest of the drink into two gulps.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai looked up from his barbecue to watch his date. Hana was smiling and telling him something about nin-dogs. He'd been thinking about the play of light and shadow over her face.

This was where the messenger found them.

Hana scanned the note and looked up at one of her veterinary assistants. "I'm having dinner. Not to be callous, but this is not a trauma situation. You can handle this."

The assistant grimaced and mentioned the name of a local high-up. "He insists on the best veterinary. House call. And the other two vets are out on calls, one is over an hour away."

Sai frowned absently at the hapless assistant. "Insisting on the best? Then you say you thought of two others first?" His voice was smooth, but there was a feeling of hidden danger underneath.

Hana flashed a smile at her date. "Cool off. Those two vets taught me everything I know. We're partners." She tapped the note and looked up at her assistant. "Teiko was in charge in case of emergency calls."

The assistant frowned. "Teiko only just graduated a few months ago and this man was insistent on the best."

"Just graduated still means he's a veterinary." Hana sighed and shrugged apologetically at Sai. "I'm sorry."

But the artistic nin was already calling for the bill.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara closed the door firmly and scowled at it. "Why is there no lock?"

Hanabi giggled. "It's a conspiracy. We're not meant to be alone. We're not married yet, remember?" She joked. "Or it could be to allow medical personnel to get inside no matter what."

He shot her a frustrated look. Then he smiled grimly and sand stirred in his gourd, the cork popped out with a small sound.

The kunoichi watched curiously as a sand barrier blocked the doorway completely. No way in, no way out. She smiled. "You've caught me, sir."

The red-head frowned at her levity.

"You have me alone and at a disadvantage." Kaji licked her lips. "And only partially dressed." She plucked at the plain cloth of the hospital gown. "Whatever could be on your mind?"

He frowned at her.

Kaji rolled her eyes. "Obviously not in the mood."

"You're injured." He pointed out ruthlessly.

She shrugged. "I was just flirting with my betrothed." Unrepentant. "Trying to lighten your mood. Which has been so light and carefree." She mocked him.

"I almost lost you." He bit out each word viciously.

She sobered and gave him a long look. "You didn't."

"Almost."

Kaji sighed. "I don't want to argue the point, but I wasn't exactly so injured that I was near death. I passed out. I'm sorry. We won."

Gaara shook his head at her, anger building.

The kunoichi pointed at him with one finger from her uninjured arm. "I have to live with the fact that I could lose you at any time too."

He blinked sharply in surprise.

"The third Kazekage? Kidnapped, turned into a puppet. The fourth? Killed and replaced." She sneered at him. "Oh yeah, and you died too!"

Gaara's lips twitched. "I got better." He said blandly.

"I love you, but damn." Kaji took a deep cleansing breath. "We're ninja, not to be slack about it, but danger is kind of our way of life."

The red-head nodded. "I know." He told her simply.

"So, if you're not tripping about my fight." Hanabi frowned. "Why are you so upset?"

Gaara's jade-pale eyes flicked away and then back to her. He blushed slightly.

Hanabi sat up straighter as she watched the dull red stain on his features.

"I haven't told you how ...I feel." Gaara shrugged, looking away again.

It was like a lightning strike. She goggled for a moment, then firmed her chin. "I know how you feel."

He nodded, it was true. She did know. But it still bothered him. "I should say it." He paused and thought about the depths of his fear as he'd been chasing after her. "You should hear me say it."

Gaara swallowed hard. He didn't like the thought of ever losing her, but worse? He hated the thought that if he had lost her she hadn't heard him say the words.

A tear escaped her pale Hyuuga eyes, trailing down over her cheek. She wiped it away with a curse. "Damn you, Gaara-coon. Whole time I've been fighting, hurting and even when being poked and prodded I haven't cried."

"You cried over Razan earlier." He pointed out.

"Different." She sniffled.

Gaara nodded, knowing that, watching a second tear follow the first. His mouth was too dry. "I don't want you to cry."

She nodded and held out her left hand for him. He crossed the room to take it, sitting down on the edge of her bed, staring into her face.

Hanabi watched as he took his free hand and raised it to her mouth, her neck, her temple. His touch was feather light, caressing, caring. She turned her face to his touch, closing her eyes.

"I told you that I'd die without you." Gaara's voice was a gruff rumble of emotion. So very out of character.

"You don't have to." She pleaded. "I know how you feel."

"I love it when you say you love me." He continued, taking a deep breath. Jade-pale eyes rose to meet her gaze. Gaara looked into her soul. "I love you."

Her eyes watered so much she could no longer see. She leaned forward instead, right into him. He opened his arms as he'd opened his heart, completely.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura heard a strange sound underfoot. She looked down, spying sand. She made a face. "I know Suna is in a desert, but a hospital needs to be cleaner than this." She pushed on the door. It didn't move.

The medic beside her snickered. "There is no other sand in the hospital." He pointed out.

Sakura shook her head, looked down at the grains on the floor and pushed on the door. It didn't move. She looked back up at the medic's grinning face and finally caught on. "Oh!"

The medic nodded and looked at his chart. "I don't need those vital signs badly enough, not yet."

"Oh!" Sakura said, pulling her hand away from the door, as if it had suddenly turned white hot. "Yes. Perhaps we can come back in a few minutes."

The two hurried away, both smiling.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You didn't have to come with me." Hana looked at her date, amused.

Sai shrugged. Not saying anything.

A servant opened the door and quickly ushered them inside. Hana looked around in interest. She'd treated animals here before, but usually in the back or outside. Not in the main part of the house. She'd been surprised when escorted here by the guard at the main gate to the family compound.

When taken into the library, Hana's eyes widened. High name person indeed. And that person was looking haughty and unapproachable. She smiled reassuringly. And he also looked worried.

Sai looked around the room too. Saw the cat on the floor and then the man talking quietly with Hana.

So. This was Hyuuga Hiashi. Interesting.

The artistic ninja sat down without being invited and whipped out his sketch pad. He'd been dying to draw Hana all night. His pencil flew across the page as he watched her work.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsunade frowned as she looked up from her cards. The masked ANBU shinobi nodded respectfully.

"I have ..." She paused, sending a sneaky look across the table. "A great hand. What could you possibly want?"

The others around the table immediately doubled their betting, knowing she was bluffing. Tsunade tossed away her trashed hand of cards, snarling.

"Trouble in the port town." The ANBU ninja said carefully. "One of the Leaf shinobi, had a drink."

Tsunade frowned. "A drink. As in one? What is so wrong with that?"

"Rock Lee."

The name had the Hokage closing her eyes and praying it wasn't going to be that bad.

"The bar is toast, barely standing now."

Damn. It was going to be that bad.

"No civilian injuries." The masked ninja continued. "But a fight did occur."

Tsunade fumed. "This is something ANBU can handle."

The masked man nodded, but didn't leave. She looked at him. He sighed. "Took five men to ...contain him, and three got injured. Nothing major." He hastened to add.

The Hokage sighed. "I feel a headache starting."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba was laughing at something Akamaru had said, while Shiho was reading a book on the couch. They'd finished dinner with his mother and were now relaxing in the living room.

Tsume glanced at her son. "How is the wedding planning going?" She needled him.

"We've chosen the cake." Kiba informed her smugly.

Tsume shrugged. Not like she cared. Yet ...her son's betrothed was now blushing to beat the band.

"Caramel." Kiba said with a lusty sigh and a fatuous grin.

The clan leader looked over at Shiho, who was now hiding behind her book. There was a story there. And she did NOT want to know what it was, definitely not.

"What do you think of Keiromaru?" Tsume mentioned a young bitch with beautiful lines and a great nose. "I'm thinking of having her bred with ..."

They all stopped as the front door opened and Hana walked in. Then they all paused when Sai followed right behind her.

Kiba frowned. He wasn't liking this much. But Hana had told him point blank to keep his nose out of her affairs. His frown deepened.

"How was your date?" Shiho asked innocently enough.

Kiba growled.

"Interrupted." Hana waved one hand in the air. "Hyuuga called me out to look at his son's cat."

Sai snorted.

Tsume looked up with interest. Staring at the artist shinobi. "You don't like cats?"

Sai shrugged. "He says it's his son's cat. But he was the one hovering."

Hana smiled. "Too true."

Kiba smiled darkly at the other young shinobi. "Date's over. Go home." Then moved quickly to avoid being kicked in the side by Shiho. He caught her foot and gave her a victorious wink.

"You're being rude." Hana scolded Kiba, sending him a swift look. "And you don't even live here."

"Date is not over yet." Sai said softly.

Hana smiled and Kiba frowned. He shook his head at his sister. She made a rude hand gesture.

Sai looked at Hana, who took a deep breath. "No, I'm not sleeping with you tonight. Yes. You can ask for a third date. No, I won't kiss you goodnight in front of an audience."

Sai frowned. "They could go away."

"Like hell." Kiba frowned too.

A knock came from the front door. Tsume scowled and jerked her head at her daughter. Reluctantly Hana went to see who it was. The Inuzuka clan leader frowned at Sai. "I don't know how I feel about you wanting to sleep with my daughter."

The dark haired young man blinked. "You would like it better if I didn't want to sleep with her?"

Tsume sighed and shook her head. "I meant about you saying it out loud."

"I should lie?" Sai asked plainly.

The Inuzuka clan leader looked up toward the ceiling and growled. "I wish I hadn't thought it such a grand idea to get married and have children in the first place. "

"You didn't." Kuromaru yawned from her side. "You told me that Hana was the reason you got married."

Long pause.

Shiho's book dropped to her lap. Kiba's face lit up like it was a holiday.

Tsume groaned.

Hana walked back into the room, with an odd expression.

"Hey brat!" Kiba called out. "Guess what?"

Hana shook her head. "The Hokage's office needs you, mom. Something about Rinako."

Tsume got up and headed toward the door, on the way there she hit Kiba in the back of his head so hard he saw stars. Yet his smile didn't dim.

"Don't get all smug, you were a mistake too." She lied outright.

Kiba laughed, not hurt at all.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	76. Action and Reaction

Apparently pink drinks were not only delicious, but also evil. Lee groaned and blinked his eyes open.

Rinako's face hovered worriedly over him. He smiled at her.

Shizune frowned at the lopsided, sloppy grin. "Is it over yet?"

Neji shook his head and shrugged. "I've only seen him like this once, and Gai handled Lee once we got him calmed down."

Shizune looked around the small room in the Hokage tower where ANBU had delivered a snoring Rock Lee. She'd read the reports of the damage, but could scarcely credit the accounts since the green-clad shinobi looked as innocent as a sleeping child. Except for the snoring of course. "He appears calm now." She pointed out hesitantly.

Rinako shook her head. "He's not calmed down, he's tied down." She paused, hesitating. "Tied up?" She amended.

Lee frowned and blinked, letting his head fall forward, his chin bouncing slightly. Large eyes widened even further. He was tied to a chair. Experimentally he wiggled his fingers. They still worked. He grinned happily.

"My fingers work." He looked up at Rinako and his smile widened. "The visage of ...(hic) ...youthful beauty."

Both kunoichi frowned.

Lee tilted his head to one side, spying the Hyuuga. "Neji! It's good to see you again my friend! Are you visiting?"

"Are you still drunk?" Meeting one question with another, the young man cautiously eyed his former teammate.

Lee's eyes mirrored his shock, his mouth dropping open. "Drunk? You of all people in this world should know that I would never touch a drop of alcohol. Gai made me swear! Especially after that misunderstanding with the Hokage's medicine bottle. You know that I always keep my word. No matter how long, even as youth's first blush will fall away from us all eventually, my word will never dim!"

Neji sighed as he watched Lee emphatically deny his condition. So heartfelt was his speech that he kept leaning farther and farther over, just to make sure the Hyuuga could see how sincere he was.

"You drank ..."

"Someone must have slipped something into that fruit juice." Lee interrupted. "A drug perhaps, because I feel as if my limbs won't move!"

"That's because you're still tied to the chair." Neji pointed out laconically.

Lee blinked, looking like a surprised owl. "What?" He looked down at himself. "Well, what do you know, I am tied up!" With that, his chair, still leaning ...fell completely over onto one side.

Rinako ran to help him, but then sighed as Lee started snoring. Again.

Neji looked over at Shizune. "To answer your earlier question. No. It's not over yet."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba wasn't in the best of moods when he got home, having left Sai still at the Inuzuka main house. With Hana. He growled low in his throat, making Akamaru 'woof' at him in question.

"I don't like Sai sniffing around my sister." Kiba told the nin-dog.

Akamaru 'woofed' agreeably, but Kiba knew the large dog wasn't alarmed. And why wasn't his nin-dog worried about Sai? Because Hana's three nin-dogs weren't worried about the other shinobi. They hadn't accepted him yet, but they weren't against him.

Kiba bared his teeth. Akamaru mimicked him. Kiba let out a loud sigh as he fit the key in the lock. Akamaru stopped and came to alert, looking at the door.

The Inuzuka stopped, sniffed, then groaned. He opened the door and walked in, hands in his pockets. "Ino? Kinda late to be visiting."

The blonde kunoichi looked up from a catalog she was going over with Shiho. Both girls had their shoes off, wine in their glasses and looked completely at ease.

Kiba was immediately on alert. His dark eyes narrowed on the two of them. "You look too innocent, what's going on?"

Shiho sniffed aristocratically and pushed her glasses up higher onto the bridge of her nose. She must have taken out her contacts, Kiba surmised.

Ino scoffed and sipped her wine. "Ease down dog-boy. We're talking flowers."

"Did you scare off Sai?" Shiho asked, still looking cross at him. She hadn't liked the way that Kiba had been acting lately. Sai was her friend and she liked Hana, she didn't see the problem with their dating.

Kiba growled. Akamaru ignored him and went over to the kitchen looking for his water bowl.

Ino shook her head. "Sai and Hana. Now that's an ODD couple." She grinned.

Shiho sighed. "Sai is my friend." She protested.

"Sai is an emotionless stick-in-the-mud with the personality of a turnip." Ino pronounced and finished off her wine.

Kiba grunted. He didn't actually agree that Sai was still emotionless, and he had to admit the other shinobi was a good fighter. But he was also an ass.

Shiho offered to refill Ino's wine glass, but the mind-control kunoichi shook her head. "No thank you, I've had plenty. And in spite of the fact that I'd love to stay longer just to needle Kiba, I really should be going. It is rather late."

Kiba started to ask what the girls had been doing, when an almost empty water dish hit his shin. He looked down into Akamaru's panting face as the nin-dog barked and waved one paw in the air. "C'mon boy." The Inuzuka went to refill the water dish, heading into the kitchen. "Night, Ino."

Once in the kitchen, Kiba put out fresh water for Akamaru and grabbed a cold chicken leg for himself from the refrigerator.

He walked back into the living room and flopped down onto the futon as he watched Ino and Shiho gather up their catalogs. Kiba finished off the meat from the chicken leg and tossed the bone half-way across the room into the trash can next to Shiho. Perfect aim.

Ino looked startled, then scowled as Kiba wiped his fingers on his pants leg. She turned to look at her friend. "Are you sure you want to marry THAT?"

Shiho shrugged then smiled slightly. "I did fall in love with him." She said it like it was a fault on her part.

"No accounting for taste." Ino shook her head sadly. "At least the flowers will be nice. Once you choose them."

Kiba's ears pricked up. He looked between one girl and the next. Both were staring at him. He grinned. "You are not suckering me into choosing flowers. I picked out the cake."

Shiho immediately blushed.

Ino looked at him archly. "We didn't ask your opinion. Besides. Shiho likes Casablanca lilies, and they are a good choice."

Kiba frowned, thinking about it and then shook his head. "Pick something else."

Ino really frowned at him, this time not in fun. "The bride picks the flowers. And this type of lily is available all year round, and has large flat blooms that will gorgeously fill out a bouquet. What's not to like?"

"They stink." Kiba whined.

Shiho's eyebrows shot up and she and her friend shared an incredulous look. "They smell nice." The cryptologist pointed out.

"To you." Kiba groaned, dropping his head back. "To an Inuzuka? We have sensitive noses, and they STINK. And I think I have an aunt who's allergic."

Ino's frown turned thoughtful. "They are very aromatic, and several of them will completely scent a room."

Shiho shook her head. "Kiba? You pay no attention to flowers, are you sure that we're thinking of the same lilies? Maybe ..."

The Inuzuka rolled his head to look at his betrothed with an apologetic look. "Sorry sweetheart. I don't care about flowers, but my clan is killer with scents. And we use flower scent markers to let us know what area and region we're in, it's a training thing. If we're ever blinded or in the dark, a few sniffs of the local flora will let us know generally where we are."

Shiho's eyes rounded in surprise, never having thought of using scent like that. Not that she could, of course. She picked up one of Ino's catalogs, flipping to another page. "I also like gardenias."

Ino sighed and shook her head even as Kiba winced. "Another very fragrant bloom." The flower expert admitted.

"Hydrangeas?" Shiho asked, turning to the next page. She smiled as Kiba shrugged, apparently they were okay on his nose.

But this time Ino shook her head. "Hydrangeas are very fragile and will wilt within an hour of being removed from their water source." She brightened suddenly and picked up a different catalog. "But orchids, if they survive delivery to our store, turn out to be very hardy! They are resistant to both heat and dehydration."

Shiho smiled and studied the flowers with a nod. "There are so many types to look through though."

Kiba frowned. "Orchids sound expensive."

Ino shot him a hard look. "That leaves us back with the Casablanca lilies." She said ruthlessly, clearly threatening him.

"Orchids sound fine." Kiba amended quickly.

Shiho laughed and shook her head. "Do you have more catalogs on orchids, Ino? There are so many choices."

Kiba mumbled and sank into his chair, closing his eyes as he let the girls chatter on about flowers.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko smirked at her husband as he ignored her. They were in bed, in their room and with the lights out. She grinned at him in the dim light coming from the moon framed through the window.

Hiashi ignored her.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

His mouth dipped into a frown before his lips firmed tightly.

"Penguin."

Hiashi sighed at the new nickname. But he refused to ask.

Anko pursed her lips and studied him thoughtfully. "Brooding doesn't suit the mighty Hyuuga."

He cut his pale eyes in her direction, and then looked back up at the ceiling. Saying nothing.

"The penguin can't sleep?" Anko persisted, leaning in closer to her husband. "You do know penguin fathers worry over their mate's egg. Standing guard constantly."

Hiashi grunted. So that's why the new nickname.

Anko sat up, the sheet dropping from her body, drawing his eyes to her. She rarely wore anything to bed anymore. Said why bother dressing when he was going to have to remove it all anyway. His eyes traced the lithe lines of her bared body.

The kunoichi frowned. He didn't look interested enough. Something was bothering him. And that bothered her. She poked him in the ribs. Hard.

Hiashi finally turned to look at her. "What was that for?" His voice rumbled deeply in the darkened bedroom.

"Stop brooding over Hinata. She'll make the trip to Suna just fine." Anko demanded, moving to sit astride his body, staring down into his face.

Astonished, Hiashi stared up at her. "I am not brooding over Hinata's health."

Anko looked down into his face. "You tried to order her into riding a carriage. You tried to get her to stay home and miss Hanabi's wedding. You tried to bring a mid-wife on the trip despite the fact that she's not even showing yet."

Hiashi frowned. "She's been having trouble with morning sickness. And a mid-wife would just be a precaution."

His wife frowned back at him, sitting up and crossing her arms over her bare chest. "She's doing better and she feels fine. The medics cleared her for the trip."

"Perhaps we should move the departure back a day or two." Hiashi told her, considering the logistics in his mind.

Anko's eyes widened a bit as she stared at him in astonishment. "You're the one who insisted we leave early so we could move at a slower pace. You said it was because we are taking so many wedding gifts, but everyone knew it was to keep Hinata from over exerting herself."

He frowned up at his wife. She studied him, finally pointing a finger rudely in his face. "There's something else."

Startled at her guess, he put his hands on top of her thighs, hoping to distract her.

She slapped at his hands viciously, baring her teeth in the darkness. "Nothing major politically going on right now. No Hyuuga out on a mission, or there are but they're nothing above a 'C' rank at the moment. It's not about Hinata like I thought. Katashi is doing well. Jishin is healthy. And you appear to finally have accepted that Hanabi has grown and changed and will be Gaara's concern now."

Hiashi frowned at the litany of his offspring.

Anko shook her head, confused. "What has you brooding like a penguin? Everyone is healthy, everyone is doing well ...the only one sick is the cat and ..."

Hiashi shook his head in denial.

Anko slapped her hand down onto his bare chest, grinning in victory. "You're worried about the CAT!"

He denied the charge vehemently. "I hate that cat." He growled truthfully.

His wife cooed and leaned in closer, staring into his eyes in the dim bedroom. "You do hate the cat."

Hiashi nodded.

Anko grinned in triumph. "But you two are worthy adversaries, you've grown fond of Asobu!"

The Hyuuga sputtered. "I have not! And the cat is not an adversary, he's an overgrown pest!"

His wife nipped at his lip with her teeth. "Liar."

"Katashi will be very upset if the cat doesn't get better." Hiashi told her with a no nonsense tone of voice.

She grinned. "The Inuzuka vet said that Asobu has an infected paw, with a broken off piece of thorn. She got it out and gave him some medicine to clear up the infection. Simple."

Hiashi sneered. "I'm not worried about the stupid cat. I just don't want Katashi to have to worry about his pet. We'll just stay here long enough to make sure the feline is responding to the medication, then we'll leave."

She wasn't fooled for a second, and he knew it. Which only made him grouse some more and deny everything.

Anko smirked and let him lie to them both, then she proceeded to seduce her grumpy husband out of his mood.

o.O.o.O.o.O

With Tsume's heightened senses, she knew exactly what she'd see even before looking into her kitchen. She frowned at the sight of left-overs and the two people eating them.

Hana looked up at her mother. "Rinako and Lee alright?"

Tsume waved one hand to dismiss the question, she didn't want to go into the whole bothersome mess right now. She frowned at the two in her kitchen. "What is he still doing here."

Sai didn't answer, since the question wasn't asked of him.

Hana shrugged. "He's harder to get out than grass stains."

Sai bit into the left-over stir fry, watching Tsume carefully. She watched as he dropped a piece of meat down to the nin-dogs sitting on the floor. It was obvious that this wasn't the first tidbit dropped, none of the dogs looked or acted terribly hungry. One lazily lapped up the piece while another yawned.

"He's feeding your dogs." Tsume pointed out, in case Hana might of missed that fact.

The younger kunoichi shrugged. "I think he's bribing them into accepting him."

Sai nodded, not bothering to deny the charge. The three dogs had stopped him from kissing Hana once, something he didn't want them to ever do again.

"You're letting him feed your fighting nin-dogs table food." Tsume sighed, suddenly too exhausted to argue. "Never mind, I'm going to bed."

"Night, mother." Hana called out, then smiled over at Sai. "I did ask you not to do that."

The shinobi nodded. "I know." He dropped one more piece on the floor, deliberately baiting her.

She didn't take the bait. Hana shook her head. "They still won't let you grab me and kiss me."

Sai nodded, having wondered about that. "You could tell them it's okay."

"I could." Hana agreed. "But I won't."

"Why?" He asked, staring into her eyes.

Hana's gaze slid away from his. He was a bold one, straight forward and no beating around the bushes. "It's only the third date." She temporized.

Sai nodded. "How many dates before I'm allowed to kiss you?"

"There's not a specific number of dates." Hana raised her eyes back up to meet his look. She was no coward after all.

"So." He gave her a very small smile, and she could have sworn it looked real. "It technically could happen on a third date. Since there's no specific number."

Distracted by that smile, even though it disappeared quickly, Hana had to take a moment to replay his words in her mind. Finally she shook her head. "My decision."

Sai stood up and moved in closer to her, she turned her head to watch him coming. He leaned down into her space and looked at her. "Why your decision."

"I'm the girl." She said, knowing it was lame even as she said it. "And the Inuzuka are matriarchal."

Sai frowned and reached out to brush a stray hair away from her cheek. Her mouth suddenly went dry. "I'm not from a matriarchal clan." He pointed out in a low voice.

"You're from ROOT." She almost whispered the words, and for no reason other than he was so close to her right now. "Not a clan."

"Close enough."

Hana watched his face coming near her and she pushed back, away from the table. "You need to leave. It's getting very late."

"I want to kiss you."

Laughing nervously, and with no clear reason why she should feel nervous in the first place. Hana shook her head. "That's not your goal."

Sai cocked his head to one side. "It's a short term goal in the bigger scheme of things."

The bigger scheme of sleeping with her, she sighed. Hana poked her finger in his direction. "There should definitely not be a fourth date."

"I'm escorting you to Michiko's wedding the day after tomorrow."

Hana blinked in complete and utter shock. "How do you know about the wedding? How do you know about Michiko? I haven't even told them I could go!"

Sai shrugged. "I saw how close you were with your farming clients, and I went and I asked them about you and they mentioned their daughter was getting married and that they'd invited you."

"And you just decided to crash the wedding?" Hana sounded outraged. "That's rude and ...IT'S VERY RUDE!"

"They invited me." He spoke softly, watching her carefully.

Hana blinked. "The farming folk know I can't accept all invitations, because I could be sent out on missions. They let me show up if I can and don't hold it against me when I can't."

"They said." Sai shrugged lightly. "I said I'd bring you as long as no missions came up."

"You ...you ...you are a stalker!" Hana struck him hard on the shoulder, and he let her.

Sai blinked, and watched her carefully. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes!" Hana hit him again, or tried to, but he moved out of her way this time. She growled. Her three nin-dogs stood up immediately and growled too.

"Feeding them had no effect." He observed.

Hana sneered. "It's why I didn't mind, because a little food would never win them over."

"Would bones work?" He asked sincerely.

Hana fought the urge not to throw a chair at his head.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Come to bed."

Kiba's sleep fogged brain registered the words a second before he caught the hand she was using to shake his shoulder. Yawning, he blinked open his eyes ...to stare at the lenses of her thick glasses. He snagged the spectacles from her face and smiled.

"There you are."

Shiho couldn't help but smile back at him. She tugged on the hand he still had captured. "It's late. Let's go to bed."

"Now that's the kind of wedding planning I could definitely enjoy. We need to practice for the honeymoon." He yawned again, feeling his jaw stretch even as he rolled his shoulders. "What time is it?"

"Very late." She answered without answering.

"Or early." Kiba groaned as he spied the clock. "Ino just leave?"

Shiho nodded, blushing. "She likes to talk."

The Inuzuka laughed and padded down the hallway after his sweetheart, turning out the light as he went. "That's an understatement."

She swatted ineffectively at him for making fun of her friend. He grabbed her around the waist and tossed her onto the bed, making her squeal. Kiba grinned down at her and pulled off his shirt in one smooth motion. He put both hands on the bed and then crawled bare chested and on all fours over to her as she backed up, blushing even as she smiled up at him.

Playfully he snagged her foot and pulled off her sock, tossing it behind him. Then reached for the other. Shiho laughed even as she shook her head. "You are a slob, I'll have to pick those up off the floor tomorrow because you won't do it."

Kiba nuzzled her belly, using his teeth to pull up the fabric of her top so he could nibble on her bare flesh. She caught her breath, suddenly unable to breathe from the sensual heat.

"The socks won't hurt the floor, and the chicken bone is in the trash can." Kiba said between nips at her flesh. "I'll have to thank your mother for the chicken later."

The cryptologist frowned. "How ..." A moan escaped her and she sighed deeply. "How did you know my mother cooked the chicken?"

Kiba laughed and ran his tongue around her navel. "Because the kitchen was still standing, so I know you didn't cook."

Shiho angrily tugged on his shaggy hair, but he only grinned and followed her up until he could capture her lips in a deep kiss. Growling low, his voice a deep rumble of masculine delight he whispered in her ear all the things he planned on doing to her.

Shiho forgot about the insult and nearly melted on the spot.

His mouth found a particularly sensitive spot on the side of her neck and she squealed, pushing him away from the intensity of the sensations. He laughed and grabbed her, rolling her on the bed and tangling the sheets until he was looming over her.

"Gotcha." He grinned.

"You still have your weapons pouch on." Shiho told him breathlessly.

Kiba laughed. "Not a romantic thing to say."

Shiho frowned. "It poked me when we rolled, I think it's going to leave a bruise."

Kiba blinked and then sat up and unhooked his weapons pouch, apologizing the whole time before he stripped off the rest of his clothes and pounced back on top of her, grinning like a fool. He demanded to know where he'd left a bruise.

Shiho pointed to her left hip. Kiba snaked one hand up her skirt, touching here ...and there ...and here again ...leaving her panting with need as he asked patiently where her bruise was located. His clever fingers found their way inside her panties and she threw back her head, crying out as she arched her back.

Kiba grinned. "I think I found your 'bruise'." He teased, wiggling his fingers sexily. "Now I think I need to kiss it and make it better."

Shiho lifted her hips as he stripped her panties down her body and threw up her skirt, laughing as his lips followed his fingers.

In the living room, a feminine shriek of pleasure had Akamaru's ears pricking up for a second. But the nin-dog didn't even open his eyes.

He was getting used to such sounds. The canine ignored the noises and went back to sleep.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee blinked hard and shook his head. "Shizune? Rinako?"

The two kunoichi looked over at the green-clad shinobi.

Lee frowned. "There's three tea cups?"

Shizune nodded. "Neji was here earlier. He went home an hour ago, after you stopped trying to get loose."

"Loose?" Lee looked down. "Am I tied up?"

Rinako nodded, watching him carefully.

Shizune checked his pulse and looked into his eyes. "I think the alcohol is finally burning off."

"Alcohol?" Lee asked, shocked. "I don't drink!"

"Not knowingly." Shizune patted him on the shoulder as she cut him loose. "You grabbed Rinako's drink."

Lee shook his head. "But all she had was fruit juice." He protested, even as he rubbed the feeling back into his arms.

Rinako blushed. "It had alcohol in it." She didn't mention that it had been sent over by another man. "I'm so sorry, Lee!"

Rock Lee looked sheepish and ducked his head, blushing. "Oh beautiful Rinako, I am most sorrowful that you have seen the youthful spirit of myself succumbed to ...er ..."

"Spirits of an alcoholic type." Shizune finished the sentence for him.

Lee looked so downcast that Rinako reached for his hand. But the green-clad shinobi pulled back. He gave her a look of misery. "Gai informed me that the first time I accidentally imbibed, I made ..."

His voice trailed off in embarrassment.

"You tore up the building." Shizune said it briskly. "And we'll discuss how you'll help rebuild the establishment later tomorrow, Lee."

The young shinobi snapped to attention. "Of course! I will turn my not inconsiderable efforts to repairing the damages."

"Rebuilding." Shizune laughed. "There's not much left to repair."

Lee's expression fell comically, but Rinako couldn't laugh. She felt so badly about the whole incident. "I'll help." She promised.

But Rock Lee wouldn't hear of it. "No, no my beauteous Miss Rinako! I shall rise to this challenge alone! I have caused the damage and I will repair ..."

"Rebuild." Shizune interjected.

"...the damages myself! I will prove to you that I am indeed worthy of your respect and esteem despite my actions of the evening, which I do not recall in the slightest!"

"You don't?" Rinako's expression froze.

Lee shook his head vehemently. "Not a thing!"

Shizune shook her head. "Too bad, from all witness accounts that was some kiss you laid on Rinako."

Lee went still as a statue as the kunoichi in question blushed from head to toe.

Without any regard for his embarrassment, Shizune smiled wickedly. "It was so steamy that they asked you to leave. That's when the fight started."

Lee's face went red and it almost looked like steam could rise off of him at any moment.

"You shouldn't have told him like that, it's mean!" Rinako was still blushing, though not nearly as red in the face as poor Lee.

Shizune shrugged as she left the room, leaving the two alone together. "Some bandages are better ripped off quickly. It's easier in the long run."

Laughing, the Hokage's assistant closed the door on the couple and wondered how it would all turn out.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You need to leave. I need sleep." Hana rolled her shoulders and then looked back at Sai's face. Nothing showed there bust suddenly she just knew what he was thinking. She shoved his arm. "And no, you can't sleep with me."

Sai nodded. But still he didn't go.

Hana crossed her arms. "What?"

"You haven't agreed to a fourth date."

The Inuzuka heir sighed and shook her head. "Sure I have. Day after tomorrow. My friend's wedding. The one you went and got yourself invited to without even asking me."

The ninja nodded, not making any apologies. "You haven't said you'd go."

Hana shrugged. "This once. Don't ever do something like that again."

Sai nodded, staring at her.

Hana growled. "What will it take to get you to leave?"

The artistic ninja blinked slowly and stepped closer to her.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hana put her hands flat on his chest to keep him from stepping any closer. "I'm not going to let you kiss me to get you to leave!"

"I don't want to kiss you."

His words stopped her flat. She blinked owlishly at him. Then shook her head. "You've been going on about sleeping with me and kissing me ...you can't ...you're not making sense."

Sai frowned slightly. "I want you to kiss me."

Hana widened her eyes as she blinked rapidly in response, not sure what to make of his answer. Still, his thought processes were usually odd, though straight forward.

"You don't want to kiss me. You want me to kiss you?"

Sai nodded slowly.

Hana thought it over and over and still didn't get it. Or did she? "Sai. Have you ever kissed anyone?"

He frowned again, but nodded.

"Missions don't count."

That made him stop and he shook his head. So. Hana took a deep breath, trying to work it all out in her mind. "So you've not done any real kissing?"

Sai raised one eyebrow. "Missions don't count?"

"No."

He shook his head.

Hana could feel the heat of his chest through the palms of her hands, and knew she should pull away. But ...she couldn't. Not yet. "But you have kissed someone on a mission before."

Sai nodded.

"But it didn't feel right?" She guessed.

"Was I supposed to feel?" He asked, not knowing that his simple question told her a lot more than she'd been looking for.

Finding it difficult to catch her breath for a moment, Hana just watched his face. "So you want a girl to kiss you so you know what a kiss is supposed to feel like."

Sai nodded, then shook his head. "Not a girl. You."

Hana swallowed hard and thought about running away from this moment. But that was cowardly, and she was the Inuzuka heir. And he needed her. More than he probably knew.

Should she kiss him out of pity? Was that even fair to him? Or to her?

Hana stared into his dark, dark eyes and knew without a doubt that as sad as his past was, what she was feeling right then was not pity.

It wasn't love, but it certainly wasn't pity.

He made her feel wanted, needed, and special. Things she hadn't even known she was missing from the last few months of her marriage.

But Sai was also a pain in the ass and unschooled in basic emotions, blunt, and difficult and ...

Her thoughts skidded to a halt when he obviously decided she was taking too long. He stepped in closer to her.

"I want you to kiss me."

Hana knew instinctively that no matter what she did at that moment, everything was going to change. Oh hell. Who was she fooling?

"Sit down."

Sai wasn't one to follow orders well, but he did as she said. Sitting in the kitchen chair she'd vacated. He watched as she moved in and sat on his lap, facing him face forward, straddling his lap.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?" He couldn't help but asking.

"So you can feel." Hana said low and huskily. "With your eyes closed, you feel more."

Sai nodded and closed his eyes. Until he felt her hands on either side of his face. He couldn't help it.

Hana met his gaze and saw ...heat, uncertainty, want, and doubt. Things she thought she'd never see in his eyes. And yet there they were. And now he was vulnerable to her.

Coming to the same conclusion. Sai shook his head. "Maybe this isn't such a good ..."

Hana leaned in and kissed him.

He shut up.

Her lips met his and pulled back, then moved slightly as she leaned back into him. Her teeth found his bottom lip, tugging on it.

Sai couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. His mouth opened without his assent and when her tongue found his, his eyes closed on their own.

Suddenly he took a deep breath and opened his mouth wider, putting his arms around her and pulling her in closer. Hana let him as she sank into his heated embrace, teaching him by example as she kissed him soundly.

It was a long several minutes before her lips trailed over his cheek and down into the nook between his shoulder and neck.

Sai was having trouble catching his breath. A groan had him opening his eyes in shock. He was pretty sure the sound had come from him.

Finally he let her go and she sat up, looking right into his flushed face. He shook his head at her. "I can't sleep with you tonight."

Hana let out a low chuckle and shook her own head. "That's my line."

Sai caught her hands and pulled them from his chest. "I don't think I could handle you."

"What I make you feel." She stressed the word deliberately.

"Yes." He agreed, surprised that he felt shaky.

Suddenly she felt powerful. Sexy. In control. "Why don't we stick to just kissing for a while?"

Sai nodded, then ran his tongue over his lips. It was a nervous gesture and she loved that she could do that to mister 'always in control'.

A series of barks had her suddenly sitting upright.

Sai and Hana both turned to look at Kuromaru.

The nin-dog stared back with his one good eye, the other covered by a patch. "Tsume sent me to tell you to get out."

Sai blinked in surprise. Hana laughed. "Why didn't she come down herself?"

The dog sat down on his haunches and scratched behind his ear. "I don't know. She said something about not wanting to see things. Which doesn't make sense. It's the same old kitchen. And you two look the same. I don't know what she thought she'd see that was so bad."

The nin-dog stood back up and turned around to leave as Hana howled with laughter, still sitting on Sai's lap.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	77. Uninvited Guests

"Kaji?" Gaara looked in her bedroom, frowning when he didn't immediately see her.

"In here."

Ah. Bathroom. Gaara tapped on the already open door and peered in. Narrowing his eyes.

Michi smiled slightly, but didn't stop what he was doing.

Kaji wiggled her fingers in the wrapping. "Are you sure this is water tight?"

Giving a mock frown, Michi nodded. "Who's the water expert around here?"

"What are you doing?" Gaara asked, pretty sure that bandages should be changed by medics. Not teammates.

Michi gave a final tweak to the wrapping and waved his hands as if showing off a masterpiece. "Hanabi won't take no for an answer and she wants ..."

"A bath." Kaji snapped out the words. "I want a bath."

Gaara nodded, understanding at once. The wrap around her arm must be to keep the dressing dry while she bathed. Then he frowned. "What if you slip?"

Kaji shot her betrothed an 'are you kidding' look full of venom.

Gaara's eyes widened slightly.

"I have no lingering concussion. I'm not dizzy. I have a burned arm and I'm sore to hell and back. I want a bath, I want to soak and I want anyone who's not on board with that plan to leave." Hanabi looked pointedly between both Michi and Gaara.

"But ..." Poor Mizu got a kick in the shin.

The kunoichi shook her head. "Tonight is the Godfather ceremony and I am going to soak out my aches this afternoon, and I'm going to have clean hair and smell nice for the evening. Is that CLEAR?"

The two shinobi shared a silent look of shared resignation as the red-head nodded and the water user turned on the tub and started to fill it with hot water.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The guards at the main gates of Konoha looked puzzled. One scratched his head as the newly arrived individual stood there waiting.

The guard sitting right next to him whistled low. "That's an old seal."

"Who are you calling old?" The strong voice belied the apparent age of the woman awaiting entrance into the village proper.

"No one." The first guard quickly assured the woman with an embarrassed look. "Certainly not you, honored grandmother."

"I may be a grandmother, but as I am not YOUR grandmother then you may leave off the comments. Get to work, young man." The woman sniffed in derision as she leaned slightly on her cane. "And if you were one of my grandchildren, you may rest assured that they'd be done with their part of the job already."

The second guard winced at the strength of the older woman's voice. Someone who looked so wrinkled should not have that kind of authority in her voice. He poked the other guard with his elbow. "What's the problem? The seal is correct."

"But it's so ..." He cut off the word 'old' and substituted quickly. "Out of date."

The visitor frowned sharply and both men felt immediately uncomfortable. There was just something about her that set them on edge. Older she might be, but they suspected she probably had a few tricks up her rather voluminous sleeves that covered her hands.

"May we ask your business in Konoha?" The first guard smiled as pleasantly as he could manage.

"No." The older female snapped.

The second guard coughed and smiled ingratiatingly. "We insist." He may feel off balance around this woman, but he had a job to do and he was a ninja of this village.

Narrowed eyes met his and the guard barely refrained from wincing. But after a long, tense moment the woman gave a jerking motion of a smile. "Family business." She finally answered.

"What family?" The first guard tried again.

"Mine." The woman's voice snapped out the word with all the give of iron.

The second guard flipped through the woman's paperwork. It was all in order. But over a decade old. "Is your family expecting you?"

The woman smiled darkly. "If they did, they wouldn't be home. So no, I'm not expected." Despite her obvious age, the words still held the power of a threat.

Both guards nodded. They could believe that.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba frowned down at the note and growled. He looked up at Shiho with an apology on his face. "Sweetheart, I have to run. This shouldn't take long, one of my genin has gotten into a small scrape. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

The cryptologist nodded, understanding. Kiba was the leader of a genin team, and while their 'D' ranked missions rarely carried much danger the team was still his responsibility. She looked over at her future mother-by-marriage. "You're stuck with just me for lunch."

Tsume nodded even as she served the plates from the take-out boxes.

"I'll take the brat's plate." Hana swept into the room and looked cross-eyed at her baby brother, who snarled at her without heat even as he signaled to Akamaru to stay where he was.

"I've got to go see the medics, and they don't like you in their offices." Kiba explained to his nin-dog, who merely yawned and rolled onto his side, waving one paw adorably in the air. "Lazy."

Shiho looked up at Hana, puzzled. "I thought you were going to your friend's wedding today?"

"I am." Hana grinned and then yawned so widely her jaw creaked. "But that's not for another two hours and I missed breakfast for an emergency veterinary call. I'm starving. If I don't want my stomach rumbling through the entire ceremony, I need a quick bite to eat."

"Nothing major?" Tsume handed her daughter a plate and waved absently at her son as he bent to kiss his betrothed goodbye.

Hana shrugged. "Major enough. Barely trained thoroughbred horse plus minor noble who thinks he's a better rider than he is and a thicket of thorns that he 'thought' he could jump. Uneven ground and several holes hidden by the thorn bushes. No broken bones, but it wasn't pretty. Several pretty deep lacerations." Her voice held nothing but disgust for the young would-be equestrian. "Okay. No broken bones on the horse." Her smile looked vindictive.

Tsume winced, picturing the scene in her mind.

Shiho pointed at the counter top, hoping to change the subject. The thought of the injured horse wasn't very nice. "Messenger brought a note for you too."

Hana's response was pithy and worthy of censorship. Shiho's eyes widened with appreciation as Tsume chuckled at her heir's language skills.

"Better not be another emergency call." Hana said sourly even as she broke the seal on the message. She frowned sharply as she read it.

Shiho accepted her plate from Tsume, but sat waiting for Hana before she started eating. Except Hana didn't put down the message, she balled it up roughly in her hand and tossed it into the trash can with not a little force.

"Sit down and eat." Tsume pointed at Hana's plate. "Whatever it is it can wait for a quick bite to eat."

Hana cursed roundly and spun on her heels, heading for the door after grabbing a piece of fruit.

Shiho looked puzzled. "Another vet emergency?"

The Inuzuka heir frowned, standing in the doorway. "I may have to sew him up when I'm done with his sorry ass, but no ...not an emergency. Just a case of pissing me the hell off!"

Shiho blinked rapidly three times and then looked over at Tsume. The Clan leader shrugged, her mouth full of food. "She's dating Sai. It could be anything."

"It could be anything." The cryptologist defended her shinobi friend. "The note may not have been from him."

Tsume gave her an arch look. Shiho rounded her shoulders. "Probably was though." She admitted truthfully, though with some reluctance. Sai did have a way of pissing off people.

The Inuzuka clan leader shook her head in wonderment. What Hana saw in Sai was beyond her.

Well. The cryptology kunoichi looked around at the suddenly quiet kitchen and shrugged. This was not her first meal at the Inuzuka main compound, nor was it her first encounter with their busy lives. Still, it was a lot different than her civilian family's ways.

"How's the wedding planning coming?" Tsume sipped her tea, looking over at Kiba's girl.

Shiho frowned. "Cake's picked out and even ordered. My mother booked the temple and I have a cousin who's married to a photographer. Flowers are on order and ..."

Tsume growled, frowning suddenly. "Flowers? We may need to talk about those."

"Orchids." Shiho said reassuringly. "Not overly aromatic. Kiba mentioned the clan's sensitive noses."

"Nice." Tsume grinned quickly. "You're fitting right in with us."

Shiho smiled and took a bite of her spicy noodles, then nearly choked as Tsume kept talking.

"So. Wedding plans are moving along. But why won't you pick out a ring?"

She was saved from answering by a howling outside. It sounded canine, and very young. Tsume looked up, alert as she listened. Three more nin-dogs started howling and the Inuzuka clan leader put down her chopsticks with a sigh. "Be back in a moment."

Shiho nodded and picked up her own tea. She sipped as she looked around, completely alone in the house. What had Tsume said about 'fitting right in'? The cryptologist nodded, despite all their differences, she did feel comfortable here. And the Inuzuka clan was so at ease with her, they even left her alone in their main house.

Shiho looked down at her ring-less finger, wiggling it slightly. Maybe it really was going to work out wonderfully. Kiba loved her. She loved him. Her mother adored him. And his mother ...well, she wasn't warm and loving by nature but even so ...Tsume seemed to trust her and that was saying something.

The honey-blonde kunoichi smiled, putting her hand back in her lap. Maybe she should let Kiba drag her back out ring shopping. It wasn't a game of getting him to call it off anymore. There really was going to be a wedding. Shiho smiled. With a beautiful cascade of orchids.

A sharp series of barks outside had her pausing in concern. Then she watched as Akamaru jumped up from a dozing and ran toward the door, scratching frantically instead of going out the back door with the swinging door meant specifically for the larger nin-dogs.

Shiho hurried to the door and opened it. "Akamaru, what's wrong?" But the large nin-dog paid her no mind, not even letting her get fully out of the way before barging through the door. The kunoichi lost her balance, having to catch herself from falling by grabbing the door frame. "What?" She yelled.

Looking outside, there was a lot of barking and howling on the property. But not any real alarm. Shiho stepped outside, looking around carefully.

A slam behind her had her spinning, but it was only the front door, caught by the wind. Shiho relaxed with a nervous smile at her own jumpy nerves. There was nothing wrong. Still. She should probably head back inside. She reached for the doorknob, but then frowned when it 'clicked' rather than turning. Locked.

With sudden clarity, Shiho pictured the house key Kiba had given her ages ago. It was in the pocket of her light jacket. Hanging on the back of her chair. In the house.

She sighed and started to circle the house to the back door, ignoring the slight feeling of unease as the far-off sounds of barking continued.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kaji hissed as she tugged on a soft robe. The bath had eased a lot of her discomfort, and she'd even awkwardly managed to wash her hair with one good arm. Still, the process had taken nearly five times as long as it should have.

Using her family ability, she knew that Michi had left quite a while ago. But that Gaara was still in her apartment. He was poring over paperwork from the looks of it.

She walked into the room, holding her robe closed.

Gaara looked up, spying her he frowned.

Guessing his thoughts she shrugged. "It was too much effort to tie just to untie in a minute so I can get dressed." He shook his head, but she continued. "Besides, I know you're the only one here."

The Kazekage paused, yeah ...she probably did know they were alone. He nodded.

Kaji turned and headed into the bedroom, the robe slipping from her shoulders. Her voice floated out behind her. "Aren't you going to offer to help?"

Gaara looked back up, a bit surprised. "Do you need any?"

"No." Kaji peeked out from around the door, her pale eyes gleaming as she teased him. "But a romantic boyfriend would offer to help anyway."

The red-head stood and walked toward her, his facial expression didn't change but his mood lightened as he neared her. "Since when am I romantic? Or a boy?"

"You're right, you're nothing but a thieving raccoon." Kaji smiled as he leaned into her personal space and looked around the doorway. His eyes widened in appreciation, though he didn't like the look of those bruises.

She smiled and held up some undergarments. "I don't need help for sweats, but we have that ceremony tonight and I do need ...assistance for this."

Gaara took the blue colored piece of lace and padding from her. He stared at it.

Kaji gave a breathy laugh. "I know you're more concerned with getting that off of me, but ...if you would?" She turned her bare back to him and held out her arms.

His voice rumbled as he cleared his throat. "You don't need my help at all, you just want to drive me crazy."

She turned her head slowly and winked at him over one creamy shoulder. "If you won't do it, I could ask someone else."

Her threat was empty and they both knew it.

Instead of taking the lacy bra from her, his hands found the balls of her shoulders. Gaara leaned in close behind her and sniffed her neck. A rumble of satisfaction escaped him. "You smell nice."

Kaji shivered in pleasure and leaned back into him, his arms slipped around her shoulders as she laid her head back on his own shoulder. He kissed the side of her neck. It was a question.

She moaned and stood back upright. "We don't have time." She complained as she turned to push the bra into his hands. "You're meeting with the Earth Country representatives in just a few minutes. Then dinner with Naruto and Sakura, and then the Godfather ceremony at the hospital."

Gaara frowned, he knew she was right but he didn't have to like it. "Let the Earth Country wait." He growled. "They did attack us."

Kaji pursed her lips thoughtfully. "It would serve them right to wait."

The bra fell to the floor without any ceremony.

Gaara pulled her good arm and gently laid her down on the bed. Pale eyes blinked up at him as she reached for the fasteners on his own shirt. The red-headed shinobi leaned over her, then stopped as she hissed in pain though he'd barely touched her.

Jade-pale eyes blinked as he backed up quickly. Kaji shook her head. "I'm fine."

Gaara wasn't so sure as he looked down her body, noting all the healing bruises that he hadn't really noticed having focused on her arm as the most serious injury. He reached out and traced the vivid colors along the right side of her body.

"I'm fine." She assured him, but looking into his face she knew the moment had gone. "Gaara, I'm really fine."

The Kazekage didn't smile and he didn't come any nearer. He looked up at her eyes and then leaned over her carefully, being sure not to put his weight on her. His lips met hers in a soft, soft kiss. He pulled back.

She grimaced. "We're not making the Earth Country wait, are we?"

Gaara shook his head slowly. "Take a nap." He ordered.

She bristled, hating letting him get his way. "I don't need a nap."

"Take one anyway." His voice left no room for argument.

That didn't stop her. "Make me." She challenged.

Gaara sighed and moved to lay next to her on the bed, looking down at her as he yanked a comfy throw up from the foot of the bed and covered her with it.

Kaji frowned and groused, even though she knew she was only doing it because she wasn't getting her way and not because she was really upset.

Her betrothed let her grouch and complain even as he stayed next to her, frustrated yet content just to be in the same space as she.

"Are you going to stay there until I fall asleep?" She said, snippy.

"Maybe." He countered.

Kaji stuck out her tongue and he leaned in for a kiss. Her mouth opened for him and he took immediate advantage, his tongue moving in for a taste. Her injured hand moved to touch the side of his face. The movement pulled on the healing burns and she flinched very slightly.

Gaara pulled back immediately. Concern shone in his jade-pale eyes and the expression melted away her irritation. Instead of dropping her injured arm, she deliberately traced the lines of his frown, easing them away.

"I'm not sleepy." She warned him.

"Close your eyes." Gaara watched as she blinked, then closed them. He gently pressed her arm back to the bed and moved so that he was holding her.

"Mmmm ..." After a few twinges from her bruises and scrapes, she settled into a comfortable position. It was rather nice just being held.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai had barely opened the door before Hana barged inside. She spun to glare at him. He said nothing. She crossed her arms and gave him a long withering stare.

He said nothing.

Hana growled.

Sai blinked.

She flashed him a threatening smile, full of fangs and a look that promised nothing good.

He blinked again.

Hana studied him, but his body language was giving nothing away. And he wasn't frightened. Not of her. She deliberately turned away from him, looking around his rather sparse apartment. It suited him. No frills and nothing beyond the necessities.

Except for the artwork on the walls. Hana frowned sharply and moved in front of a simple pencil sketch of herself. Working on the Hyuuga cat, it's paw in her hand. She pointed at it. "You had it framed?"

Sai shrugged. He could hardly deny it.

"You're really pissed me off today."

The shinobi nodded slowly and looked around his small apartment. "Will you let me move some things about before you burn it down?"

Hana choked with sudden laughter as she shook her head in amazement. She turned to stare at him. "Idiot. I'm not going to burn down your place."

He nodded and finally closed the open door.

"I don't care enough about you to bother." She used the words purposefully, to hammer home a point.

Sai cocked his head slightly to one side. "You cared enough to get mad."

Hana blew an errant strand of hair from her face. "I'm an Inuzuka. We get mad over everything."

Sai frowned slightly before his facial expression smoothed back out into neutral, and as far as she could tell though, it had been a genuine frown.

"So. You've changed your mind about dating me." Hana gave him a hard look.

But then frowned as Sai shook his head. "No, I still want to date you."

"Your note said otherwise." She pointed out.

But the artistic shinobi shook his head. "My note said I couldn't date you any more. Not that I no longer had the ...not that I don't want to anymore."

Hana took a deep, steady breath and tried to piece the puzzle together in her mind. But like with a real puzzle, there were a few pieces missing. "You haven't been ordered not to date me."

Sai shook his head.

"You're physically capable of dating me." She continued.

The shinobi frowned slightly.

Hana looked surprised. "You're not physically capable?"

Sai shrugged and relented slightly. "Mostly."

A bark of a laugh escaped her, though it wasn't amusement she was feeling. More like exasperation. "I was sitting in your lap the other night. Your body was happy I was there."

"You mean my penis."

Hana nodded, her eyes wide. "Yes. That's the part I'm talking about. You don't have a shy bone in your body, do you?"

"No." He answered literally. "And yes, I want you physically."

"But not emotionally?" Hana shook her head, trying to follow his thought patterns wasn't exactly easy.

Sai shook his head slowly. Then frowned. He looked away and Hana stiffened. He was nervous! She made him nervous. That was ...different.

"I'm not supposed to have emotions." He finally broke the small silent lapse. "ROOT trained me not to have them."

Hana closed her eyes and took another deep breath. "Emotions can be restrained, but not completely done away with."

"ROOT ..."

She interrupted him. "ROOT messed you up big time. But they trained you well. To be a fighting ninja without a mind of his own."

Sai frowned slightly.

"To feel nothing, have nothing, think ...nothing."

His frown deepened. "I think." He protested, though not raising his voice. "I think for myself. I chose to follow a different path than ROOT planned for me."

"Exactly." She sprung the verbal trap. "If you can think for yourself, then the other things ROOT trained out of you are still there too. Emotions. Feelings. They're stunted, but they are there."

Sai shook his head, but he didn't appear completely certain anymore.

"You became friends with your teammates. But you also made friends with Shiho. And that is something ROOT would never have allowed." She watched him carefully. "And it mattered to you whether she lived or died."

He stared at her, then gave a shaky nod. He couldn't deny the truth in her statement.

"But you pushed it further. You wanted for yourself what she has with Kiba." Hana pointed a finger at him, almost like a teacher. "You wanted that, no one pushed that on you."

Sai's gaze fell for a moment and then he shrugged. "You're not lying."

"And now you are closer than you have ever been to having that for yourself." Hana crossed her arms in front of her. "Not that I necessarily agree with looking in my direction, still ...you're pursuing something YOU want. Want. That's a form of feeling."

He raised his gaze to hers and gave a small nod.

"So why do you send me a note saying that you can't date me anymore?"

Sai firmed his lips and didn't answer, but Hana wasn't going anywhere. She kept staring at him, just as stubborn as he was himself. Finally, the shinobi shrugged. "I dreamed about you."

Hana blinked in surprise. That hadn't been anywhere near what she'd been expecting.

Sai continued. "I dreamed things about you that Naruto couldn't put in his Icha Icha novels. Things I've heard others talk about in private."

Hana shifted her weight slightly, not sure how she felt playing a starring role in a pornographic dream.

But now he'd started and he couldn't stop. "The other night when you kissed me, it made my fingers itch."

"Romantic." She said caustically.

"I wanted to touch you. I wanted to grab you and pull your clothing from your body. Actually, I wanted to shred your clothes, rip them off of you."

Hana's skin prickled.

"I wanted to taste you." His dark eyes pinned her gaze and she couldn't look away. "I wanted to bite you."

She shivered.

"I wanted to throw you on the ground and jump on top of you. I wanted to bend you over the table."

Hana shook her head, and opened her mouth to stop him.

"I didn't want to stop."

She stared at him as he fell silent.

He stared back.

A very long moment passed in complete silence. Finally, Sai blinked. "Those are only some of the things I wanted to do. Wanted. I wanted something."

"Me."

He nodded, never breaking eye contact. "And I've never wanted anything so much in my entire life. Except for when my brother died and I wanted him to stop dying."

Hana blinked this time, feeling shaken. His brother?

"I ...I feel things for you." Sai admitted.

Hana took a step back, both mentally and physically. "Sexual desire is a strong emotion." She started, but he shook his head to stop her.

"But in my dreams there were other things."

Hana shook her head. "I don't want to hear about anymore x-rated scenes ..."

"I dreamed about holding your hand."

She paused, her eyes widening.

Sai nodded. "Me. You. Holding hands. Watching something non sexual."

Hana knew enough to realize that this was somehow an extremely important moment.

He shook his head, though never dropping her gaze. "I dreamed of little things. Moments where it was just the two of us. Walking. Eating. Making the bed." He made a slight shrug.

"Sounds tame." She tried to make it light, but failed.

Sai took a deep breath. "Wanting a person sexually, I understand. But you make me want things that have nothing to do with sex. You make me want to just be around you."

Hana didn't move, she wasn't sure she could.

"And I can't handle that." Sai shook his head. "I can't date you because ...I'm not sure that I'm ready to face those kind of emotions."

Inuzuka Hana stared while her mind raced. What he was talking about scared the piss out of her. If she kept seeing him, it was never going to be casual. After her fresh divorce, commitment was an ugly word to her. And she wasn't ready to face what he was describing.

"Okay." She said, unable to think of anything better.

"You see why I can't date you anymore." It was not a question.

Hana nodded. "Hai. I do see why."

Sai blinked slowly and then turned to open the door. The sunshine outside nearly blinded her for a moment. And if there was any moisture in her eyes, it was from that. Hana strode out of his apartment with determination.

And she didn't look back. He knew she didn't, because he was watching her go.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Tsume was not happy. The youngest nin-dogs were yapping and barking and howling, but unable to calm down enough to let her know what was going on.

Kuromaru pawed the air and panted. "Someone has too much perfume."

The Inuzuka clan leader barely held her temper in check. Someone had walked out here to the wooden building where the puppies slept. It was rustic, but warm and comfortable for the nin-dogs. These were the canines that were weaned and old enough to begin some basic training.

And someone uninvited had peeked inside.

"I know that scent." Kuromaru whined.

So did she. Tsume growled. "What the hell is that person doing here?"

Akamaru came bounding up, fangs showing and in mid-growl. He sniffed the ground with distaste. It was obvious that the large nin-dog hadn't forgotten that scent either. Though it had been a long while. Not long enough though, not nearly long enough.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara's eyes popped open for no reason. He yawned and looked over at the blind-covered window. The sun was still up, but was on the wrong side of the house.

"You stood up the Earth Country representatives, but I'm sure they deserved it after what they put us through."

The young man looked down into the face of his betrothed, whom he was still holding. She looked smug and amused. And not sleepy. He frowned.

She grinned brightly.

"Did you nap?" He asked her.

Kaji shook her head slowly, her grin getting bigger. "Told you I wasn't sleepy."

Gaara frowned sharply at her. Had she just watched him sleep?

She answered without him even asking. "The circles under your eyes were darker than usual. You needed to sleep."

The red-head sighed, resigned. "There's been a lot to do."

Kaji leaned up and kissed his nose. "The Suna ninja school was destroyed, people injured. Your people. Deaths. Kidnappings. An attack by a foreign ninja village. Nothing out of the ordinary, I don't understand how you could possibly have been busy lately."

Gaara sighed and sat up, rubbing his hair and blinking his eyes. "You forgot to mention planning a Godfather ceremony needing big time treaties between two ninja villages and planning our wedding."

"Oh yeah. That." She sat up and leaned in for a long lingering kiss. "I love you, Gaara-coon." She said in a sing-song voice against his lips, smiling the whole time.

He pulled back, watching her warily. She wanted something.

"You still have to help me put on my bra."

Gaara sighed, but nodded.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho tugged on the back door, but the knob wouldn't turn. Which made no sense. She knew this door was just about always unlocked. Kiba and Hana walked through it all the time. She frowned and tried with both hands, but it didn't budge.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down. Dog door. A very large one. It no longer accommodated canines the size of Akamaru, but she knew Hana's sleek threesome used it all the time.

The cryptologist sighed. She could wait for someone to get back, but her food was getting colder by the moment. Not only that, but it would be embarrassing explaining how she'd gotten locked out of the house. The Inuzuka already considered her a bit absent minded. And wouldn't let her in the kitchen. She sighed. What would they do now? Attach a key around her neck?

Shiho scowled and dropped down onto all fours, pushing open the dog door. She'd be inside in just a moment, and no one would be the wiser.

She was taken completely unaware as pain exploded across her backside. Yelping, she dropped the door and spun to look. But saw nothing as something heavy hit her on the side of the head. Shiho blinked rapidly and held her arms up around her head to protect her from the blows raining down around her.

Without a thought, the honey-haired kunoichi pulled out the only offensive jutsu she knew.

The ground sank immediately into a thick, sucking mud as the other person screeched in bewilderment.

Blinking rapidly, Shiho stood up and stared down at a very old woman waving a cane at her. One hand reached up and touched her temple. She winced at the pain and the rising welt. The cane was probably what she'd been hit with.

Tsume and Kuromaru came running up, staring with wide and horrified eyes just as Hana opened the back door, looking angry already. When she spied the woman in the mud, her mouth dropped open in complete shock.

The woman in the mud stopped struggling and glared viciously at everyone around her. She pointed her cane in Shiho's direction. "Caught this hooligan sneaking into your house. Great defenses you have here."

Tsume looked over at Shiho and then back at the older woman, she opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Hana held out a hand to the woman, but had the cane swing in her direction. "Grandmother Tayama?"

Grandmother? Shiho suddenly felt nauseated. "Oh no." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Finally the scowling woman accepted Hana's help and climbed up out of the mud hole. Dripping with muck and mire the once nicely dressed grandmother glared at everyone in general. She stopped when she got to Shiho who gave a very weak smile of apology.

The older woman did not appear impressed. "Tramp! Sneaking in to seduce my grandson no doubt. Well, you're out of luck. He's engaged."

Tsume straightened up and bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

Hana bowed her head slightly. "Grandmother Tayama, this is Kiba's betrothed. Yoshida Shiho."

The older woman looked shocked and then turned wide eyes on Tsume. "Are you out of your mind? No don't answer that. You're the slut who tricked my boy into marrying you and now you're letting history repeat itself." She pointed a cane at Shiho's midsection. "At least she's not showing yet."

Shiho's hands went defensively to her midsection as she shook her head wildly in denial.

Tsume turned to the cryptologist and waved one hand in a mockery of an elegant movement. "Shiho, meet my mother-by-marriage."

"I'm so sorry." Stammered a horribly embarrassed kunoichi.

The Inuzuka clan leader shook her head. "Don't be. I've lived to see the old bat covered in mud. I can now die happy."

Shiho blinked, unsure. While Hana tried hard to stifle her laughter, then dodged as the cane swung her way.

Grandmother Tayama pointed her cane at her oldest grandchild. "I hear you're a disgrace! Burning down your own house? An actual ..." her voice dropped down to a harsh whisper. "...divorce?"

Tsume looked skyward. "She only got divorced because the scum reached the Hokage's office before I could murder him."

The elderly woman's scowl deepened. "Well. Things have taken a nasty turn around here. My sweet baby Kiba is engaged to a dirty hooligan. And Hana's carrying on like a common fishwife. I'm here to set things right." She banged her cane on the ground to emphasize her point.

"Dirty hooligan?" Shiho repeated, at a loss.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	78. Baby Talk

"It's good!" Avowed the blond shinobi with a big cheesy grin.

Sakura shook her head slightly with an indulgent smile. "For something that isn't ramen, you mean?"

Hanabi smiled and took a bite of the perfectly cooked stew. It was fancier than home-style, but still only a stew. They were basically eating out casually, despite the fact that at the table were four very highly placed ninja. A medical specialist trained specifically by the Hokage of the Leaf Village and her betrothed, the Jinchuuriki and possible future leader of that same village. Then there she was herself, daughter of one of the highest regarded old-named families and her own betrothed, the actual Kazekage of Suna himself.

"I like it!" Naruto shrugged, digging in to eat another bite, completely at ease.

Hanabi looked at Gaara, who wasn't saying much but was relaxed. And for him, that was saying a whole lot.

Exalted company maybe, but ...everyone was relaxed and enjoying themselves. She smiled as she looked back and forth between the blond and the red-head.

Sakura caught the younger kunoichi looking bemused and followed her gaze. She turned back to the Hyuuga and smiled. "Not your typical inter-ninja village dinner, is it?"

Hanabi shook her head. "No. This is a family table."

The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes widened in appreciation as even Naruto and Gaara turned to look at Hanabi. The blonde fox-ninja blinked his blue eyes, then grinned widely with a nod. "Family. I like that."

Gaara stared at her a long moment, not sure how to react exactly. His history with the word "family" differing from everyone else. However, he knew enough to know what she meant.

Suddenly, Sakura choked and covered her mouth with her napkin, drawing every eye toward her as her cheeks turned red with suppressed laughter. She looked at the two shinobi and shrugged, taking a few moments to catch her breath.

"What?" Hanabi leaned forward.

Sakura shrugged. "Family isn't metaphorical. In about an hour or so it will be literal."

Naruto looked confused, though Gaara's eyes widened slightly. Then the blond grinned. "We're going to be Godfathers to the same two children."

"That's not enough to make us 'family'." The Kazekage said slowly.

"It's good enough!" The blond chuckled and picked up his cup as if in a toast. The girls followed suit. Gaara looked at each one in turn, his jade-pale eyes lingering on his own betrothed. Kaji nodded encouragingly. Slowly he picked up his own cup, not sure how exactly he felt right now. This was different than his brother and sister. They were family because of blood. Those at this table ...were family because ...they just were?

It's not like he'd chosen them. Naruto had pushed his way inside. Sakura? He had tried to kill her, and yet she'd saved his brother's life and helped to save his own. Kaji? Oh Kaji. His eyes turned to his future wife and marveled at the fact that she could love him.

Sakura smiled brightly and looked to Naruto who flashed one of his huge grins. "To family!" The blond nearly yelled the toast in his enthusiasm.

"To family!" Sakura and Hanabi both said together, looking happy.

Gaara looked into Naruto's clear and always sincere gaze and touched cups before drinking to the toast. "To family." He added quietly, past the sudden lump in his throat.

Naruto grinned in victory. "So! Your wedding, then our wedding. We've decided on having two children eventually, we want a boy and a girl at least. What about you?"

Gaara, still in mid-swallow, immediately choked and only barely managed to refrain from spraying the table with the contents of his mouth.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Baki knocked on the door again, and got the same response.

"I'm not ready!" The little six-year old called out from the hospital bathroom.

The master-shinobi and highly skilled ninja that he was, turned helplessly to look at his wife Kimiko. She shrugged, unable to speak at the moment for the healing wounds on her neck. She held out her hands as if to say 'what do you want me to do about it?'.

Baki frowned sharply. He put his hand on the door handle, then looked up as his wife slammed her hand down on the arm-rest of her wheeled chair in order to get his attention. Kimiko's eyes were narrowed in a sharp warning.

The wind-ninja sighed and let his hand drop. He did clear his throat however. "Harusame? We need to go out to the lounge."

"I'll be out in a minute!" The six-year old yelled through the door.

Baki growled and balled up his fist to hit the door, then stopped. He looked back at his wife who was now looking utterly amused. At his expense.

"I'm not used to children." He said, though what they both knew he meant was that he wasn't used to having is OWN children. And one of them being a highly intelligent and precocious six-year old girl. It wasn't like when he'd been a genin team leader. Those children had been older, and ninja, and deadly in their own rights.

Harusame yelled out to her adoptive parents. "I'm a big girl! I know where the lounge is, go away! I'm not ready yet!"

Baki's eye twitched. Kimiko just smiled and then that smile melted as Temari poked her head in the door holding baby Kochi. Her husband Shino was right behind her.

The Suna ninja frowned, looking at the pregnant woman. "You never gave me trouble like this." He jerked his head to the side to indicate the closed door.

"Trouble?" Temari beamed as she passed the cooing infant to Kimiko.

Baki shook his head. "Harusame won't come out of the bathroom. Says she can get dressed by herself and she's not ready yet."

Shino looked at the bathroom door and then back at the adoptive parent. "Is that a lie?"

Baki shook his head. "No, she can dress herself fine, but ..."

Temari chuckled. "Push your wife's chair to the lounge and make sure everything is alright. Your daughter fought a foreign ninja, I'm sure she can manage to get dressed on her own."

Baki nodded, but frowned.

Temari knocked more gently on the door. "It's me, Harusame. Do you need help with anything?"

The little girl responded, sounding just fine. "I can do it! I have to look special for this!"

The wind-kunoichi shrugged. "I never primped at her age, but I did want to look good. And this is a pretty special occasion."

Baki nodded. "We'll be in the lounge, Harusame. Don't make us wait for you too long!" The Godfather ceremony had been moved to one of the hospital lounges to accommodate his wife's still healing condition.

"Yes, papa."

Baki stared at the door for a long moment. Papa. His lips twitched slightly and he had to look away quickly. "I'm just being overprotective aren't I?" He asked out loud.

Shino shrugged. "She was kidnapped recently. Nearly killed."

Temari elbowed her husband slightly. "Not helping." She chided.

The Aburame shook his head. "I can leave a sentry bug here."

Baki relaxed at the thought and nodded gratefully before the adults headed down the hallway to the hospital lounge.

Three kikai beetles settled around the room, keeping watch.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You look like you could do with a drop of tea, my darling." The older woman crooned. "You look like you've had a long day."

"Yes, please." Kiba smiled in response to the question from his grandmother. "Tea would be nice."

Shiho watched in horrified fascination. Her eyes cut over toward Hana, who still was looking a bit shaky. Then she looked back and blinked hard as she found Kiba's grandmother giving her a long, hard look.

"You heard the boy, he'd like some tea." The older woman snapped out the words imperiously. "A good girl would have known that before he had to ask for some." She sniffed as if to say she didn't think Shiho was a 'good' girl at all.

"Get it yourself." Tsume growled from her seat on the futon. Not where the clan matriarch usually sat. No. Not in the big, comfortable chair she always sat in. No. Now Kiba was lounging in that chair as his grandmother tutted over him.

Shiho was fascinated. And horrified. Yep. Was that really her Kiba acting like a pampered brat?

Grandmother Tayama bent over and asked Kiba if he needed a blanket. The male flashed a grin but shook his head. "I'm fine, Gigi."

Gigi. He called his grandmother Gigi. Shiho was still in shock. Hana called the older woman 'Grandmother' and some of the words Tsume had used were unrepeatable. But Kiba called her Gigi. A cute name for a woman that didn't have a cute, fluffy bone in her body.

"I'll get the tea." Hana offered, moving to head toward the kitchen until stopped by the older woman's words.

"No dear, you usually make it too bitter. Kiba likes his tea sweet, like his grandmother." The words were poison, though the tone was sweet enough. And fake. Couldn't Kiba see how fake she was?

Shiho couldn't believe what was happening. They had barely gotten Grandmother Tayama into the house and cleaned up from the mud bath when Kiba had come home and turned into a complete and total stranger.

"No, no dear girl." The words were right, but the tone was off still. It was not as soft as when speaking to her grandson. Grandmother Tayama's smile was hard as she turned her own blue-green eyes back onto Shiho. "It should be his betrothed should be getting his tea for him. It should have been offered right away."

The cryptologist smiled weakly and stood up when finally, finally Kiba frowned and shook his head. "It's okay, Gigi. We don't let Shiho into the kitchen."

Grandmother Tayama frowned sharply as Shiho's cheeks flamed red. "You don't let her into the kitchen? But what do you do for a good home-cooked meal? Not that you ever got one here with a mother like yours, but you did when visiting me of course." Her voice was cloying and swimming with fake concern.

Shiho sucked in a shocked breath, expecting Tsume to explode, but the Inuzuka clan leader was staring up at the ceiling with a clenched jaw.

"My poor sweet baby Kiba." The older woman crooned. "Is this another arranged marriage like the one earlier you wrote me about? The one that fell apart? Probably bad contracts. There's a secret to these things, formalities that your mother never managed to learn."

"I'll get the fucking tea." Tsume headed to the kitchen with a sudden movement that had Kuromaru sinking down to the carpet with a whimper.

"I'll help." Shiho rushed to follow the clan matriarch into the kitchen.

Tsume wasn't making tea however. She was gripping a kunai and grinding the tip slowly into a carving block with a feral look in her eyes. Shiho held back, then blinked slowly. "Why are you putting up with that? And where did Kiba go? Whoever that guy is, it's not Kiba."

Tsume grinned, and it wasn't pretty.

Shiho backed up a step.

"We haven't talked about your wedding vows." Tsume growled.

Wedding vows? Shiho shook her head. "We haven't gotten that far." She whispered.

Her future mother-by-marriage nodded smoothly. "Kiba's father and I wrote our own vows."

Shiho looked confused, but nodded back anyway. Why were they talking about this now?

"I told him that if he was expecting me to take a vow of obedience that I would gut him where he stood." Tsume continued, then looked up with a barely restrained look of fury.

Shiho swallowed hard, nearly choking.

"That man. That man only made me make one vow. Only one." A grinding noise. Shiho watched as a huge gouge was made in the carving block.

"What?" She asked, afraid she knew the answer already.

"That no matter what. I wouldn't murder his mother."

An imperious voice called into the kitchen from the other room. "Is that tea ready yet?"

Tsume gritted her teeth. "I should have just vowed to obey instead. It would have been easier."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara was still feeling off kilter as he straightened his tunic in the hospital lounge. He stood apart from the others and tried to focus on the evening's ceremony to come.

But the only thought in his mind was ...children.

Kaji walked up to him and Gaara turned, frowning to find that he was in a corner of the room. He was trapped unless he broke through a wall. He could do so, of course. But ...

"Stop running, coward."

The red-headed Kazekage frowned at his betrothed. She'd whispered the words, only for him. Still. He gave her a hard glare.

She laughed.

"We need to get ready." He said gruffly.

"We are ready. Just waiting for some of the last guests to arrive." Mostly the Elder Council of Suna and some dignitaries. Security was extremely tight though, so it was taking a while.

Gaara frowned again.

Kaji sighed and put her hand on his forearm. He stilled, feeling trapped.

"We're not having children until I'm ready. And I'm not ready." She told him almost breezily for such a serious topic.

Yet suddenly, he felt better. Lighter.

Kaji pursed her lips. "As for number of children, we'll start with one and see where we go from there. But at least one."

One was ...okay. Gaara nodded jerkily. One he could maybe deal with. He could breathe again.

"And as for when?" She mused.

He tensed again.

"I've decided not to tell you."

Jade-pale eyes widened in shock. He shook his head.

But Kaji wasn't done. "Just one day. Maybe a month after the wedding, maybe a few years. I'll stop taking the contraceptive brew and get myself pregnant. I won't tell you until I'm carrying and I'll surprise you with a baby rattle or some such thing to let you know when it's happened."

Gaara stared at her, unable to blink in his incredulous state of mind. "What?" His voice was nearly a croak. "No, we need to decide this together."

No. Hanabi grinned on the inside where he couldn't see. Not when Gaara had looked nearly panicked at the very idea of a child. She shrugged and then toyed with him. "No. This is my decision. I'm the one who has to carry the baby."

Gaara shook his head, his shock turning into temper. "We're a couple. We'll decide together."

"Fine."

He grunted.

"But if you want to have children before I do then we will stop having sex. And if you don't want children when I decide we're ready, then I'm just going to hijack your sperm." She grinned.

Gaara stopped breathing. She was playing with him and he knew it. He should not take the bait. Whatever he did he should not take the bait. In fact, he shouldn't respond at all.

"That is not how it will be." He growled in spite of his best efforts.

"It'll be easy. Pretend to take the contraceptive brew and become fertile."

Gaara's jade-pale eyes narrowed dangerously. She could do it too.

"Buy a condom? I'll find a way to put holes in them without you even being aware they've been tampered with."

He snarled, knowing she was capable of that as well. "Why are you doing this?"

She shrugged. "It's fun. Besides, every time we have sex now ...you'll start to wonder. Is THIS when she'll get pregnant?"

He glared at her. "Two years. One baby two, no better make that FOUR years from now."

Kaji stared at him, knowing she'd pushed about as far as she dared. "Four. Deal. Sort of."

Gaara sighed. "Sort of?" He asked.

She smiled wickedly. "Twins do run in my family."

The Kazekage of Suna closed his eyes and shuddered.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're not going to perform the tea ceremony?" Grandmother Tayama sounded sad and confused.

Shiho didn't buy into the act for even a second. "No."

"Oh, of course. You're not allowed to cook." Now she sounded contrite, and victorious. "Maybe I should move to the village to straighten up some things for my darling grandson."

Shiho blinked and looked at Hana who refused to meet her eyes. Tsume was staring at the ceiling again. Kiba. Shiho stared at her betrothed and took a deep breath as he tried to assure his grandmother that he wasn't starving to death.

Problem. Riddle. Code. Shiho sat back, her eyes narrowing dangerously. This was just another code to break, to solve. Tsume couldn't kill the old woman because of a vow. And a vow to her dead husband still counted. That was almost actually sweet.

"Of course we can stay up late and chat to catch up. But I'm sure your girl needs her beauty rest." Grandmother Tayama smiled with fake charm and hidden venom. "Between you and me she looks a bit tired."

Shiho ignored the woman as she went over her options. Hana couldn't kill her because, well ...it was still her grandmother. And Shiho herself? Not really capable. And it would hurt Kiba.

"She could always wear my wedding kimono." Grandmother Tayama shrugged slightly. "But it would need to be taken in for her at the hem. And the bust."

Hana's cheeks flushed, but she didn't say anything.

Hana. Shiho looked from Hana to Tsume and back again. Hana was Tsume's heir. Because this was a matriarchal clan. And suddenly she smiled. She'd been missing it the whole evening. But not any longer.

Shiho stood and brushed off her pants.

"Young ladies should wear skirts. I don't put much stock in any woman wearing pants." Grandmother Tayama sniffed, ignoring the fact that both Hana and Tsume were wearing slacks as well.

"Kiba. We need to go home. It's getting late."

Shiho's tone of voice had Tsume and Hana both turning to stare. Kiba blinked over at her.

"Now, now dear. You go on, my darling boy and I should catch up." The older woman smiled.

Shiho smiled back and something in her expression had Grandmother Tayama's eyes widening. "Kiba. Take me home now. It's late and someone of your Gigi's age needs her sleep. I'd hate to keep her awake and fatigue her older bones."

Kiba frowned in concern. Grandmother Tayama frowned with anger. Tsume's mouth twitched and Hana looked suddenly interested.

"I'm sorry Gigi, I'm sure it was a long journey for you." Kiba stood and kissed his grandmother's cheek. "I'll take you to lunch tomorrow."

Before the older woman could speak, Shiho stepped in. "No darling. Tomorrow you're going to have to go pick out invitations for the wedding. I think I should take your beautiful grandmother to lunch. Just. Us. Girls." She smiled sweetly.

Kiba grinned, delighted.

Grandmother Tayama frowned, then nodded. "What a wonderful idea. I always loved the tea shop on the west side of ..."

Shiho shook her head. "I think you'll like this new place that I've been to with my friend, Ino. Wonderful tea."

The older woman frowned, what was happening?

"Kiba? Would you go to the kitchen and get my jacket for me?" Shiho's eyes never left the older woman, whose own gaze narrowed.

The moment Kiba was out of the room, the older woman hissed. "What are you doing?"

Shiho smiled. "Matriarchal clan. That means the power was always mine to take. Don't fight me, you'll lose."

Tsume's eyes widened and Hana sunk deeper into her chair.

Kiba walked back into the room with Shiho's jacket and his grandmother smiled at him. "Darling, I don't feel well, would you mind reading to me tonight ..."

"Hana can help. She's a vet. Kiba? Time to go."

The lone male looked confused. His eyes went from his grandmother to his betrothed. "What's going on?"

"Power struggle." Shiho told him bluntly. "Your grandmother is afraid you'll love her less once you're married. And no girl will ever be good enough to be your wife."

The older woman looked utterly shocked that the little honey-blonde nothing had just said that. Out loud. "She says you are ruled by a matriarchal clan and she is taking the power." So there!

Kiba grinned. "Of course I still love you, Gigi. That will never change." He kissed her cheek. "I'll see you for dinner?"

Shiho nodded. "Dinner will be fine." As if she controlled Kiba's social calendar. "Now we need to leave."

Grandmother Tayama smiled weakly. "When you get back, Kiba, come see me."

Tsume smiled outright as she waited for the inevitable.

Shiho looked over her shoulder. "Kiba no longer lives here. We share my apartment."

The older woman looked shocked. Kiba blinked, uncertain. "Slut!" Kiba's face darkened with temper and his grandmother realized she'd miscalculated.

"I wear pants. I have a job. And I don't cook." Shiho smiled. "And I have sex nightly, with your grandson."

Tsume pumped her fist in triumph, listening with glee.

Kiba looked lost.

"That is not a lady-like thing to say!" Grandmother Tayama sputtered.

Shiho shook her head. "Kiba loves you, that much is obvious. But if you want any invitation to our home, it will need to go through me. Especially when we have children of our own."

Kiba blinked, still looking lost.

"If you behave yourself as a woman of your age and social stature should behave, then there will be no problem. If you continue to undermine me or my position in Kiba's life you will not have access to our home or our children. Is that clear?"

The older woman tried to look pitiful. "Oh my dear, I think we've gotten off to some sort of misunderstanding."

Kiba stepped forward, only to stop as Shiho shook her head at him. "Then tomorrow at lunch we can discuss it. Just you and me."

"Looking forward to it." Grandmother Tayama said silkily.

"Me too." Shiho's eyes gleamed.

Kiba wisely kept his mouth shut until they were half-way home. Finally, he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. He stared at Shiho in wonder. "Huh?" Was all he could manage.

Shiho blinked at him. "What? She needed to know where I stand."

The shinobi shook his head. "She's an old woman."

"And she uses that as an excuse to treat your mother and sister terribly." Shiho smiled wanly. "But not me. I'm not related to her and I didn't take a vow not to harm her."

Kiba shook his head. "Vow? Nevermind. You have power over me?"

Shiho shrugged. "Not really. But as long as she thinks so then she'll deal with me a little differently. More like an equal."

"Look, I know my Gigi can be difficult sometimes."

Shiho snorted.

Kiba sighed. "But did you have to tell her we have sex together? That seems a bit much. And she can be wonderful."

To you. Shiho thought to herself. The woman only seemed to be wonderful to Kiba. Then she smiled. And she did have some power in this relationship, too bad it had taken her this long to realize.

Shiho reached out hand tugged gently on Kiba's ear. His gaze sharpened on hers. She leaned in and put her lips next to his ear and whispered all the things she wanted to do to him tonight.

Kiba shuddered with pleasure, grabbed her hand as he grinned, heading home quickly.

Shiho smiled. Battle lines were drawn. Battle one was a draw. She'd have to wait and see how lunch went tomorrow.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Where is Harusame?" The temple priest stood in his finest robes and most humble demeanor. "We need both children to begin."

Baki nodded and looked toward the door of the lounge. Rocks nodded back to the wind-master and excused himself to go fetch the little girl.

Naruto grinned, rocking back and forth on his heels with excess energy and good humor. Gaara stood still and brooding while Kaji smiled benignly beside him.

"Both Godfathers should be up here with me." The priest motioned to arrange things as he wanted and everyone moved around. Baki looked down at baby Kochi, still being held by his wife. Then looked toward the door as Rocks came back.

The spiky blue-haired youth looked, odd. Michi turned and looked out the door, then turned to stare at Baki. He smiled, looking almost amused.

Baki stilled. Oh no. What now.

Harusame moved to stand framed in the doorway. Making a grand entrance. Kimiko smiled at her beautiful adoptive daughter. The little girl was wearing the prettiest pink kimono, and her hair was brushed gleaming and shiny.

Kimiko blinked suddenly, uncertain.

Baki swore under his breath, drawing a look of censure from the temple priest.

Kaji grinned outright and Naruto looked confused. Sakura had to turn to the side to keep her composure.

Gaara though ...Gaara blinked and then blinked again. Shook his head then sighed deeply in resignation.

Kaji pursed her lips. "Now you know what she was doing with those markers."

Naruto tilted his head to the side. "I don't recognize the symbol."

"It's the same as mine." Gaara sighed again. "I guess she really does want my job."

Baki stared as his daughter walked down to the front of the room, walking like he supposed she thought a princess or a bride should look. Or a Kazekage.

Naruto frowned. "It's backward."

"No it's not." Harusame pouted. "I drew it LOTS and it's perfect."

"Perfectly backwards." Kimiko shook her head in wonder. The ai symbol on her daughter's forehead was the same as Gaara's. Only in pink marker. And backwards.

Kaji was the first to really catch on and she grinned widely. "Did you use the mirror to draw it on?"

Harusame was starting to look grumpy. None of the adults thought her symbol was as wonderful as she did. This wasn't going right!

"Things are backwards in a mirror." Kimiko smiled gently.

"Uh uh." Harusame shook her head.

Gaara looked over at Kaji in bewilderment. "Can I amend our agreement to longer than four years?"

"No." She grinned back at him.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	79. Unresolved Conflict

"What a difference a week can make." Came a grouchy voice beside him.

Gaara cut his eyes toward his sister, though not moving his head. Then he looked back at the Earth Country delegation and the second-in-command of the Village Hidden in the Rocks. "Their attitude is the same as it was last week."

Tamari smiled without warmth. "That was sarcasm, little brother. The delegation sucks. Their words are lies. And we should kill them all." Her voice dripped with disgust and Gaara was only grateful she was keeping her voice down. For now.

The Kazekage of Suna silently agreed with his sister, even though he knew that killing the entire delegation would be a bad idea politically and start a war. He frowned slightly and the man speaking suddenly had sweat beading his forehead in worry. Gaara let his frown ease away so no one would be able to read him.

It had been so much easier when he'd been a homicidal monster, the red-head decided. He could have wiped out the entire delegation with far fewer consequences. Now? If he frowned, it was a huge deal. The price of being the responsible leader.

A motion off to the side of the courtyard had Gaara's jade-pale eyes flicking in that direction. Hmm. Kaji stood outlined in the entrance. She waved sweetly. Hmm. She was up to something.

Gaara's chin tilted upwards slightly. Kaji blew him a kiss. Shit. What was wrong now? She only played with him like this when she was annoyed.

Hinata and Yugao stepped into the entrance next to Kaji, making shooing motions. Hinata looked inside the courtyard, blushed and waved quickly before moving on. Gaara nodded and looked back at the delegation. The very boring delegation that was indeed lying through their collective teeth trying to explain away an attack that had left several of his Suna villagers dead, and many more injured.

Temari looked down at her hands and then back up again, a smile playing over her lips. "Hanabi is going to another gown fitting today. She looked happy."

"She isn't." Gaara growled under his breath.

"I know." Temari smiled again. "It's been a week since the Godfather ceremony and since then her family has arrived and dominated all her free time."

Gaara frowned again, which in turn made the speaker speed up his words. Oh well. A lie told faster was still a lie.

Temari wasn't finished, however. "Your Hanabi hasn't been in a good mood since her family arrived."

Neither was he. Gaara didn't tell his sister that though. The two of them had not had any time alone together since the arrival of the Hyuuga family. And try sneaking away when the family in question was well versed in using the Byakugan. Suddenly he was very grumpy himself. And he couldn't really take out his mood on the Earth Country delegation. Still. There was always his sister.

"You don't need to be here. You're not even a Suna ninja any longer." Gaara said low under his breath.

Temari lost her smile. "You know good and well that Shino left me in your care while he and his father took care of some ...business."

Gaara did know. He even knew what the Aburame males were up to, and Temari didn't. Which did not sit well with the temperamental and pregnancy moody blonde. Her smile stayed away as she started brooding over what the men in her life were doing behind her back.

Having spoiled Temari's good mood and getting her back for needling him, Gaara felt a little better. Then the second-in-command from the Village Hidden in the Rocks opened his mouth. Gaara's mood darkened again.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Well now. This is just lovely." Grandmother Tayama looked around with an expression that clearly showed she was lying and the tea house wasn't up to her usual standards. "And how nice that my single granddaughter could take time from her ...busy work schedule to visit with an old woman."

Hana didn't squirm, barely managing to keep still in her seat. The digs were all there. Hana had a career outside of marriage. Check. Hana was single, divorced even. Check. Hana wasn't catering to her grandmother's very wish like a proper child should. Check and checkmate. Shit.

The Inuzuka heir was not in a good mood. First, Shiho had begged ...BEGGED her to come to this luncheon. And now the other girl was late. No where to be seen! Hana cursed her future sister-by-marriage silently.

"Well." Grandmother Tayama unfolded her napkin in her lap and then looked at her granddaughter. Hana quickly grabbed her napkin and laid it in her lap, feeling gauche and clumsy.

"You know, you might want to speak to someone about proper table manners before your brother's wedding." Disdain dripped from the elder's mouth. "So as not to embarrass the family."

Hana forced herself not to show how hurtful those words were. "Inuzuka's aren't embarrassed by much." The words were like sawdust in her mouth. One of the last things her ex-husband had yelled at her was that she had no feminine graces, no manners. Now, with her own grandmother's words Hana was wondering ...was she too coarse? Not girly enough?

"Inuzuka's." Her grandmother sniffed as if smelling something rotten.

Hana sighed. Kiba was an Inuzuka too, and the woman basically ate him up. Not her. No, not someone too much like Tsume. Hana knew the problem. She was too much like her mother, and grandmother Tayama couldn't get past that.

Unfortunately not many men could.

"I'm going to go powder my nose." The older woman excused herself, rising from the table with smooth and graceful movements despite her age.

Maybe she should clean up her manners. Act more ladylike? Hana blew out a frustrated breath. Not likely. You could dress a farm girl like a princess but it didn't make her royalty. She was what she was and she was an Inuzuka down to her bone marrow.

"Hello."

Having been lost in her self-pitying thoughts, hadn't noticed the approach. She looked up in surprise. Sai blinked down expressionlessly at her.

Hana went still in shock. She looked at him and then looked to the side as Grandmother Tayama made her way back to the table. Taking a deep breath, she hissed. "Sai, go away. Now."

"No." He snagged a seat from a nearby table and pulled it up to sit next to Hana.

"Sai ..." Hana's voice pleaded with him to leave, even though she only managed to say his name.

Grandmother Tayama stopped at the table at stared at Sai, who ignored her completely. She looked at her chair, and then at Sai. She cleared her throat.

Hana sighed. "You're supposed to stand when a lady comes to the table, and hold her chair for her." She knew he knew that, since they'd been out to dinner themselves.

Sai didn't take his eyes off Hana. "Of course a man should do that for a lady."

Grandmother Tayama smiled victoriously, and with more than a little disdain as Sai rose and looked off to the side of the cafe. He nodded and then held out a chair as Shiho approached the table.

Hana watched with wide eyes as Sai, who shouldn't even be there, seated the late arriving Shiho and ignored Grandmother Tayama.

The older woman looked shocked as Sai once again took his purloined seat and ignored her. Shiho looked confused and Hana just didn't know what to say. Finally she stood. "Grandmother, I ..."

But Grandmother Tayama pulled out her own chair before Hana could finish. She sat with a loud grunt, staring at Sai as if he were a snake. Hana's cheeks flushed. This luncheon was going to be a disaster.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Kaji? Please turn to the left, I want to tweak the profile." The seamstress smiled sweetly.

"Hanabi." Hyuuga Hiashi frowned slightly from his seat in the ornate showing room. Anko rolled her eyes.

"What?" The seamstress looked confused.

"Her name is Hanabi. Hyuuga Hanabi. Not Kaji." He mouthed her Suna name as if it were poison. "That is a word describing the destructive side of fire. Not her name."

"In Suna it is." The girl in question muttered, though she turned obediently to the left so the seamstress could do her work.

Hiashi frowned at his child, who once upon a time would never have contradicted him out loud. Then his expression softened as he looked at her in the wedding finery. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, father." Hanabi flashed him a smile, though what she really wanted to do was to rip off the heavy silks and find some place to just be alone. Her smile deepened. Or not alone, not completely. With Gaara. Something she'd not been able to do since her family had arrived. It was driving her crazy!

Yugao came through the shop door holding steaming tea cups from the cafe next door. She stopped when she saw the bride-to-be. "Kaji! It's gorgeous! You're gorgeous."

Hinata took a cup of tea and handed it to her father as the man grimaced at the sound of the name.

Hiashi looked up and noted the fatigue on his eldest's face, and the slightly green tinge to her skin. He frowned again, but for a different reason this time. "You should rest." He said gruffly, but not ungently.

Expecting a third child, Hinata smiled weakly. "I'm fine. I think the tea will help."

Hiashi suddenly stopped and used his authoritative voice. "No. I don't like that line." He pointed toward the heavy silk folds in the wedding kimono. "That's not traditional."

Anko sighed as the seamstress and the former clan leader began arguing between age old traditions that varied between Suna and Konoha.

The bride-to-be sighed. "I'll take a cup of that tea."

"No. Not while you're wearing those silks!" Hiashi snapped, then turned his attention back to the seamstress, supposedly the best in Suna.

"I'm thirsty." The kunoichi sighed. Then Hanabi grimaced as both ignored her. Her Byakugan was activated, even though her usual ninja masks were off for the fittings. Without thought she turned her gaze behind her without turning her head, using the family ability instead.

Her gaze focused in on Gaara, her betrothed. He looked bored. Good. At least they were both miserable.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Mizu and Tei watched the Earth Country delegates kiss up to Suna's Kazekage. Rocks sighed. "This is stupid. And they sent their second-in-command, not their leader. Stupid."

Michi couldn't help but agree. But he wasn't bored. What he was though? Angry. Sure he knew that the S-class criminal Yurasu had used the Earth Country's greed to his own advantage, setting up their attack as a distraction from his own plans. Still. The Village Hidden in the Rocks had indeed attacked Suna. And because of that? Razan was dead. His sometimes boyfriend. He narrowed his sea-foam green eyes.

Rocks looked at his teammate and friend and felt uneasy. All day long they'd had to sit here and listen to lies and false apologies, treaties and what-not. And he could feel Michi's tension rising all day. His usually laid-back team leader was not himself. He wished Kaji was here, she'd know how to handle this.

"Reparations?" The Earth delegate sounded hurt. "You keep speaking about reparations. For the buildings we damaged, we are willing to make ...a donation of course. A sizable one."

Rocks fought to keep a sneer off his face. Damned politicians.

"But for the damages caused by that criminal? We should not be held accountable." The man continued. "Just as when Suna attacked Konoha, they were led by a fake Kazekage."

Rocks stirred. He didn't know if the man was helping or hurting his cause by mentioning the fact that Orochimaru had murdered Gaara's father and replaced him.

The red-head slightly tilted his head. "Suna followed their leader. It turned out to be an impostor, but they followed the orders of the man they thought was their Kazekage." He paused to make his point. "The Rock Village allowed false information to tempt them into stealing a Jinchuuriki. Greed."

"Konoha forgave you." The man pointed out unctuously.

Michi stiffened. "It's not the same, asshole." He whispered where no one but his teammate could hear him.

Gaara shrugged lightly. "We attacked Konoha and were forgiven. But we did pay a high price for the damages we caused. From the betrayal formed by the S-class criminal, Orochimaru."

Sea-foam green eyes blinked as Michi gritted his teeth.

But the red-head wasn't finished. "You attacked us, deciding to betray our treaties to try and gain access to more power. A demon vessel. From information given by an S-class criminal. Yurasu."

"See? We are the same." The Earth delegate felt he had made his point.

Gaara's face darkened. "No. Our leadership surrendered to Konoha after that debacle of an invasion. Surrendered. We made apologies and reparations. You have done none of that."

The delegate from the Earth Country took a deep, steadying breath. "You don't expect us to surrender our village to yours, do you?" He made it sound like a ludicrous proposition. "Not over the deaths of some few people. Most of the damage was to your buildings. In fact, more damage was done to our personnel, we lost more invaders than you did defenders. We are willing to let that go, however."

A soft sound. Rocks looked up and around. It was subtle, but what ...?

Gaara frowned.

The Earth Country delegate didn't stop. "Yes. There were a few deaths on your side. We are willing to pay for their final expenses, and minor things like that of course ..."

The sound grew louder and now more people were looking around.

Rocks leaned over and whispered to his teammate. "Do you hear that?"

No response. The air-specialist ninja looked over at his friend and froze. Michi was staring at the Earth delegate with a single-minded intensity that Rocks had never seen before. Suddenly he felt extremely uneasy.

"Mizu? Michi?"

The sound grew even louder.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sai couldn't look away from Hana. In fact, in the last week he'd been haunted by her face. He was drawing sketches of her everywhere. He'd thought that ending the relationship would ease his fascination with her, but the opposite was proving true instead.

In fact, the only time he'd not thought about her was while away on a mission overnight. He'd been happy to find he could still concentrate on his ninja missions, but the moment his job was over he'd find his mind wandering back.

So.

"So?"

Sai blinked, then focused in on the conversation. He looked over at Shiho. The cryptologist was still speaking.

"So? Why are you here, Sai?" The honey-blonde kunoichi repeated herself.

"To see Hana." He said bluntly, as if to him the answer was obvious.

Grandmother Tayama stiffened. "Is he the reason you got yourself divorced? Disgraceful!"

"To see me?" Hana stared at Sai. "You're the one who broke it off."

The older woman pursed her lips as if tasting something sour. "Cheating on your spouse is despicable. I don't blame the man for leaving you if this is how you treat your marriage."

Shiho shook her head at the older woman. "He cheated on her, not the other way around." She could have sworn that Hana's grandmother already knew that, but she couldn't be sure.

Grandmother Tayama shook her head. "If a male looks outside of his marriage for feminine grace and comfort, then the fault is in the home." She pinned Hana with a long look. "You should buy some dresses, let your hair down, be more accommodating. Maybe your husband will take you back."

"Back where?" Sai asked with a deceptive smoothness. "Their house burned down."

Hana sighed. She hated her life right now.

Grandmother Tayama tutted her tongue and frowned deeply. "Yes. I heard about that unladylike shenanigan you pulled. Burning down your home. Such a low class thing to do. Violence? Degrading. And a waste of a good house."

Hana wondered how her grandmother could have thought the house was 'good' since she'd never visited. Hadn't even managed to make it to the wedding, said she was feeling too old to travel. Bah.

"She saved everything that was hers." Sai pointed out. "I helped."

Hana kicked him under the table, he ignored her completely.

The older woman looked livid. "You. You are a coarse, lazy, gold-digger out for only one thing. Her inheritance."

Sai blinked once, slowly. "No. I just want to sleep with her."

Hana blinked twice and fought the urge to laugh. Or cry. Or both.

Shiho dropped her chin to her chest and avoided meeting anyone's eyes.

Grandmother Tayama felt her jaw drop and tried to speak, but nothing came out. "You, you, pervert ...you can't ...you are ..."

Hana shook her head. "He means sleep next to, as in a relationship. He's very literal."

Sai nodded. "Yes."

The older woman pressed a hand to her chest. Looking shocked. "But she's getting back with her husband!"

Hana's mind froze for a long second and then she dropped her own jaw. "No I'm not."

"I'd kill him first." Sai responded without expression.

"Well, she should. And she will." Grandmother Tayama straightened her back, giving her only granddaughter a long stare. "I'm going to coach you in how to act like a lady. In the end, your husband will come crawling back."

Sai shook his head slowly. "He'd have to crawl, because I'd hamstring him if he even dared."

Hana couldn't seem to follow the conversation. Feeling lost she shook her head at Sai. "You're the one that called it quits."

"I changed my mind." He told her, his dark gaze tracing the lines of her face.

Hana shook her head. "You can't do this to me!"

The older woman gave him a false look of compassion that didn't reach her eyes. "I know you think you want a relationship with my grandchild, but I assure you that you and she would never suit."

"Why not?" Shiho asked, unable to stop herself.

"He's too low class, you can tell by his actions and his words. All wrong for an heiress." Grandmother Tayama announced. "She doesn't want him, she wants her husband back."

"No I don't!" Hana looked disgusted. "I don't want a man who'd cheat on me."

"I'd never cheat on you." Sai said almost gently.

Hana sighed. "No, you just figure that it's too much trouble and effort to have a relationship and drop out altogether!"

"I offered to let you burn my apartment." He teased her. Hana stopped, staring for a moment. Sai was ...teasing her? Sai? But ...that wasn't like him. Was it?

Shiho choked, looking pleased. "Really?"

"This has gone far enough!" Grandmother Tayama thumped her hand on the table.

"No. It hasn't." Sai thumped his hand on the table too. "Not until Hana agrees to have dinner with me tonight. And a kiss."

"Young man, you are out of line!" The older woman yelped, truly appalled. "Your suggestions are immoral and disgusting!"

Sai shrugged. "Hana will always know I'm telling the truth though."

The Inuzuka heiress paused and shot him a disbelieving look. "This is not the time nor the place."

"You're right. I'll pick you up for dinner at seven. We'll talk then." Sai stood up, having won.

Hana opened her mouth to object, but Shiho kicked her under the table, shooting her a 'don't blow it' look.

"She will NOT be having dinner with you, and she will not sleep with you!" Grandmother Tayama stood up, shaking with fury and outrage.

Sai shrugged. "She doesn't have to sleep with me tonight." He paused and then continued. "Sex would be fun though, but she doesn't have to sleep afterwards."

Hana dropped her head onto the table as Grandmother Tayama stared after the departing young man in horrified disbelief. She looked at her granddaughter, who still had her head down on the table. Then she looked over at Shiho.

The cryptologist smiled weakly at the older woman. "As a potential relative-by-marriage, I'm looking a bit better right now, aren't I?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi sighed with relief to be back in her own clothing. She came out of the back rooms and sighed again, watching her father and the seamstress now plotting together. Their earlier arguments forgotten.

Anko shrugged. "Dressing up stuffed mushrooms is serious business."

Hanabi ignored the jibe and shook her head. "I only hope Gaara is as miserable in his meetings as I am right now."

Hiashi suddenly frowned and looked at the ground beneath his feet. "I thought Suna was pretty much stable ground."

The seamstress shook her head, unsure what he was talking about. The earth hadn't moved, she hadn't felt a thing.

Anko, Yugao and Hanabi looked down as well. Anko frowned. "We left our personal little earthquake at home." She said, referring to her daughter, Jishin.

Yugao shook her head, "it's very subtle."

Hanabi used her Byakugan as Hinata woke up, having curled up in the comfortable chair about twenty minutes ago. "I don't see anything."

"What's underground?" Hiashi asked, trying to piece things together in his mind.

The seamstress shrugged. "Underground water pipes from the deep wells. We don't have a lot of water availability here in Suna, but there is ..." She stopped, realizing belatedly that these were foreigners. But the man's daughter was about to marry the Kazekage. Oh, it was all too confusing.

Anko moved toward the back area, the seamstress following her quickly. The Leaf kunoichi turned on a faucet, and frowned when only a trickle of water dripped from the spigot.

Hanabi hissed, looking off toward the courtyard beside the Kazekage tower. "Mizu." She took off in a flash, the others right behind her.

The seamstress looked around at her suddenly emptied shop. "Oh dear." She sincerely hoped it wasn't another invasion.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara and Temari both stared at the nearby well in the courtyard, with water flowing freely from it. Flowing up. Feeding ...they both blinked up at the swirling mass of hardened water ribbons making up one of the biggest, meanest water dragons either of them had ever seen. Gaara narrowed his jade-pale eyes and wondered if he should save the Earth delegates or not. Temari read his mind.

"You don't have to save them." She mentioned coolly. "Just ...you don't have to do it."

He could shield with his sand. But the water would turn his sand into mud. He could make more though, besides, this was a desert. He had plenty of sand at his disposal. Gaara looked over at the Earth delegates and wondered if he even felt like making the effort. They had been pissing him off all day.

The Earth style jutsu of the visitors had rock formations shooting up through the floor of the courtyard protectively. Mizu sneered reached into his weapons pouch, tossing shuriken that grew as they became embedded in the water ribbons above him. Then the 'dragon' lashed out with claws and those claws lengthened as it moved, the shuriken now part of those sharp talons. The rocks sliced cleanly through, like granite with a spinning water saw.

"Nice." Temari smiled wickedly.

Gaara blinked. Since when had Mizu been able to do that? He looked over at Tei, but the spiky haired young man was running through hand seals of his own.

Watery claws raced toward the Earth delegate and belatedly sand formed a shield around the men. But the water never reached the sand.

The Kazekage nodded as he realized that a shield of solid air surrounded the foreign delegation now.

"Aw." Temari protested. "Though probably for the best."

Michi sneered, rearing back with his hands to command another attack. But then Kaji arrived at that moment and stepped in front of him.

His hand stayed back.

Kaji watched her friend and teammate's eyes. They were wild with anger and determination. He snarled at her. She snarled back. Then Kaji deliberately stepped aside. "Go ahead. Murder them."

The Earth delegate's eyes widened. Gaara nodded slowly. The foreigner looked shocked that the Kazekage would allow this.

But Gaara knew he was nodded in agreement to her tactics, not the permission to attack.

Michi sneered and moved as if to strike again. Kaji leaned forward to whisper something that Gaara couldn't hear, but had a huge effect on Tei and Mizu. The spiky haired air specialist turned red in the face and Mizu? He gritted his teeth and then seemed to slow, his sea-foam eyes lost a bit of intensity, looking unsure. Then he glanced over at the Kazekage and everyone watching him. With a deep effort, Michi backed off the edge of his fury.

Mizu continued to hold the 'dragon' as it lashed out with it's claws, but now without a target. It roared, though the only sound was the whistling of swiftly flowing water that raced hard and fast, swirling in controlled chaos. Finally, finally, the flow of the water ribbons slowed.

Kaji nodded. Murder wasn't in him. Vengeance, sure. But this would have been murder and that just wasn't part of the Michi she knew and loved.

"They killed him." He said hoarsely.

She shook her head. "Yurasu."

"They were part of it." Michi insisted. "And they called him 'minor' and dismissed him as nothing."

"They're fucking idiots." Kaji shrugged, ignoring the gasps of the Earth delegate.

Michi, breathing hard, and fast becoming embarrassed at his outburst, sighed. "Now what?"

Gaara looked over at the Earth delegates. "I don't disagree with him, you know." The Kazekage spook with cool detachment. "Sending a second-in-command over to apologize for your mistake? Whole-sale invasion, kidnapping and murder are not mistakes."

The man from the Earth country protested. "He's not Suna! Does the Leaf village speak for you?"

If he had been trying to prick Gaara's temper, he succeeded. "He doesn't speak for me. But his feelings mirror mine. Only he's more honest in his desire to kill you. I'd very much like to kill you all myself." Hardly diplomatic, but it was true.

The other man's eyes widened almost comically.

Gaara sighed and his wall of sand disappeared into his gourd. "Escort these people out of Suna, and they are not to come back unless with a formal declaration of surrender. Or a serious offer of treaties."

"You're too young to lead a ninja village, you just don't understand the intricacies of ..." The man stopped as sand suddenly punched out of Gaara's gourd and thumped the man hard, sending him flying back into a wall of the courtyard. Then came a harsh rushing noise as crushing sand surrounded the Earth delegate completely. A whirl of the desert sand spinning around the man had all the Earth delegates staring when finally the wall of sand fell away ...revealing nothing.

Everyone stared, horrified. Where had the man gone? Had the Kazekage crushed him? The crowd murmured, and the foreigners were not happy to hear a few cheers from the watching Suna ninja.

Temari blinked a few times. "I didn't know you could do that!" She whispered hoarsely.

"He's outside of the village. And he is not welcome back." Gaara blinked slowly, turning to stare at the remaining members of the Earth delegation. "If you don't want to be thrown out of Suna in that manner, I suggest you use your feet and leave now."

The other delegates raced to leave even as Kaji sauntered up to her betrothed. She smiled at him. "Where did you deposit him? On a cactus, I hope." She wrapped her good arm around him.

Gaara shook his head. "Outside the walls." He leaned gratefully against her. "That ...I should not do that again."

Kaji nodded. With her Byakugan she could tell that he'd used an impossible amount of chakra in that jutsu. His sand displacement move took a lot of energy, but apparently a lot more when he himself wasn't the person being displaced. "It looked impressive though."

The red head looked at his betrothed, "What did you say to Michi to pull him back?"

Kaji grinned, but shook her head. Instead she tightened her arm around him.

"I just don't want to fall down in the next few minutes. I just need a second." He took a deep breath to steady himself, then looked up into the air. He frowned at the water ribbons that no longer looked like a dragon, now that they weren't moving much. Gaara then looked back over at the Leaf water ninja.

Michi felt the Kazekage's gaze and flushed beet red. "I ..."

But Gaara didn't let the Leaf shinobi apologize. "Don't soak the courtyard please. In fact, try to put the water back where you found it. We don't like to waste water out here in the desert."

"Yes, sir." Michi nodded gratefully, still blushing.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	80. Consequences

"Let's sneak out of here for some training." Kaji's eyes couldn't been seen behind her masks, but Michi could bet they'd be shining with anticipation.

The water ninja shook his head with a rueful smile. "I'm fine. Not going to explode on you again, you don't have to take me out to the desert to wear me out."

The kunoichi's mouth moved into a pout.

Rocks laughed and pulled on his boot. "I don't think the offer was for your benefit. I think she's trying to avoid more wedding planning."

Michi shuddered. "In that case, I'd love to go." He waited for her grin, before continuing. "But I can't. I have an appointment soon."

Rocks nodded. "Me too."

Kaji frowned sharply. "I don't." She shook her head, then drew in a sharp breath. "Is this about the water dragon?" She asked, referring to Michi's lapse the previous day where he'd almost killed a delegation from the Earth Country. "You held back."

Slight pink colored Michi's cheeks. "Barely."

Crossing her arms, Kaji looked pissed off. "Gaara has no right to call you two out on this matter! You held back, didn't hurt anyone seriously and even put all the water back!"

"Attacked a foreign delegation." Michi sighed, standing. "It is what it is."

"Hanabi, let it go." Rocks finished with his boots and stood too. "We'll go. Listen. We have to deal with the consequences."

She shook her head at her two guys. "We're teammates. We should all go together."

The boys shared a quick look, and suddenly Kaji felt ill, dreading what was coming.

Mizu tugged at one of his braids and sighed. Tei shrugged. "Former teammates."

Now nauseated, Hanabi shook her head. "Not until the wedding."

Michi turned his sea-foam gaze on her. He was still wearing the eyeliner that they'd first used to hide his identity in Suna. And he still had the braids. She looked at Rocks. His hair was just as spiky as always, and it was still green with blue tips. They looked like her teammates. Suna teammates. But there were differences.

The headband protectors were once again Leaf. As was hers. And yet she too was still wearing her 'disguise' of a double mask, one of them made from the skull of a mountain lion. While they still looked like Tei, Mizu and Kaji ...they were in the process of returning to Michi and Rocks. But what about her?

Michi spoked gently. "You're recovering from an injury and preparing for a wedding to the Kazekage. No more missions until after the wedding most likely."

Rocks nodded, his eyes so sympathetic she couldn't meet his gaze. Sympathy was not something she was used to, not from him. She needed him sarcastic and slightly bullying. That was the Rocks she was comfortable with.

"This meeting? I doubt it's all about yesterday." Michi's voice sounded a bit strained. He cleared his throat. "We won't be able to stay here past the wedding."

Kaji tried to swallow, but nearly choked.

"You knew this." Rocks couldn't look at her, staring off at the clock.

She nodded. She had known. But hadn't wanted to face the reality.

Michi sighed. "We don't want to be late for our appointment, not with him." He gestured and Rocks moved toward the door.

Kaji watched as the two constants in her life left her.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The book slammed shut with a decided 'thud'. Kiba twitched slightly, startled. His grandmother, however, flinched visibly and nearly jumped out of her seat with an unladylike squeak. Shiho blinked owlishly at them, her eyes somewhat bloodshot and with one errant curl that she'd been twirling with her finger for the past two hours.

"Seriously! Statistics SUCKS when you've got a sample of 240 and have to calculate variance rates four different times and ways and THEN have to do a t-test on THOSE results and you have to be back in the office in ONE hour with the results or ELSE! Even though the FIRST set of variance calculations took a whole 45 minutes to do! All for the sake of finding out if 30 hours of work LAST WEEK was measured correctly and if it was even actually worth your time!"

Grandmother Tayama stared wide-eyed at the future bride of her grandson. Her mouth hung open in shock. She tried several times to speak, before finally settling on, "Language young lady!"

Kiba rubbed his mouth to hide his grin. "Sucks isn't a bad word." He muttered.

On the other hand, Shiho looked nearly as shocked as the older woman. "Grandmother Tayama? When did you get here?"

The older woman bristled and straightened her wrinkle-free dress, looking down her nose at the younger kunoichi with more than a hint of disparagement. She sniffed delicately. "Kiba has been entertaining me for nearly two hours now. While you sit in your little corner poking around your books like a hoyden and ignoring polite company."

Shiho's eyes narrowed. "Hoyden?"

Kiba stirred, losing his smile. "Now Grandmother, I explained that Shiho has an important job and sometimes when she is concentrating it is impossible to get her attention."

His grandmother's gaze softened noticeably as she turned to pat Kiba on the back in an affectionate gesture. "Oh my dear sweet boy. You are trying so hard to cover up this hoyden's rude ways. Yet, have been unable to tell me what kind of 'important' job someone like ...like ...THAT could possibly have."

Shiho cocked her head slightly. "Hoyden again? It means tom-boyish, which means you're wrong. Or it could mean rude, I guess." She rolled the word on her tongue as she considered the word. Then she stopped, her eyes going wide. "Two hours? You've been here for two hours?"

"Grandmother exaggerated." Kiba chuckled as Shiho relaxed then checked her watch and went pale. His little cryptologist jumped up and started to frantically roll up her paperwork. "Sweetheart? It's been over four hours since you came home with all that work. I've been out training my team, hired a band for the wedding, took Grandmother out to lunch, and have been back here for maybe 45 minutes before you even came up for air."

"I was supposed to have this done hours ago!" Shiho wailed.

Grandmother Tayama shook her head as if in sympathy. "Maybe you should find a job more suited to your talents."

Kiba actually frowned and his grandmother reached out and petted him. "My darling, I just mean that a job as stressful as hers appears can not be good on a young woman of child-bearing years." Concern fairly oozed from her every pore.

Shiho stopped, shuddered, then kept on rolling up her parchments. Unseen, their watcher actually rolled his eyes.

Kiba shook his head, unable to explain to his grandmother exactly what Shiho's job entailed. His grandmother wasn't a village resident and was not cleared to have that kind of information. He'd checked. Not that Grandmother Tayama was considered a danger, Kiba surmised, but that she might inadvertently let slip the information that her grandson was married to a Leaf Village code-breaker. Not good.

Grandmother Tayama, however, wasn't finished. "And I'm sure that your ...chart thingy is not as important as you make it appear. Though I don't blame you for wanting to elevate your importance to impress young men like Kiba here."

Shiho turned and stared first at the older woman and then over at Kiba. Her betrothed smiled weakly and shrugged. "She doesn't get it." He offered.

Grandmother Tayama pursed her lips. "I am older, not stupid." She chided. "If her work was so important and delicate, no one would have let her bring it home. Or they would have been by hours ago to collect it from her."

Kiba sighed. "Grandmother, Shiho's work is very important."

"Or so she lets you think!" His grandmother reached out and swept some of his unruly hair away from his face. "Darling Kiba. She is just trying to get your attention. She's not particularly pretty, or attention getting. So she ...exaggerates her importance to get your notice. It's an age old game."

Shiho sighed and stuffed her scrolls into a backpack, biting her tongue enough to hurt.

Kiba shook his head. He was blind to most of her faults, but even he did recognize that his grandmother could be difficult. "She's beautiful to me." He said softly, turning his dark eyes toward Shiho who smiled back at him. "Sexy, smart, beautiful, brave, generous, kind ...forgiving?" Kiba fairly pleaded with his betrothed to let his grandmother get away with her awful behavior without retaliation.

Shiho lost some of her tension and she nodded, willing to keep the peace for now.

Unfortunately, Grandmother Tayama didn't feel the same way. She frowned. There had to be some way to show Kiba that this girl wasn't for him! She settled on a course of action, pleased with herself. "I'll bet that those scrolls don't have anything on them but scribbles. Worthless."

Kiba frowned, unprepared since it was his beloved grandmother. Shiho frowned, unprepared from sheer mental exhaustion. The watcher wasn't unprepared at all.

Grandmother Tayama snagged Shiho's backpack strap and tugged. That was all it took. She didn't even have to lay a hands on the actual scrolls.

Glass broke before the sound of it even registered. Before poor Grandmother Tayama's jaw even fully dropped there was a gloved hand on her own with just enough pressure to make her let go of the backpack strap.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The kunoichi paused, unsure. Watching.

He knew she was there, couldn't miss her. But couldn't turn to face her. Did that make him a coward? Lee rejected the very idea and so he turned. "Miss Rinako." He bowed formally.

Rinako sighed and looked around the building. Why was he being so stand-offish? "You've gotten a lot of work done." She commented unnecessarily.

Lee frowned. "They open up again in three more days."

She smiled at him. "That's great news!"

Rock Lee turned red and looked down at his feet. "Repairs should not have taken this long."

Rinako looked around the building, a place that Lee had nearly destroyed after having a single sip of alcohol. And he was embarrassed. She knew that was the reason he was staying away from her. And so she was here to fix that. Literally.

"No. Repairs should not have taken this long."

Lee looked up, feeling the sting of her words. "There was ...a lot ...of damage. And it was all my fault. I could not allow anyone else to help me rebuild."

"Gai cried when you refused his assistance." Rinako walked into the room and right up to Lee. "I offered too. It was my fault you had that drink."

Rock Lee shook his head. "No one was at fault but me." He thumped his chest and she smiled.

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that." Rinako shook her head. Of course she'd known! Her beloved Lee had been repeating it over and over again for days.

Lee nodded. "That is because you are so smart! And you know me so well!" He threw out his arms vigorously. "And soon the building will be fixed!"

"And my heart?" Rinako forced the words out of her mouth, finding it was harder to say what she wanted than it had been to fight as a ninja. "Will my heart be fixed as well?"

Lee's face crumpled. "Your heart?" His brash voice was reduced to a whisper. "I haven't broken your heart." He protested.

"You're avoiding me." Rinako pressed on bravely, wanting to cry at the look of hurt in his expressive gaze. "That is breaking my heart."

Lee shook his head emphatically. "No. No! I have been busy rebuilding that which I destroyed in my moment of youthful weakness! I ..."

"You are avoiding me." She interrupted.

Lee blinked and opened his mouth. Rinako put her hand over his lips and shook her head. "Don't insult me by denying the truth." Her heart was beating a mile a minute. What if she said the wrong thing?

"My most beautiful flower, you hold in your hands the heart of Rock Lee. If I have been avoiding you, it was with no intention of bringing you hurt. But to spare you." He paused, looking down. "I acted shamefully."

"I don't want to be spared." Rinako took a deep breath, he was following her thoughts and not going off on tangents. Good, this might actually work! "To fix my heart, it won't take construction tools like you have here for the building."

Lee smiled at the very thought, then turned serious. "How may I repair what I broke, then? What tools should I bring to fix your heart?"

"Stop avoiding me." She smiled.

He held out his arms and Rinako walked into them. Warmth enveloped her immediately, the beating of his heart soothed her and allowed her to be even bolder.

"Kiss me."

Lee stilled. "But ...but you are a lady and should be treated with all respect and honor and ..."

"My heart will continue breaking if I feel you are pulling away from meeeee!" She ended on a high pitched squeak as Lee nearly hugged her tight enough to break ribs.

"I no longer pull away from you! You are right, I was being a coward not wanting to see my faults reflected in your eyes. Not wanting to see the bloom of your regard wilt beneath the heat of my shortcomings!"

The heartfelt emotion in his speech left her nerves raw, but she had a point to make and she was going to make it! "Until you kiss me, I will be left to wonder at the depth of your emotions." She pressed on gamely.

Lee pulled back to study her face, looking very serious. Finally, after a very long time for him to remain silent, he leaned in. Her eyes fluttered and closed. Delicately, more delicately than she'd have expected, his lips brushed hers. A sigh escaped her lips.

She was about to tell him to kiss her again when he did so without being asked. Still a delicate touch, but this time his lips lingered. A mere brushing of flesh, but her anticipation and want had her body nearly thrumming with nerves.

Unable to hold her breath further, her lips parted gently. His lips paused, hesitating. "Lee." It was a whisper and a plea.

He answered. His hands at her back pressed her closer to him as his lips stopped visiting and settled in for a long stay. More pressure had her lips parting further as his followed suit of their own accord. Both stopped thinking as want and need fell over the couple like a blanket of heat.

Long, long moments passed before Rinako and Lee came up for air. In the unexpected intimacy of a large dance floor, brightly lit and no one around, they stared into each other's eyes.

"You can't apologize for that, or take it back." She whispered. His arms tightened around her.

"I don't want to do either of those things." He admitted with a smile.

Rinako smiled back. "Good."

Lee's smile grew. "Would it be inappropriate or disrespectful to your honor and loveliness, what I mean is would it offend you if I asked ..."

"Kiss me again." She answered before the question could be finished.

Lee's smile disappeared as he leaned in to do just that.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba sat on the couch, a cup of tea in his hands, staring off into space. Then grimaced and looked over at his sister. "It's not funny."

Hana tried to wipe the tears of mirth from her eyes, then started laughing again.

Tsume sighed, but stop grinning either. "Arrested?"

Kiba sighed, running one hand through his messy hair. "ANBU took Grandmother away! And I tried to find out where, to explain she wasn't trying to steal Shiho's notes, but ...they won't let me see her!"

Hana nodded, hiccuped, nearly slipped out of her chair with laughter.

Tsume shook her head. "It's a tragedy."

Kiba nodded.

"That I wasn't there to see it happen." Tsume sighed happily.

Kiba frowned sharply.

"And it's too bad no one took a picture of her face when it happened. Or a video would have been even better." Tsume mused, sending Hana off into further peals of hilarity.

The only male in the room slammed his hand down on the arm of the couch growling. "It is NOT funny! Grandmother doesn't know that Shiho is one of our village code-breakers. I'm not even sure she'd know what that is in the first place! What if she gets hurt? What if the shock of this gives her a heart attack or something?"

Tsume paused, looking hopeful. "Oh do you think?"

Kiba reared up, looking furious. "Stop it! You and Grandmother don't get along, we all know that. But it is not okay to wish a heart attack on her! She was father's mother and she loves us!"

Hana nodded, trying to wipe her face.

Tsume took a deep breath. "She loves you, kid. Not us."

"If you tried being nicer ...never mind." Kiba sighed.

Hana sighed too. "I don't wish her ill, little brother. But I do find it funny that she was arrested by ANBU. Besides, she's a strong woman. A little thing like this won't give her a heart attack."

Tsume frowned. "Don't burst my bubble!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kaji paused outside the door as Gaara's assistant tried to stop her. "You can't go in, he's in a meeting!"

"I know." Kaji snapped, irritated and upset. She glanced through the closed door using her abilities and spotted three chakra signatures. Gaara's was very strong. Three more people in the room and ...

"You can NOT go inside!" The youngest of Gaara's assistants tried to block the door. Kaji was just grateful that his other assistant, a ruthless old retired kunoichi was not at her desk at the moment.

Kaji sighed, cocking her head to one side. "Really? Really? Are you going to fight me to stop me from opening that door? Are you going to put your hands on me? I'm still injured." She held up her bandaged arm. "And engaged to the Kazekage. How do you think he'd take it if you hurt me?"

Indecision played on the face of the young assistant.

Quick as a snake, Hanabi fell into gentle fist, something she'd not done in two years. Still, the young assistant was swiftly pushed aside and Kaji opened the door with triumph.

"You will NOT ..." She stopped mid-sentence. Staring.

Gaara looked up from the step-stool on which he stood. Being measured and pinned. The tailor at his feet. An assistant taking notes. And Baki staring at her as if she'd suddenly grown two heads.

"Not what?" Gaara blinked his jade-pale eyes at her. "You're not the only one who needs new clothes for the wedding." He said dryly.

Kaji closed her mouth, but couldn't come up with a response quick enough.

"Gentlemen, please." Baki shooed the tailor and his assistant out the door, shutting it behind them. He turned to look at Kaji "Problem?"

She was at a loss for words. "I thought you had a meeting with Mizu and Tei."

Gaara shook his head, his arms still outstretched. She gave him an odd look. "Pins." He said.

"Sand armor." She reminded him. Gaara nodded and put his arms down, the pins not getting through his armor at all.

"Byakugan." Baki sighed.

Kaji looked at him.

The wind master sighed. "Why didn't you just look to see who was in Gaara's office. You didn't have to come in the door."

Kaji's face went beet red and she shrugged. "I was ...upset."

"Too upset to take basic precautions?" Baki sounded incredulous.

Gaara looked past the obvious though, his gaze on his betrothed as he stepped down from the stool. "What's wrong?"

Kaji sighed and she looked down, then back up into his face. "Mizu and Tei said they had an official appointment and ...well, the dragon yesterday and all ...I ...I didn't want you to rake them over the coals about what happened yesterday."

Baki shook his head. "It was a stupid move to let emotions take him over like that."

Gaara shook his head. "I'm not upset with them. I understood, felt the same damned way."

The one-eyed shinobi shrugged. "Doesn't matter, they're not ours anymore. Leaf."

"Baki? Leave."

The wind master looked at his Kazekage and former student, then gave a small bow of his head and left them alone.

Kaji looked around, almost startled. "Really alone? Just us?"

Gaara nodded. "I've missed you." He said, and she knew he wasn't talking about seeing her, but not being part of a crowd. Since she'd gotten out of the hospital they'd never been allowed to be alone.

"Gaara-coon." The nickname meant to needle him was now an endearment, like velvet on her tongue. His jade-pale eyes warmed as he stepped into her space.

His arms rose and she shook her head. "Pins. And I don't have sand armor."

The red-head frowned. Her hands rose to frame his face and they leaned in toward each other, their lips meeting in a heated exchange.

"I can lose the pins." He offered in a rough voice.

"You can lose more than that." Kaji bit her lip sensually, tugging on the collar of his wedding finery.

Gaara grinned as Kaji ran her eyes up and down him as he moved to remove his boots. Her eyes fell to the Suna insignia on the headband protector. She frowned at it.

The red-head followed her gaze. "It's not my normal one, it's silk, matches the outfit."

Kaji shook her head. There was something ...she eyes snapped up to meet his as she caught her breath. "You don't have an appointment with my guys?"

Gaara frowned. "No."

"They're Leaf, not Suna." She bit out the words.

Gaara was way ahead of her, having known it from the very beginning. But she was working it out in her mind. "Not you. You couldn't call them on the table. But Leaf could. And the leader of Leaf in Suna right now is ..." She growled.

"Hiashi." Gaara nodded. "He is on their Elder Council."

"You knew this!" She hissed.

It wasn't really a question, but Gaara nodded anyway. "You can't interfere."

"The hell I can't!" Kaji stormed toward the door, only to pull up short when the sand covered the exit. She whirled on her betrothed. "You can't stop me."

Gaara pursed his lips. "Care to place a wager on that?"

Kaji advanced on him, fury nearly making energy roll off of her in waves. "Don't turn this into a fight. It's not like a prank. I won't just turn your sand blue."

Gaara snagged her masks, pulling them from her face and stared into her eyes. "Don't you turn this into a fight. You'd lose."

Taken aback, Hanabi stared at his very serious gaze. He wasn't bluffing or playing. If she tried to leave he'd fight her. "Why?"

The red-head's gaze softened, though his resolution didn't. "They're not your guys. They are young men. Leaf shinobi. They can face your father as he represents their leaders without your help. You try and save them? It would only hurt them in the long run. They're stronger than you know."

"I do know." Hanabi whispered. "But I also know my father, and he can be a cold bastard when it suits him. I need to ..."

"You need to let them handle it." Gaara sighed. "Kaji. You know you need to let it be. If Mizu and Tei had wanted you to step in, they wouldn't have let you think their appointment today was with me."

She stared at him a long time, but he could almost literally see her defiance draining away. Leaving her pale. Gaara frowned, reaching out to trace the line of her cheek bone. "You'll be trading in your Leaf insignia soon. Your new one will match your tattoo."

"And they'll still be Leaf." She whispered.

"You knew that." Gaara stepped in toward her, pulling her into him while deftly managing to avoid pricking her with any of the sewing pins.

Kaji's mind was a whirlwind, but she could see no solution. Nothing in her repertoire of tricks, pranks, jutsu, cunning or ...or anything could get around the symbols on their headband protectors.

There was a brisk knock on the Kazekage's door. Gaara grimaced. "I knew it was too good to last."

Hanabi stifled a sad smile. "You could keep them locked out."

"True." Gaara looked down at her. "Stay with me this afternoon?" It was a request, not an order.

Kaji nodded, then took a step back to tweak the lines of his wedding clothes back into place. "Isn't it bad luck for me to see you like this?"

Gaara shrugged. "I think that only works for the bride." He cocked his head to one side, deliberately changing the subject. "You ever going to tell me what you said to Mizu to make him stop his attack?" It was the one thing about yesterday he didn't yet know.

Hanabi shrugged, giving him a wry smile. Then her smile faded around the edges. "They'll be okay?" She asked sadly, looking for support.

The Kazekage didn't lie to her. "I don't know, but I have confidence in their abilities to stand up for themselves. They may wear Leaf symbols, but a part of them is Suna too."

Kaji gave a small grateful smile even as Gaara pulled the sand away from his doorway.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hyuuga Hiashi looked up at Michi, not a shred of a smile on his face. "The last time you faced me was after I caught your hand down my daughter's top."

The water user, blinked but didn't speak. They both knew there had been nothing sexual going on that day. But he did vividly recall the warning that Hiashi had given him that day. That he wasn't strong enough to face off against the elder Hyuuga. And that hadn't changed.

Rocks shifted his weight, drawing the pale Hyuuga eyes to him. "Are you still a bully?" The words made the young man go still.

Hiashi reached for some papers. "Now. After yesterday's ...performance, we three have some things to discuss. Serious things."

Michi nodded and Rocks watched, uneasy.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The scarred man was scary looking, but he was smiling at least. Looked amused. Which wasn't actually helping her mood any. But it was the dark-haired pregnant kunoichi who was talking that made her uneasy.

"The Inuzuka has requested your immediate release." Shizune flipped through the papers on her desk.

Grandmother Tayama sniffed disdainfully. "It's about time Kiba came to get me."

Shizune shook her head. "Kiba isn't high enough politically to make a demand like that. It would have to come from THE Inuzuka, as in the title not the clan." She looked into the older woman's blank face. "Tsume. Tsume is known as The Inuzuka as she is the head of the clan. Hana and Kiba may belong to the Inuzuka clan, but if someone says The Inuzuka it would be Tsume. One day it will be Hana."

"Disgraceful." The older woman dismissed Shizune's words. "A woman leading a clan? Matriarchal? Hogwash."

Shizune sighed. "From what we know of you, you've never let a man tell you what to do. In other words, you are matriarchal in everything but name. A hypocrite."

The scarred man smiled, and it wasn't pretty.

"What you know of me?" The older woman looked stunned. "You know nothing of me."

Ibiki pulled out a thick file and dropped it on the table. "All on you."

Grandmother Tayama looked shocked.

Shizune cleared her throat, one hand on her pregnancy bump. "Ever since one of the heirs, meaning Tsume, of one of our leading families, meaning the Inuzuka, started seeing your son we have looked into you and your family. We let that lapse since you haven't visited Konoha in a seriously long time."

"I ..." But poor Grandmother Tayama didn't know what to say.

Shizune continued. "We know you don't probably have links with other ninja villages. But we've not really kept too many tabs on you. Perhaps we should have. But now your grandson is poised on a marriage to someone ...highly placed."

The older woman blinked rapidly, having never seriously considered that Shiho might be important. "She's not from a noble family."

"No. But she's is ...someone we protect. Seriously protect." Ibiki said the words calmly, but the threat was inherent nonetheless.

Grandmother Tayama nodded breathlessly. "Oh! I see! Of course my Kiba would attract the attention of someone so ...highly placed!"

Shizune fought the urge not to laugh as Ibiki escorted the elderly woman from the room, closing the door firmly behind her as ANBU escorted her back to the Inuzuka compound.

Sighing, Shizune reached over and opened the folder. She frowned. "Guard rotations?"

Ibiki shrugged. "She doesn't have to know that. Besides. She gets on my nerves."

Shizune sighed. "Not a good reason to arrest an old woman!"

The torture master shrugged. "I had it done as a favor. I told you that. Besides, the woman really did have her hand on the backpack, or my man wouldn't have made the arrest."

Shizune shook her head and stood, stretching her back. "A favor you said. But really, for Sai? Sai? Since when are you two so chummy?"

"We spent a lot of time together at the Akatsuki caverns." Ibiki reminded his wife and smiled. "And I got him to promise to paint a portrait of you and the baby when he arrives. Besides. Think about it. Sai doesn't like her. That's an emotion. I think that should be encouraged."

Shizune shook her head. "Juvenile."

"And I like Shiho." Ibiki shrugged. "She's a good kid and deserves to be treated better by Kiba's grandmother."

The pregnant kunoichi headed toward the door. "Fine. I still think it was juvenile though. Just admit it, you don't like that woman."

Ibiki grinned behind her back. "Never have. I ran into her when I was rising in the ranks of ANBU, on one of her visits when Kiba was really young. She was a pill then, and she hasn't changed!"

Shizune threw up her hands in surrender. "Alright, I give up. But you're cooking lunch. My feet hurt."

o.O.o.O.o.O

The sun was setting spectacularly but the kunoichi paid no heed as she climbed to the roof to join her friends.

Rocks turned to look at her as she sat down next to them, even handed her part of the orange he was eating. Michi was lying back, hands beneath his head.

For a long time, no one said a word. Finally Rocks shook his head. "We didn't go see the Kazekage."

Kaji nodded. "I know. I burst in on him."

Michi winced.

"He was getting fitted for the wedding." She admitted with a smile, drawing a chuckle from Rocks.

Michi turned to look at her with his sea-foam eyes. She picked up the discarded orange peel and threw it at him, but it wasn't a good weapon and fell short. "No, he was fully clothed."

The water ninja gave a mock frown, and then turned to look back over Suna.

"I'm going to miss you guys."

Rocks smiled. "Don't get too sentimental."

"I'm not kidding." Kaji frowned.

The air ninja's smile grew bigger. "Neither am I."

Michi interrupted. "Your father surprised us."

"You mean he wasn't a cold bastard?" Kaji grimaced.

Sitting up, the water specialist looked over at her. "He liked my water dragon."

Startled, she stared at him as Rocks grinned. "Your father called it a marvelous reinvention of a standard jutsu and discussed several options on how to utilize such a maneuver in battle."

The kunoichi's mouth dropped.

Rocks grinned outright. "He's drawing up papers for the two of us to take the jounin exams as soon as we get back to Konoha."

Kaji waited, but the boys didn't elaborate. "Well? What did he do or say to live up to his reputation? Make you swear to cut your braids? Dye your hair back, get rid of the wild colors? Swear never to come near Suna again? What?"

Michi shrugged. "He thanked us for being your teammates and standing by you when you 'died'. And he said keeping our current costumes might not be a bad idea. It would make our new assignments easier."

Rocks grinned wickedly, making her ask.

"WHAT? You evil, evil guys! What new assignments?" Kaji was nearly foaming at the mouth to find out.

"Liaisons between Leaf and Sand." Michi smiled at her. "We will be spending a considerable amount of time here and there, both. Since, and I quote 'we are so very familiar with the inner workings of both villages'."

Rocks winked at her. "Not done with us yet, brat."

"That bastard." She hissed.

His smile dimmed slightly as Rocks looked at her. She waved him off. "Oh, not my father. Gaara. He had to have known about this, but said NOTHING!"

"Kaji ..." The name was a warning as Michi started to look alarmed. "No pranking the Kazekage. Please?"

She gave him a long stare, then smiled. Both males groaned.

"Don't. Please." Michi gave her a soft smile. "Let it alone for once. It's turning out okay."

Hanabi grinned. "Maybe. Maybe I'll let it go."

The water user shook his head at her.

"Or maybe I'll just tell him what I told you yesterday to shake your focus." She stuck out her tongue at Mizu, who blushed.

Rocks shook his head. "She's evil enough to do it too."

o.O.o.O.o.O


	81. More

"What are you watching?" The pregnant blond kunoichi asked as she plucked at her maternity top. "This thing fit when I bought it only a week ago!"

Yugao shook her head and pulled out another blouse. She'd come over here to collect Hanabi and Temari for a family dinner, only to find the pregnant kunoichi unable to locate something to wear.

Kaji smiled and turned away from the wall, where she'd been staring at the general direction of the restaurant where the men were gathering. "Nothing." She said innocently.

Temari pushed away another top, frowning at a stain. Nothing was fitting and she was uncomfortable!

Kaji sighed happily and leaned against the wall with an amused look on her face. "Temari, they already know you're pregnant, if the shirt is slightly tight over your baby lump everyone will understand. It's not like you can hide it.

The blond stiffened, catching her breath harshly.

Yugao smiled. "No one is fooled by you looking AWAY, because we all know you can look behind you without turning your head. So don't play innocent with me, I used to be your sensei, remember? And don't call the baby a lump. Temari is pregnant AND hormonal. Don't call her a 'lump' of any kind."

"Didn't mean anything." Kaji shrugged. "Right Temari?"

Yugao shrugged diffidently. "I've been through this, hormones are a bitch." Her gleeful gaze shot to Kaji. "You'll find out one day."

Kaji shook her head. "No, I'm not pregnant. And haven't been allowed to be alone with Gaara long enough to even make that possible."

Yugao sighed. "Don't let your poor father hear you talking like that."

"Poor father, my ass." Hanabi laughed, then took a deep breath and sighed. "He spies on us constantly. You do realize that, right?"

The older kunoichi nodded. Not surprised at all. Hyuuga's made the best chaperons. Or worst, if you were the one trying to finagle 'alone' time. Yugao turned to hand another blouse to Temari. "This one might work?" The blond didn't take the shirt. The blue-haired kunoichi looked up and frowned.

Temari's face was sickly pale and she was holding her breath. From the side of the room, Kaji straightened, suddenly deadly serious. A ripple of movement across the wind kunoichi's belly was clearly visible beneath the too-tight blouse. "Uh oh."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara had barely entered the private dining room when the door opened again and Neji walked inside. The two nodded respectfully. The red-head looked around, but did not see Neji's wife, or his own bride-to-be. "Yugao? Kaji?"

The current Hyuuga clan leader nodded as he looked over the table in satisfaction. "The ladies are running behind."

Gaara blinked. That was unusual. And with Kaji? Possibly suspicious.

Neji shrugged as Hiashi and Anko arrived next, with young Katashi right behind them. The current and former leaders of the Hyuuga clan gave respectful greetings, almost amicable Gaara thought. The two had come a long way from when he'd first met them. He mentally shrugged, then again, so had he.

Katashi was looking at a nearby table with interest. One holding a beautifully wrapped gift. "For Hanabi?" He looked up with excitement. "What did you get her?"

Gaara shook his head and looked at the box, but the younger Hyuuga was quick and grabbed the card. He pulled a face while he read it, then grinned. "It's for you, Kazekage-sama."

The red-head paused. For him? More suspicious.

Anko looked at Gaara's carefully blank face and chuckled. "What's the matter, cupcake? Not used to getting gifts?"

Long since used to the kunoichi's odd nicknames, he ignored the name as usual. Still, he hesitated.

Hiashi frowned as servants began bringing in plates of appetizers. "We're not seated yet." He frowned as they continued their job. He was not as obeyed here in Suna as he would be at home. It was a small matter, but it jarred his sense of complacency some.

Katashi lost interest in the wrapped gift, focusing on the food instead. "Hmm. Hiyayakko!" He focused in on the cold tofu dish immediately.

Anko wasn't easily distracted however. She inspected the incongruous box with a sly smile. "Too small to be a weapons kit, but too big to be a man's ring. Male lingerie perhaps?"

Refusing to be drawn in to the turn this conversation was taking, both Neji and Hiashi turned toward comparing notes about some recent letters from Konoha on the ongoing tariff debates. After two years, they were up for renewal.

"Hmmm, no? Not lingerie for you ...perhaps for her?" Anko purred, ignoring the fact that Gaara was studiously avoiding the conversation. "What's the matter, not going near it in case it explodes?" She teased.

Gaara stiffened in a nearly imperceivable manner. But Anko's eyes narrowed dangerously anyway, not much escaped her notice. "Oh ho! Is the firecracker upset with the cupcake? Dangerous."

The red-head caught Neji's eye, and looked over at the box. The Hyuuga nodded and activated his Byakugan, inspecting the gaily wrapped box. He shook his head negatively. No exploding tags. Gaara frowned. So, the box wasn't rigged? Just what was Kaji up to this time?

Anko chuckled and shook her head. "No the question isn't IF it's going to explode, the question is why you think it might be a trap." She gave a low whistle. "What did you do, Cupcake?"

Gaara ignored her and looked over at the table and the appetizers. Someone was paying attention. Among the more common fares, there was a plate of tanshio, one of his favorites. A dish Naruto usually turned his nose up at and tried to get Gaara to eat some ramen instead.

Anko gave a dangerous smile, tapping one foot in contemplation. "How big an explosion are you expecting, Risu?"

Hiashi blinked, paused, and then kept talking about politics. If his wife wanted to call the Kazekage of Suna a squirrel he was not going to make it worse by protesting.

Gaara gave Anko a wide-eyed look. A squirrel? He wasn't going to ask. And he was not going to admit that Kaji was indeed angry with him and that she might retaliate. Might? No. She would definitely retaliate. He could count on his own personal firecracker for that at least!

She grinned outright. "Just how badly did you piss her off? Because somehow, you fucked up."

Neji smothered a smile as his uncle closed his eyes briefly in shock. Even after two years of marriage Anko still managed to throw Hiashi off his stride. "Please stop." Hiashi looked up finally. "This is not appropriate conversation." His eyes moved over to where Katashi was listening openly.

Anko waved off her husband's concerns. "Young men need to learn from other young men's mistakes. So spare young Katashi future embarrassment and explain how you screwed up."

The youth in question actually left the appetizer trays and moved over to stand next to his step-mother. Gaara stared down at Kaji's younger brother and shook his head silently. Katashi looked disappointed. "You're mistaken." He said gruffly, looking up at Anko.

"Doubtful." She crooned and pointed at the gift. "You don't want to open that."

Katashi activated his own Byakugan, looking carefully. But his smile faded as he looked. Finally he let his blood-line limit fade out and shrugged. "It's just a crystal bowl. No tags or nothing!"

"Anything." Yugao said from the doorway, having just gotten there for the tail end of Katashi's statement.

"Not to mention you are not to spoil a gift by announcing what it is before a person gets a chance to open it for themselves." Hiashi scolded in a severe tone.

Katashi nodded and moved away from the boring gift with no exploding tags. He moved back toward the food, looking at all the different appetizers. He tried a dumpling, but bypassed the edamame and looked curiously at a plate of salted meat. "What's that?"

But to Gaara the gift wasn't boring, it was a bold statement. He sighed. A crystal bowl. The meaning was immediately clear to him. It was a replacement for the bowl he'd had on his desk, one she'd broken. More important? It had held blue sand, a remembrance of a prank she'd pulled on him once. It was a warning. She'd got him once, she could do it again.

But before he could contemplate the moment further, Yugao interrupted. "I'm sorry, but we're going to have to postpone dinner. We have excuse the Kazekage."

Gaara stilled.

"Your sister has been taken to the hospital." Yugao tried to smile reassuringly, but everyone knew that Temari wasn't due yet. Gaara tensed as he got ready to head to the hospital.

Katashi used a set of chopsticks to reach out for a piece of tanshio. "What is this?" He started to pick up a piece as Gaara reached the doorway.

Anko looked over at the plate. "Tanshio. Salted tongue, I think. Disgusting."

Gaara was out the door when a large BANG stopped him cold. Blinking once, he stood there, completely still for half a second. Then he couldn't help himself as he leaned back inside and looked.

Hiashi appeared disgusted as Neji looked to be fighting hard not to laugh, but was losing.

Anko grinned flat out, pumping a fist. "I knew SOMETHING was going to explode!"

Katashi, now dyed blue from the neck up and with his hair sticking out in every direction, looked shocked. He whimpered as Neji picked up a cloth napkin and dipped it in water, smiling. "Where to start?"

Gaara nodded. The tag had been under the tanshio, an appetizer that few outside of himself cared for. Huh. Clever, clever Kaji.

Another whimper. Gaara was torn, he needed to go to the hospital. But, he should probably say something. Finally he nodded toward the young Hyuuga. "At least it's not pink this time." And then he left without a backward glance.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Aburame Yukiko glared at the men she wasn't strong enough to push out of the room physically. "The sooner you're gone, the sooner we'll have answers."

"She can't have the baby yet, it's too soon!" Shino's deep voice broke at the end, pulling a lump to his great-aunt's throat. "It HAS to be indigestion again!"

Yukiko shook her head and pointed. Shibi stepped back, putting his hand on his son's shoulder, but they both stopped cold as Temari groaned and a ripple of movement ran over her distended belly.

Shino's face lost all color.

"Eight months is NOT too early." Yukiko assured them, ignoring her own misgivings.

Shino and Shibi reluctantly stepped out of the room, only to have the door slam in their faces. Shino's hands trembled and his father led him over to a nearby couch in the hospital waiting area.

Gaara came around the corner, moving very swiftly and he stopped with a jerking motion as he spied the two Aburame males. He looked toward the closed door and then back at his brother-by-marriage.

"We don't know anything yet." Shibi said gruffly.

"It's too soon." Gaara said with more calm than he was feeling.

"Eight months isn't too bad." Shibi repeated his aunt's thought.

Shino shook his head. "She's a week away from eight months." His love for precision not doing him any favors today.

All three fell silent as they waited.

o.O.o.O.o.O

One minute she was alone in her office, the next moment she wasn't. Shiho finished writing down the series of code words and then looked up. She blinked rapidly in surprise. "Hello."

Sai nodded at her and took a seat across from her desk. "You didn't know it was me. You need to be more careful."

The cryptologist shrugged. "ANBU doesn't just let anyone in my office."

"You still need to be more careful." Sai told her bluntly. He reached out and picked up a rock off her desk, then looked up at her.

"A momento from the Akatsuki fortress. It was in my backpack. Still not sure why I put it there." Shiho blushed slightly. "I was in a hurry."

Sai tossed the rock back and forth in his hands. "You didn't have time to grab your shoes, but you took a paperweight?"

Shiho's blush deepened and she frowned at her friend. Sai ignored her look and tossed the rock in the air and caught it neatly.

The cryptologist cocked her head to one side. "You're worried about something." She announced.

Sai stopped and stared at her. How did she know? He caught the rock and then frowned sharply. "I'm fidgeting." He said, as if a bit shocked at the discovery.

"You are." Shiho nodded slowly. "Not like you at all. So. What do you want?"

"Sex."

Shiho's eyes went wide and she blinked again, opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head as she thought about his answer. Not sex with her. No. Sex in general. But Sai was choosy, she knew that. And the only one she'd seen him actually connect with was ...Hana.

"Too soon." She announced.

Sai nodded absently and put the rock back on her desk.

"And I thought you broke it off." Shiho pointed out.

He looked at her. "I didn't say it was Hana."

"It is." She denied his words and he nodded sharply, not bothering to argue the point. "And you broke off the relationship."

"I started it back up." Sai shrugged simply.

Shiho sighed. "Telling a girl you want her back and will take her out to dinner, and not giving her a chance to respond is not the same as starting back up again."

The artistic ninja didn't respond, just looked at her.

Shiho considered him a long moment, then shrugged. "You're worse than a difficult code to break. Sex. Fine. You've told us all you want a relationship with Hana. Then you stopped, and now you want to pick back up again. So why come to me and ..." She steepled her fingers as he waited for her to work it out in her mind.

The cryptologist finally pursed her lips. "You don't need sex advice from me. And I know you probably know the physical mechanics. So ...you're asking my opinion on if Hana will have sex with you?"

Sai shook his head.

Shiho sighed and thought about it some more. "You want me to help you get alone time with Hana? Distract her grandmother? You don't need help. Grandmother Tayama was arrested yesterday."

"I know. I had her arrested." Sai said without a hint of remorse.

Shocked, Shiho stared at him a long moment. "Don't tell Kiba." Was all she managed to say.

Sai frowned. "How do you have sex?"

Shiho's jaw dropped. "But ...you've had sex before! Right?"

Sai nodded, leaving poor Shiho very confused. She shrugged at him at a complete loss. He looked away for a moment, then back to her. "How do you have sex with someone you have ...feelings for?"

Shiho swallowed and thought about his question very carefully. She'd been both right and wrong. This was about the mechanics of sex, but not the physical ones. Knowing her friend like she did, she could make a few educated guesses.

"You feel things when you two are ...close? Her touch brings out emotions or at least feelings you are having difficulty with?"

Sai nodded, and again his gaze slipped away from hers. Shiho felt humbled at the depth of his trust in her. She doubted he could ask this question of just anyone. For that reason, she needed to get the answer right.

"Do those feelings hurt?"

Sai frowned and shook his head, then nodded. Finally he shrugged. "It's going to get worse the more intimate we become?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"Yes." Shiho nodded reluctantly. "Can you handle that?" Perhaps this was the reason he'd broken up with Hana in the first place.

The artistic shinobi took a long moment, let out a pent breath and sighed. "I don't know."

The honey-blonde looked sympathetic. "There's no trick to it. Either you handle it or you don't."

Sai gave a very real frown, but nodded in understanding. He started to get up.

Shiho stood, stopping him from leaving and he settled back in his chair. "You hurt Hana's feelings when you broke it off. If you can't handle how this relationship makes you 'feel' and having real emotions ...if you can't handle it, don't hurt her further and walk away."

Dark eyes narrowed on her as his immediate response was abject denial.

She saw that in him and nodded. "You're going to have to be braver than you've ever been before. And you will have to handle how you feel."

Sai gave her a long, considering look, then nodded with a decisive firmness in his expression.

Shiho watched him go as quickly as he'd arrived. She blew out a breath, dislodging a stray curl that had fallen into her face. Wow. Sai with feelings and emotions. It wasn't like there was some magic wand to wave over him and he'd be alright. This was something he'd have to work through, and she hoped it all would work out well for them both.

She picked up her pencil and looked down at her work. Nope. She'd lost the thread of thought. Sai with emotions, it was amazing. Then her inner mind formed a picture of Grandmother Tayama being arrested. Now THAT made a better image to concentrate on! She giggled. Now, she just had to make sure that Kiba never found out about Sai's part in that!

o.O.o.O.o.O

The silence was terrible. Gaara looked from one tense Aburame back to the other. He was out of his emotional depths here. And while he knew enough niceties to know comfort should be offered, he was feeling woefully inadequate.

Not to mention he was feeling jumpy and nervous himself, and wasn't too sure of what was going on with his sister either.

Yet the Kazekage was a first-class ninja. Basic battle strategy for when in doubt. He needed back-up. The red-head frowned. "Where is everyone else?"

Shino didn't answer, and Gaara wasn't sure the man had even heard.

But his father, Shibi, grunted. "Yugao and Kaji went back to our apartment to pack some items for Temari."

"We're here."

Gaara turned to see Kaji standing behind him, looking tense as well. He waited, but the kunoichi said nothing else. He nodded to her.

Her mouth relaxed. "Last check, the baby was formed and only needing to gain weight."

Gaara relaxed slightly. Shino turned, staring. "How do you know?" He asked even as Yugao gave a weak smile.

Neji's wife shrugged. "Married into the Hyuuga, remember?" She was not going to apologize about that. "Hanabi asked her sister to keep a close watch, and Hinata is quite good at this sort of stuff."

Kaji stiffened. "Hinata!" She sighed. "She was lying down, not feeling well and ...I didn't think to send someone to tell her what's been going on."

Shibi shook his head. "I sent the kikai to summon Kankuro."

Hanabi nodded gratefully, though a bit surprised. She sometimes forgot that while she'd been away from everyone one in Suna for two years, they'd gone on and lived life without her. Made friends without her knowledge. Like Kankuro bonding with Shino and Kiba.

She looked away and met Gaara's pale-jade gaze. She stopped, giving him a weak smile of support. "She'll be fine."

The red-head nodded. "Dinner was delayed." He said blandly.

Kaji grinned full-out. Her surprise must have been triggered while she'd been busy helping get Temari here to the hospital. She shrugged. "You don't look too blue about it, Gaara-coon."

Yugao looked around, not having told Hanabi about how her tag had failed and succeeded at the same time. "Where are Anko and Hiashi? Where is Neji?"

"Supporting Katashi most likely." Gaara said blandly.

Kaji stiffened, her eyes lighting up beneath her masks. "Oh?"

"You're going to traumatize that child." Gaara sighed slightly. "At least this is a more masculine color than last time."

Kaji smiled and Gaara nodded, knowing he wasn't off the hook yet.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Dark eyes narrowed dangerously on the visitor at the door.

Sai blinked.

Tsume growled.

"I had your mother-by-marriage arrested."

Tsume stopped growling, fought a smile, and then frowned. "Fine. You can come in. But I make no promises about treating you like a guest."

Sai blinked again. "Why?"

The Inuzuka clan leader sighed and stepped aside so he could enter. "Because you broke up with Hana."

"I took it back." He said blandly as he walked into the lion's den.

Tsume stared at Sai's back and shook her head, rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I give up."

Hana looked up from the table where she had some veterinary charts spread out. Paperwork was the least attractive part of her job, bar none. Not even a gruesome injury or risky delivery compared with the nightmare of paperwork. Thus, she was in a bad mood.

She sniffed, not even glancing up. "Go away, Sai."

Tsume coughed.

"Mom? Why did you let him in?"

Her mother shrugged. "He says he's responsible for getting your Grandmother arrested."

Finally Hana looked up, shocked. Then a small smile. "Really?"

Sai sat down opposite her and frowned at the paperwork spread out everywhere.

"Don't touch! I have a system." Hana held her hands out over the table protectively.

Sai raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on the differences in her make-shift desk and Shiho's ordered chaos. Instead he looked over at her. "I told you I was picking you up for dinner."

"I don't remember responding." Hana frowned and made another notation on a piece of parchment.

"You have to eat." Tsume said nonchalantly, listening in without any pretense at otherwise.

Hana looked stunned. "Mother!"

The clan leader shrugged. "He did have your Grandmother arrested. I wouldn't sleep with him for that, but dinner wouldn't be bad."

Sai frowned at hearing that. "She could sleep with me, I wouldn't mind." He said truthfully.

Tsume stared at him for a long moment and turned away, walking into the kitchen mumbling under her breath about not being able to decide between gutting him or just kicking his ass out of the house.

Hana gave a tired smile. "You out blunt my mother. Never thought I'd see that."

Sai didn't respond, not feeling the comment needed a response. "Dinner?"

Hana looked down at her half-completed paperwork. "It couldn't hurt to come back and tackle this on a full stomach."

Sai nodded. "Or do it tomorrow."

"I'm not sleeping with you tonight." Hana responded, reading between the lines.

Sai nodded again and stood up.

Hana looked up at him and gave him a long, considering look. She'd had long enough to go over the conversation they'd had when he'd broken things off the first time. Deliberately she held up one hand.

He blinked. "What?"

"Help me up."

Sai frowned. "You don't need assistance to rise. You're not injured?" It was a question.

"It's a test." She told him point blank.

Thinking about that, Sai stared at her, and then looked at her hand. "I'm not a gentleman."

"I know." Hana kept her hand up, waiting. Would he yank her up or would he support her elbow as she rose? Would he, could he, touch the skin of her hand with care or not, what about brusqueness?

Sai was at a loss. A test? What kind of test? He stared at her and realized she wasn't going to let the moment go without his response. "I had your Grandmother arrested." He tried.

She smiled at him softly. "That only got you past my mother."

Looking at her strong, yet graceful hand, Sai considered his options and found them woefully limited. He wasn't afraid of touching her. Only about how touching her made him feel. But then again, this is what he wanted, right? Still ...she was pushing the point earlier than he'd anticipated.

"I can handle this." He said low, almost under his breath.

Hana waited, hearing his words and her heart softened. He really was worried about this. About to let the moment go, she started to lower her hand.

Sai caught her hand in his before she could.

Warmth spread through his palm as he absorbed the weight of her hand. He let out a breath that he'd not known he'd been holding. It was just a touch. Nothing bad. He maneuvered her hand so that their palms touched. He could almost imagine he could feel her heartbeat, though he knew it to be his own.

Hana stilled, letting him guide the moment. She looked at their hands, seeing how long and elegant his fingers were as befitting an artist. Yet there was constrained power and strength in his hands, not that he was using them now, but she could almost imagine she could feel what he was capable of in that small moment.

"You pass." She whispered.

"I haven't helped you up yet." He mentioned, knowing that hadn't been the true goal behind the test.

Hana nodded and started to stand up. But then Sai stepped back, shifting his hand to take hers and using some small force to pull her up. Too much force. Hana was a bit surprised, then realized it was on purpose as she almost fell directly into him.

Sai looked down into her startled face, still holding one hand. "Another test." He said in a whisper.

Hana opened her mouth to protest, feeling his body along the line of hers as his free hand settled along the small of her back, holding her still.

For a very short moment, that seemed to take forever, they stared into each other's eyes. Slowly his head started to descend and Hana was shocked to feel herself rising up to meet him.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Tsume interrupted them harshly, her voice booming out from the kitchen entrance. "Get out and find a room. And I don't mean one in this house!"

Hana blushed sheepishly and started to pull back.

Sai didn't care about an audience and captured her lips with his own.

Tsume went still and looked down at her nin-dog. Kuromaru looked back up at her. The dog turned and walked away. Tsume looked back up and shook her head. "I'm going to eat in town."

The couple didn't respond.

"We're being invaded by foreign ninja." She tried.

They were too lost in each other to hear.

Tsume sighed and turned to follow her dog out of the house. "Sai? Really? Sai?" She mumbled as she turned towards the village proper. "Shiho and Sai. Never, never would have guessed that. Children are a trial."

It was a long time before Sai pulled back and looked down at Hana, his expression carefully blank. She knew immediately that he was trying to hide his uncertainty from her. It was almost scary how well she was starting to read his non-facial expressions.

"Well? Are you going to be able to handle this?" She asked him warily.

Sai reached up to push her hair back behind one ear. He frowned at his hand. It felt a bit ...shaky, though no tremors were visible.

"Sex with someone you have feelings for is different than plain sex." He said quietly.

Hana nodded. "This was just a kiss though."

"And yet I feel almost unsteady." He complained.

She smiled. "That's a compliment."

Sai shook his head. "No it wasn't."

Hana gave a small laugh and reluctantly stepped back from the warmth of his arms. "Yes it was, and it was more of a compliment than just saying I look nice or something like that. No, you said being with me makes you feel things, important things. That's a compliment."

The artistic-nin didn't argue the point. He blinked at her. "You don't look nice."

Hana stopped, and cocked her head slightly to one side. "I must be getting used to you. That didn't bother me. It just makes me want you to define 'nice'."

Sai shrugged. "Nice is placid, average, not extraordinary. Simple."

"How do I look to you, then?" She asked, unable to help herself.

Sai blinked and watched her carefully. "Strong, sensual, a contradiction between soft and hard, arousing, head-strong, attractive, and heady to be around. More."

Hana was finding it difficult to form a thought. She shook her head. "More?"

Sai shrugged. "You are more. More alive than most people. I ...feel more when I'm with you. I experience more when you are there. You are ...more."

"I'm not nice, I'm more." She whispered, her nerves jumping dangerously.

Sai wondered if he'd hurt her feelings. Then he wondered if he should apologize. Then he wrapped his arms around Hana as she was suddenly back in his embrace. Her hand wrapped around his neck and pulled him down for her lips to meet his. That's when he stopped thinking altogether.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Temari looked down into her son's red face and smiled. All pain and worry forgotten as she counted little fingers and toes.

Shino looked at his wife and son and felt more relieved than he'd ever thought possible. He might even go to the temple tomorrow in thankfulness.

Temari looked up at him and Shino reached out to push her sweat-dampened hair back behind one ear. She looked exhausted and pale to him, but was beaming with an inner light he'd never seen before.

"The medics say his lungs are working very well, despite being a month early." She said quietly, her fingertip brushing ever-so-lightly down her son's cheek.

Shino nodded, still unable to look away from her face for more than a few seconds to peek at his newborn son. "You're beautiful."

Temari scowled. "Liar. I'm a fright." She looked down at the baby. "Do you want to hold him?"

Shino stilled, swallowed a lump in his throat, and barely managed a nod.

Almost reluctant to share, Temari started to hand him the baby. Shino stopped her with one hand and shook his head. He carefully removed his sunglasses and then started to remove his jacket.

Temari smiled, relaxing. He was right. This first introduction needed to be closer, more personal. Without his heavy jacket, the humming of the kikai beneath his skin was far more evident. But she was long used to that by now.

Down to a plain shirt, Shino reached out and touched one of the baby's fists. The infant's fingers immediately splayed widely into full extension, then curled around his fingertip for a second or two before moving on.

Shino's heart nearly tore in two at the small touch. Suddenly he had a clearer understanding of how his father felt about him as love literally reached down into him and poured out for this small human being. His world expanded and contracted and he realized there was nothing he wouldn't do for his wife and child. Literally nothing.

"He's real." Shino murmured as Temari made to pass him the baby.

"Very real." Temari smiled wider as she watched Shino tuck the infant into the crook of his arm with tender care, making sure to support the neck and head automatically.

"No." Shino looked up at her. "I think I distanced myself from him because of all ...the earlier problems." He said, mentioning the miscarriages. "And then during this pregnancy, I focused so hard on being strong, keeping everything going and safe ...he almost wasn't real."

Temari's eyes teared up, even though she'd thought she had no tears left to cry.

"I have a son." Shino said with great simplicity, and utter awe.

Temari could no longer see through the well of happy tears.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"When can we see the baby?"

Kankuro laughed at Gaara. "Trust me, let the parents be for a little while. Our turn will come in time."

The Kazekage frowned, but didn't push the issue. He turned and his eyes caught sight of Kaji. Where she was looking was a mystery, considering the masks covering her eyes. But he knew she was looking at him when she smiled softly.

"This will be you in a few years." Hiashi said proudly, looking down at his future son-by-marriage.

Suddenly Gaara was glad that Naruto had already shocked him into thinking about future children, he was better prepared this time. "A few years." He muttered, nodding absently, hoping to drop the subject. Frankly the idea of being a father was daunting.

"Or longer." Anko purred from beside a glowering, and very blue, Katashi. "You two will need time together first, Uncle Cupcake."

Hiashi groaned at the nickname, but Gaara nodded. An Uncle again. Soon a wife. Maybe children of his own. A future. He shook his head. Who could have known way back when he'd first set out for Konoha, that it was there he'd find he even HAD a future.

First Naruto. Then he'd been able to accept Temari and Kankuro, at long last. Baki. First a few leaders on the Suna council, and finally election to Kazekage. Hinata had been a surprise. Hanabi though had shaken his world up and turned it upside down. Kankuro had made him an uncle twice over, and working on a third time. Now Temari.

The horizons on his world kept expanding. It was almost unsettling! Could he handle so much? He looked around the room, and then stopped, his gaze narrowing on his future brother-by-marriage.

The blue one.

Katashi squirmed and rubbed uselessly at his blue cheek again. Gaara looked back over at his Kaji and knew, with a certainty he'd rarely ever felt, that he could handle it all.

With her, life was explosive, but never dull.

o.O.o.O.o.O


	82. Love and Marriage

"How do we control Kaji though?" The question was asked out loud, hanging in the air.

Michi shrugged and Rocks laughed as over in the corner of the office Kankuro leaned against the far wall.

Gaara looked up from his desk with a frown. He'd not been paying attention to the conversation until his bride-to-be's name had been mentioned. He wasn't even really sure why everyone was even there.

A cursory knock on the door interrupted his thoughts as Baki limped inside, leaning on his cane a bit more than he should. His Kazekage frowned at him, but didn't ask. Behind him followed five Suna jounin, all grinning darkly, and all polished and dressed up.

Gaara blinked slowly, suddenly suspicious.

From the other side of the office, Naruto frowned and scratched his head. "Kaji? Oh right, Hanabi. That takes some getting used to after all. Still, why does she need to be controlled?"

Every eye, both Leaf and Sand, turned to stare disbelievingly at the young blond shinobi.

Michi coughed discretely, while several Sand jounin laughed outright. Rocks shook his head and shrugged. "She's Kaji."

Naruto still looked like he didn't get it.

Kankuro blew out a soft laugh. "It's Gaara's bachelor night."

The blond young man shrugged, "Oh yeah, well sure. I get it." Obviously still unsure.

Neji, who had been quietly sitting in one of the visitor's chairs, smiled slightly. "Hyuuga abilities. The question is ...how to keep the bride from spying on the party?"

Gaara sighed deeply. Oh no. Party?

Naruto's eyes widened. "Hanabi wouldn't do that, would she?"

Baki laughed outright. "Hanabi might not. Kaji definitely will."

Kankuro whistled, drawing attention his way. "The question isn't how to keep her from spying. The question is how to keep her from retaliating."

Gaara frowned sharply. "I thought we were just having dinner." He'd been under that impression all day. Dinner with Naruto and Kankuro and their wives. He'd not really paid too much attention when Neji had arrived with both Michi and Rocks in tow. But Baki's arrival with several of his jounin was another matter entirely.

"Private room?" Kankuro asked.

"Check." Rocks grinned.

Gaara shook his head, not liking where this was going.

"Alcohol?" The puppeteer continued, unabashed by his younger brother's glare.

"Check." Michi's grin matched that of his teammate.

The red-headed groom stood up slowly. "Dinner was what was planned."

Baki stepped up and smiled slowly at his leader. "Food will be there."

Naruto chuckled and grinned even as Gaara shook his head negatively.

"Someone remembered the stripper, right?" One of the Sand jounin gleefully rubbed his hands together.

Gaara's jade-pale eyes widened. "Stripper?"

"No." Baki said quietly, making Gaara relax slightly while the men behind him groaned. "Strippers. Plural. I hired more than one."

The men cheered and Gaara sighed, shaking his head. "This is a bad idea."

Kankuro nodded. "And again, I ask ...how do we control Kaji? Keep her from crashing or retaliating?"

Neji smirked. "No worries. I sicced Hiashi on her."

Gaara's frown deepened.

The Hyuuga clan leader's smile expanded. "They're going over the traditional role of being the wife to a Kage. Being a Hyuuga and of course, and all the responsibilities that come after a wedding."

Gaara groaned, closing his eyes for a long moment to take a deep breath. "She'll kill you." He told Neji baldly.

Kankuro shrugged. "I wouldn't mind."

Neji frowned over at the unrepentant puppeteer who laughed at him. Then the young Hyuuga shook his head. "No. After the wedding, we're heading back home. Suna is stuck with her. The only one she can get back at ...is the Kazekage."

"Brilliant!" Kankuro straightened up and clapped his hands. "The evening is a-wasting, the alcohol is a-calling, and the strippers are currently over-dressed. We need to get moving!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're going to miss all the fun." Hanabi looked over at her father.

Hiashi shook his head and frowned down at his scroll. "We have a lot to go over."

"Poor Katashi." The bride-to-be looked over at her brother.

The young man scowled and glared at everyone. "I'm NOT too young to go!" Unfortunately for his male pride, everyone ignored him.

Hiashi frowned.

"Father, I know all about the 'surprise' bachelor get-together." Hanabi smiled gently. "It's okay. It's just a way for some guys to blow off some steam. I'm not going to blasting in there or anything idiotic."

Her father's frown sharpened. "You knew?"

Hanabi smiled and shrugged. "I'm a Hyuuga and your daughter. Not much gets by me."

Pleased and yet uncomfortable, Hiashi nodded slightly.

"If it's not a secret anymore, can I go?" Katashi looked up eagerly.

"No." Hiashi said firmly, crushing the youngster's enthusiasm. "And neither am I. These kinds of groups are undignified at best. They younger men don't need me around to put a damper on events. I can stay here and go over all the last minute details with my lovely daughter."

"There's no need to distract me." Hanabi smiled sweetly. "Yugao, Anko and a few friends from Suna are coming by to talk to me about being a good wife."

Her father nodded, pleased to hear his daughter talking calmly the night before her wedding. He'd not had to go through this for Hinata's wedding. Not since she'd barely been a toddler at the time she'd been married by proxy to an older man of three years, Kankuro. And yet, that marriage had turned out far better than he'd ever anticipated.

Hinata.

Hiashi frowned. "Your sister isn't coming?" He asked.

Afraid her father would get suspicious, Kaji tried hard to keep a calm look on her face. "She was, but sent word that she needed to retire early. This pregnancy is making her more tired than the last one. And Temari had originally been supposed to be here, but going into early labor changed all that. So just a quiet evening."

"I'm bored." Katashi growled down at the small mirror in his hand. "And the blue is taking FOREVER to come off! Kaji, you suck!"

Hiashi sighed stiffly and shook his head. "Don't start that up again." He told his son sternly.

"Do we HAVE to listen to a bunch of women talk about wedding stuff?" The youngster whined. "It's all BORING!"

"Katashi." The name was a warning and the boy fell silent. For a moment.

"Well it is." He moped, with all the attitude inherent in being a pre-teen and needing to get the last word in.

Hiashi sighed and stood, straightening his robe meticulously. "Fine. Hanabi, I will leave you with your group and take this rude young man with me. Are you sure you don't need to go over any of the traditions one more time before the wedding?"

Hanabi pretended to think a moment. "No, I believe I have it all, father. Thank you."

Hyuuga Hiashi nodded and bowed slightly. "Katashi, gather your things and meet me in the front hall." His voice was stern with disapproval.

Once their father was out the door, Katashi had his hand out. Hanabi grinned and put the agreed upon amount in his palm. Her younger brother frowned. "Whining is extra."

Kaji growled.

Katashi, unafraid, grinned and wiggled his fingers. "I whined. Whined!"

"No."

The youngster whispered. "Oh father, I'm sorry I acted so poorly. I'd love to stay with you and quiz Hanabi on the wedding traditions."

"Creep." Kaji hissed and added some more money to the bribe.

"Hag." Katashi stuck out his tongue at her with a grin. She grinned back. "I'm glad you're still alive."

The older sister wrapped him in a swift hug. "Me too."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"You're not going to Gaara's bachelor night?"

Her quiet voice was like a caress, Shino thought. His wife sounded so happy. Content. He looked up at her and smiled while he continued to hold the sleeping infant. "He's still out, you could have slept longer."

Temari shook her head. "I woke up and that was it. Couldn't go back to sleep." Not until she'd held their son. She didn't even have to say it, they both just knew.

Shino carefully handed over the baby, reluctant to let go of the precious bundle. Even after Temari was holding him, Shino slid in close and was gently holding on to one small foot.

Temari didn't say anything, because she felt the same way whenever their son was being held by someone else.

"You could still go." She whispered.

Shino shook his head as he noticed his son's sock had twisted. He pulled it off, counted the five tiny toes and slid the sock back on properly. "I'm where I want to be." His voice rumbled deeply.

"Shindai." She breathed out the name, still in awe of the perfect little being she was holding.

"I think my father still likes Yoshiaki. Says he looks like a Yoshiaki." Temari's eyes narrowed as she turned to glare at her husband.

Shino held up his hands in defeat. "He'll just have to get used to Shindai."

Temari hummed and smiled down at her son. The two parents watched the sleeping infant for nearly fifteen minutes, neither speaking. Suddenly, little Shindai scrunched his face slightly, twitched one small fist and yawned.

Both parents held their breath, but then the baby's face smoothed back out and the eyes didn't open. Yet one hand waved slightly in the air.

"Is he awake?" Shino asked.

Temari shrugged slightly, almost holding her breath. "I can't tell."

Another long moment and then the small infant jerked his fist in the air and opened his tiny mouth for a yawn, but stilled.

"I thought you said he'd be non-stop energy." Temari asked, slightly worried.

"They told us he'd sleep a lot for the first few months." Shino sounded unsure.

The silence ended as the baby started with some soft grunting noises and started to kick his little feet. "Okay. He's awake." Temari smiled, relieved.

The baby started making distressed sounds as she moved to feed him, though not quickly enough as the infant let out a sad wail that ended the moment his mouth found her breast.

"Impatient." Shino said with a proud grin.

"Strong." Temari winced and adjusted her position, then relaxed.

"Healthy." The young father reached over and ran one finger over his son's cheek. The infant ignored the touch, too busy feeding. Shino chuckled. "He knows what he wants."

Temari held the precious gift that was their miracle baby and smiled at her husband. "You're missing all the fun tonight."

Shino looked down at little Shindai as the baby waved one hand in the air, opening and closing his tiny fingers as he happily fed at his mother's breast. "I can guarantee I'm missing nothing that I want."

Temari's smile turned sappy and she blinked rapidly a few times to keep from tearing up.

"Besides, I can always go to Kiba's bachelor night once we're back home." Shino shrugged and looked up, he stilled as he saw his wife's eyes narrow on him. "Or not. It's not a big deal, Temari."

The blonde kunoichi sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm not telling you not to go. I'm just surprised. You didn't tell me Kiba was getting married. In fact, when did you hear from Kiba at all?"

Shino nodded and shrugged. "Sorry, it was while you were still in the hospital after Shindai. I thought I did mention it to you, but we were all just focused on the little one here."

Temari nodded. They had indeed all been so focused on the baby, that Shino could have said about anything and she might not have caught it. She blushed slightly and then grinned. "Sorry."

He laughed at her gently.

The blonde frowned down at her son. "I think he stopped feeding, now I think he fell asleep still holding on to me." The new mother looked down at the baby, his eyes closed and his mouth still. She started to pull the baby away and little Shindai suddenly grunted and started feeding again with a vengeance. Temari winced. "No. I think he's not done yet after all."

Shino grinned.

Temari smiled back at him and sighed. "So. Tell me about Kiba. Another arranged marriage? Has he met her yet? Oh, and did he get hurt at the Akatsuki fortress? Spill, man."

Shino leaned back, looking very relaxed and comfortable. He said nothing.

Temari's eyes widened with anticipation. "Oh? What's the story?"

"Nezumi." Shino said the word slowly, referring to Shiho's code-name at the Akatsuki fortress.

The blonde laughed, shaking her head. Then went quiet, unsure. Shino looked serious. "Shiho? Kiba and Shiho? I never saw that one coming."

"There are people who still say the same thing about you and me." Shino pointed out.

Temari grinned. "And were either of them hurt?"

Shino shrugged. "It wasn't a letter, it wasn't even addressed to me really. Tsume sent out wedding invitations. We got one and dad got one. Mine had Kiba's sloppy handwriting on the back asking if either of us got hurt and why weren't we back in Konoha yet."

The kunoichi widened her eyes. "Wait. Who knows about the baby? Kiba doesn't know?"

Shino shrugged. "He will when he gets my letter. But as far as I'm aware, only the Kazekage and the Hyuuga know. Oh, and the Leaf ninja that are here in Suna. Pregnancies are secrets in our society, you know that. Best way to protect our families, don't announce a child until they are already born. Best not to announce until they are trained to take care of themselves."

Temari watched her husband warily. "I ...haven't thought about it like that. Wait. Did you tell Kiba about the baby?"

"In a very complicated code, yes."

The kunoichi frowned. "Kiba can't read that."

Shino smirked slightly. "He's marrying Shiho. She can decode it for him."

Temari chuckled even as she moved to burp her son.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba walked into the Inuzuka main house and stopped cold. He closed his eyes quickly and spun around with a shout of horror and disapproval.

Hana grinned behind his back and pulled her shirt back into place, dislodging Sai's hand. The artistic ninja frowned, not liking the interruption. "You knew from our scents we were in here." She chided her brother gently.

Kiba, his back still to the couple, growled. "I knew you were both here. I didn't know what you were doing or I would never have come inside." He ran one hand through his messy hair. "You have a room upstairs, why do you have to do that down here?"

Hana merely laughed.

Sai frowned and answered the question as asked. "Because we weren't upstairs when we started kissing, we were down here. And I didn't want to stop and ask her to move upstairs, she's still not having sex with me. I thought if I stopped, then it would end." He paused very briefly. "I didn't want it to end. I still don't. Go away."

Kiba groaned and threw a wild and hunted look over his shoulder at his older sister. "Really? Really? You are mad, you know that right? Sai? Really?"

Hana blushed very slightly and laughed. "I like him."

"I don't." Kiba whined. "Where's mom?"

Hana shook her head. "Council meeting, heads of clans and all that. Nothing serious. Yearly meeting with the Hokage."

"Oh yeah. I forgot." The dog-ninja shrugged, looking slightly disappointed. "I'll catch her later."

"Anything important?" Hana asked.

Kiba hesitated, looking at Sai. No matter where the man's hands had been, he still wasn't family.

Hana caught the look and nodded. She'd find out later.

Sai frowned. "Shiho is alright?"

Kiba nodded, reluctantly giving in. How to say it without giving anything away? An old phrase from some historical movie Shiho had dragged him to see popped into mind. "A person I know had a baby." Then he grinned widely, clearly happy about the news.

Sai nodded slightly. It was an old-fashioned thing to say, a protective phrase meant to spread good news without any specifics. Not until the family with the new addition decided it was safe to make their own 'real' announcements.

"Nice." Hana said, wondering who it was. Some families waited a few weeks, some a few years.

Sai nodded, ran it through his mind and then shrugged. "Shino and Temari."

Kiba sputtered and frowned, looking shocked. "Shiho TOLD you? She told YOU?"

The artist shook his head, denying the charge. "No. But most families in Konoha don't use the old ways anymore. A few families do, however. Some with names that go back to the start of the village."

Hana laughed at Kiba's disgruntled face.

"The Hyuuga and the Inuzuka no longer follow those old ways. Maybe the Inui's and the Tokizawa's. But you are not known to be close to those families." Sai continued. "But you are close the Aburame, and they follow all the old ways."

The dog-ninja grumbled under his breath. "There are a lot of Aburame, though."

"Two you are close to, however." Sai shrugged, as if it were no big deal. "And Temari's trouble with pregnancies is a poorly kept secret in the village. Therefore, the ones you would look so happy about would be ..."

"Temari and Shino." Hana grinned. "I'm really happy for them.

Kiba glared at Sai and thought about how clever the artistic nin thought he was, and thought about where his hands had been just a few moments ago. Then he thought about how close Sai was to his own betrothed and how he was never getting rid of him.

"I hate you."

"Kiba!" Hana shook her head, looking more than a little miffed.

"What's going on down there?" Grandmother Tayama called from the staircase. "It's rude to wake up your elders like this."

"Another reason we weren't upstairs." Hana suddenly grinned at her baby brother, loving to make him uncomfortable.

"Grandmother." Kiba went up the stairs to offer her an arm to lean on as she came down to the main rooms. "I hope you had a good nap."

"I did, until I heard squabbling voices down here." She looked coolly over at Sai. "Well, his presence here explains all that."

"I wasn't squabbling." Sai pointed out evenly.

Grandmother Tayama gave a patently false smile.

Sai looked startled. He pointed at the elderly woman's face. "Is that what I looked like when I faked a smile?"

Hana raised one eyebrow and pretended to look. "No. You were slightly better, she WANTS us to know she's not really smiling."

Kiba sighed and offered to fix his grandmother some tea. But the elderly woman ignored him. "You are a rude, insignificant, gold-digging, low-class, and ugly young man." She glared at Sai. "And not nearly good enough for my grand daughter!" She thumped her cane on the floor for emphasis.

Tsume walked in the door, stopped, looked around the room and groaned. "What the hell is everyone doing here?"

Silence. Then Sai stepped forward. "Kiba came to tell you good news about an Aburame baby. The old lady was telling me how much she hates me. And Hana and I were about to have sex."

"Oh, oh!" Grandmother Tayama staggered back a moment, right into Kiba. "I feel faint!"

Tsume glared at Sai, looked at Hana and then over at Kiba who was struggling to hold onto his grandmother before she could fall. "Just another day then, yes? I need ...wait, who had a baby?"

Hana looked at Sai sternly. "We were not about to have sex."

Sai shrugged. "We were interrupted."

Hana shook her head. "That doesn't mean we were about to have sex."

Sai gave her a long look. "That doesn't mean I wasn't about to try."

Hana blushed slightly, and ignored everyone who was trying their best to ignore them. Kiba was openly scowling, even though he wouldn't look in their direction.

"We can go upstairs now that the old lady is down here." Sai suggested blandly, then ducked as Grandmother Tayama swung her cane at his head.

"Sai. Go away now." Tsume sighed and ducked as the cane sped her way.

"No." The artistic ninja said simply.

Kiba caught his grandmother's cane as she tried to hit Sai with it again. She tugged and he shook his head at her. "Grandmother ..."

"Why not?" Tsume asked curtly, not even looking at the shinobi she was talking to.

Sai paused a moment and then answered. "Because I love her."

Dead silence. Kiba blinked, his mouth dropping open even as his grandmother's cane slipped from his grasp. Tsume tried to say something, but couldn't think of anything.

Hana looked shocked. "You only admitted to feelings a few months ago. Aren't you jumping to conclusions here?"

Sai turned to stare at Hana. "Love is defined as strong affection and personal attraction."

Tsume suddenly relaxed. "Oh kid." She said, not ungently and with a dose of pity.

"There is familial love, platonic love and romantic love with a strong sexual attraction." Sai continued. "I'm not her brother and I don't feel platonic at all. There is definitely a strong sexual attraction. So I'm in love."

Hana winced and grimaced. "This is not a logic puzzle, like figuring out Shino and Temari had a baby. You ...just don't get it."

Kiba sighed. "We need to talk." He said, feeling suddenly sorry for the other young shinobi. "OUCH" He yelped, rubbing his stinging shoulder and staring at his grandmother, who had tried to smack Sai with her cane again. And missed. "Stop that!"

Grandmother Tayama straightened up imperiously. "Kiba, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to strike you. But that is no way to speak to me!"

Sai ignored Kiba and his grandmother as he turned to Hana. "I feel things with you. Strong things. I really want to have sex with you. Now. Later. All the time."

"Lust doesn't equal love." Hana told him in a near-whisper. "Don't worry, we can ..."

"I know lust." Sai shook his head. "Just because I quelled all my emotions in ROOT doesn't mean my penis didn't react with physical need. Sometimes we took care of it ourselves, sometimes we took sexual partners. It was considered a basic bodily function."

Hana stared at him, unsure.

Tsume looked from her daughter to the strange young shinobi and sighed. "Shit. We haven't gotten through the first wedding. And her divorce is barely final. You two stop it right now."

"No." Sai ignored everyone and stepped closer to Hana, backing her up against the side of the futon. He leaned into her personal space. "I lust after you, you know that. But I broke up with you because I could not handle touching you and having feelings for you at the same time. If it was just lust, it would already be over."

Hana couldn't think, could barely breathe.

"I know you're not in love with me." Sai continued. "Not yet. But I won't hide who I am, what I am or the fact that you make me feel love. That you make me want to touch you, be near you, draw you, and anything having to do with you."

Kiba watched with wide eyes, looked at his mother who looked just as shocked. They turned to the still fuming grandmother and bustled her out the door while she was still protesting.

"Sai?" Kiba muttered. "Sai of all people?"

"I know!" Tsume hissed.

"STOP THIS!" Bellowed Grandmother Tayama as they moved her inexorably out the door.

"Did Temari and Shino really have a baby?" Tsume asked.

Kiba grinned. "A boy. Don't tell anyone."

"Fantastic news!" Tsume smiled, then ducked as her mother-by-marriage tried to swing her cane again. But finally they got her out of the house and the door closed behind them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hana almost wished that her mother and Kiba had stayed. She wasn't sure she was up to this today.

Sai reached out slowly and traced the line of her mouth. "It's not just lust. I know what lust is and that I can handle. It's the need to be with you and to ask what you think of things, little things, nonsense things. To share something humorous with you that I saw at the market. To tell you about my missions and to ask your opinion on dinner, on the new council assignments, on ...just about anything."

Feeling off-balance, Hana shook her head slightly, startled to find that her hands weren't exactly steady right then. "I ...I just got divorced."

Sai spoke solemnly. "I was there. It was a nice fire."

Hana wet her dry lips and shook her head again. "No. I mean my heart isn't ready to love again."

The shinobi stared at her a long moment then nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Do you like it when we kiss?"

The kunoichi slowly moved her head to show that yes indeed, she did like it when they kissed.

"Do you mind when I touch you?" He waited until she shook her head. "Do you enjoy being around me?"

Hana slapped his chest with the palm of her hand. "I like you, okay? I like the way you make me feel, but I'm not in love with you, not yet."

"Good." Sai nodded. "But it's also good you don't mind me being around because I'm not leaving."

"You're not?"

The artistic nin shrugged. "When your heart is ready to love again, I want to be right here. I know about not being ready to feel. I know about needing time to adjust to feelings. And I know that when you find yourself ready to do those things, you will be doing them with me and no one else."

Hana felt very hot and could feel her heart racing just a bit. She gave a jerky nod of her head, feeling very off-kilter at the moment.

"And in the meantime." Sai leaned in closely to her, his breath warming her lips. "We still have lust."

Hana's dark eyes widened just as he dipped his head in for a long, drawn out kiss. Unable to help herself, her lips parted for him immediately and Sai took quick advantage.

A long moment passed as the two lost themselves in the kissing, and Hana was having a hard time catching her breath when they finally came up for air. She pushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath, then smiled.

"Your hand is under my shirt again." She pointed out teasingly.

Sai's clever fingers pinched her breast as his thumb flicked something that made her breathing stop again. She shivered.

"Are we going to have sex today?" He asked, his own breathing not quite steady she was glad to see.

Hana shook her head. "Not today." She told him, even as she pulled him back in for another drugging kiss. Tomorrow maybe, but not today. She just didn't tell him that, not yet.

o.O.o.O.o.O

The day of the wedding dawned beautifully. Gaara would know, having not slept the entire night.

"It's a good thing you already have dark circles under your eyes." Kankuro yawned and stepped over a sleeping Naruto, who was curled up on the floor. "No one will know you've been up all night."

Neji groaned from where he was sitting up, having slept on the too-small chair. He wiped at his gritty eyes and blinked, looking around. "We didn't make it back home?"

Baki stalked into the room, followed by some of the club's wait staff. They had trays of coffee and tea. On the floor Naruto's nose twitched, and he groaned.

"Everyone awake? We have a wedding to get ready for!" Baki grinned, his voice booming through the darkened club. He reached over and pulled open one of the blinds.

The sunlight hit Naruto in the face and the blond sat up too fast, becoming dizzy as he blinked owlishly at everyone. "What?"

Michi came over and took some of the tea cups, handing them out to everyone.

Kankuro glared at the younger shinobi. "You don't look hung-over."

The water-ninja laughed, making Neji wince. "I'm not. It was more fun watching all of you get drunk."

"I was not drunk." Neji protested, even as he accepted the cup of tea. "I was ...I just felt sleepy."

"Uh huh." Baki shook his head, then winced. Even he had something of a hang-over.

Kankuro blinked a few times and then started counting heads. "We're missing a few."

Michi laughed. "They're around."

The puppeteer frowned. "Around?"

The water ninja shrugged. "Only the bachelors and unattached are missing." He said pointedly. "You and Neji are married, Gaara is getting married and ..."

Kankuro smiled and sipped his tea. "Oh, so the strippers are with the unattached. Wild."

"No. The strippers went home with Rocks after they realized that Gaara wasn't interested." Michi smirked. "The other bachelors went to another club."

"Huh." Neji frowned.

Michi shrugged. "They loved his blue hair and that he was a foreign ninja."

"Lucky Rocks." Kankuro raised his tea cup in a mock toast.

"Poor strippers." Michi toasted him back and both men chuckled.

Baki shook his head and pointed at Gaara. "Wedding. Today. Bath. You look like crap."

The Kazekage glared. "This party was not my idea."

Kankuro grinned. "At least there's no sandcastle this time." He said, referring to the last time he'd seen Gaara drunk.

Neji grinned and shook his head as Naruto loudly asked, "What sandcastle?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara wasn't sure how he made it through the day. Too much was going on, and the slight hang-over didn't help matters. It was like he was standing in quicksand, unable to breathe as everyone ran around him like mad bees or something. There was even an unpleasant buzzing sound all day. Right up until Kaji put her hand in his.

At that moment, it all stopped. Time. Everything.

Kaji, nearly unrecognizable without her double masks as she stood with her wedding veil, was staring at him. He wanted nothing more than just to grab her and leave everything else behind.

Luckily the ceremony continued even as he formulated escape plans.

Kaji's mouth quirked up into a smile, as if she knew what he was contemplating.

Finally the temple priests released them to the joy of the crowds surrounding the temple. Just about everyone in Suna was present. Not to mention the guests and family members from out of the village.

Still, it was hours before they could find a few precious moments alone.

Kaji grinned at the sand dome surrounding them. "Subtle." She said sarcastically.

Gaara sighed, finally feeling like he could breathe.

"The guests are going to be shocked at the sand dome in the middle of the reception." She commented quite dryly.

The red-head shook his head and stared at her.

Kaji stared back, and then grinned. "You're stuck with me now."

"Forever." He spoke the one word like an oath.

Kaji's smile faded and she nodded solemnly. "Forever." She agreed.

Gaara looked over their heads at the encompassing sand and frowned. "I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm glad you did." Kaji admitted ruefully. "It was getting too much. So, are you too hung-over for the wedding night?"

Gaara's gaze turned hot and Kaji swallowed hard, fanning her face with her hand. "Guess not." She whispered. "Change the subject, Gaara-coon. Or the guests will be really scandalized when they see us after the sand dome collapses."

The Kazekage grimaced, but nodded. "So what did you think of my bachelor night?" He asked her, daring her to try and lie and say she hadn't spied.

Kaji stuck out her tongue at him. "Tame. Except for Rocks. That surprised me. He was even late for the wedding."

Gaara hadn't known that and nodded.

"Let loose the sand, Gaara." Kaji told him gently. "We can get through the rest of the reception together. Then it will be just the two of us."

Sand whirled around them and the young kunoichi let out a sound of surprise. The whipping sand storm vanished as quickly as it had appeared and suddenly they were alone in Gaara's rooms.

He stared at her.

She stared at him. Then laughed. "Nice touch."

Gaara reached for her and she fairly leaped into his arms.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi looked horrified at the empty space at the reception. A space most recently occupied by his daughter and her new husband.

Anko laughed at his expression and patted him on the back. "Explosive cupcakes. Just think what their children will be like my darling, just think."


	83. Eplilogue

Epilogue:

FIVE YEARS LATER:

"You're late." The red-head's gruff voice stopped her at the door to his office.

The kunoichi gave a sly half-smile, the top half of her face hidden by her dual masks. One of dark cloth, the other of a bone skull.

"Only by a week." The young woman leaned against the doorway, the very picture of insolence. "And I sent a message."

The Suna Kazekage snorted and looked up, the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced. "Some message. 'Alive'. One word."

Kaji didn't move, just nodded. "Short and to the point."

Gaara stared at his young wife, his nostrils flared slightly. His jade-pale eyes narrowed. "You're hurt." It was a statement, not a question.

The kunoichi gave the smallest of frowns. "You're guessing."

"You're not moving." The red-headed leader of Suna snapped. "You don't stand still well."

"Thus I must be hurt if I'm standing still?" Kaji clucked her tongue at him like a mother chicken, mocking him. "Gaara-coon, I'm fine." She used the old term she'd gifted him with when she'd been much younger.

The jade-pale eyes blinked slowly, his expression flat and giving away nothing. Finally his lips tilted down. "That's not a denial." He sighed and sat back. She couldn't be too badly injured, in fact, she looked perfect to him. Even after five years of marriage to the most insufferable, bratty, hot-tempered, prickly, and sneaky woman known to exist. Perfect.

Kaji straightened up and walked slowly into the room.

Gaara eyed her carefully, but she moved with her usual grace. Not a hitch in her step, no signs of a bandage, nothing. "Poison?" He guessed.

The young woman choked, smiled and shook her head.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Seven year-old Katsuro moved through the complicated kata, the sublime moves of the Gentle Fist technique in action. Mostly.

"You're dragging your left arm." Jishin snorted and made a rude sound.

The young male frowned slightly, then shrugged. "I didn't get hit."

"We're supposed to use the kunai to block the senbon. Not avoid them altogether. Show off."

The young scion of the Hyuuga clan leader didn't react to his cousin's words as he completed his moves, none of the senbon having touched him. "We're not supposed to do anything." He commented dryly. "We. Are not in the same class."

Jishin made a face at him. "I'm better at fighting than you are. Iruka-sensei said so."

"Liar." Katsuro muttered and grabbed a towel from the bench in the Hyuuga courtyard. "You don't start at the Academy for another year."

The little girl stuck her tongue out at him. "And you've only been in classes for three months. Acting all high and mighty! And Iruka-sensei said I was a stronger fighter than you!"

The Hyuuga matriarch turned the corner and took one look at the altercation between cousins. "Oh little sugar britches, none of that now. And I think poor Iruka's exact words were that he was glad he didn't have to take on both of you at one time."

Neji, who had been watching quietly from the side of the courtyard, shook his head. "The Academy accepted Katsuro early because of his maturity level."

Jishin's face went red, but she held back. Barely. Though her slender body was fairly shaking with energy and she did stomp her foot twice on the ground.

Anko laughed and ruffled her daughter's dark hair, earning a glare. "And while you are a great little fighter my tsutodoku, you did cause some damage during the initial exams when you ...didn't get your way. It's not your technique that keeps you at home this year. It's your temper."

"Tsutodoku?" Little Katsuro snorted in amusement, then had to dodge as several lethally sharp senbon embedded themselves in the ground where he'd been standing not seconds before.

Neji straightened up and looked at the needle-like weapons and rolled his eyes.

Anko clapped even while shaking her head. "I thought your father forbid you from carrying those outside of training?"

"You really are a poisonous and irritating climbing vine!" Katsuro smoothed his long hair down, trying to look like he was the more mature. "Tsutodoku!"

Jishin looked down at her feet, shifted her weight, and then looked up challengingly at her mother. "You never does what Papa says either." Then she took off running.

Anko sighed.

Neji smiled. "And people discount fate? You have a daughter who ...acts just like you."

Anko chuckled dryly and said some words that had Katsuro's eyes going wide.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shiho walked into the house, turning the page on her book as she stopped in the hallway. Eyes never left the page as she awkwardly slid first one arm, then the other, out of her jacket. Moving the book from one hand to the other to keep from interrupting the flow of the information.

Without looking up the honey-blonde put her jacket on the coat rack. It slid off onto the floor. Because there was already a heavy tweed coat hanging there.

Blue eyes blinked for a moment, staring at her jacket on the floor, then up to the coat. "Damn it." She muttered under her breath.

Shiho closed her book reluctantly and looked back at her door, wondering if she'd made too much noise coming inside. Could she get away?

She looked back at the end of the hallway, to the open doorway to the living room. Akamaru was looking at her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Her blue eyes narrowed on the nin-dog, the canine looked like he was laughing at her.

At least with Akamau here, her husband was home too.

"Is someone there?" The falsely sweet voice made Shiho cringe.

The cryptologist sighed, took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "It's just me. Hello Grandmother Tayama."

Shiho wished she had something important going on at work, something to call her away. She entered the living room and smiled at her husband's grandmother. There was no sign of Kiba.

"I thought you weren't visiting for another two months?"

Kiba's grandmother looked smug and stared at Shiho for a long moment, making the younger woman distinctly uncomfortable. "You pregnant yet?"

Shiho sighed and looked around. Where the hell was Kiba?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Harusame tied the headband protector and positioned the symbol of Suna right in the middle of her forehead. She grinned at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she scowled. Hm. No. Harusame tilted her head and firmed her jawline, making her lips into a straight line. Better.

Kochi knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you ready yet?"

"Almost." Harusame straightened up and gave a sneer that she'd one of the jounin use. It looked pretty cool actually. But she was having trouble keeping it in place.

"You're taking too long!" Kochi turned and leaned his back against the bathroom door, knocking it with his elbow. "The guards told Daddy that she was back and I want to see her."

Harusame wiped her expression clear and stared into the mirror. Maybe she should smile. Something to put people off, make them think she was a piece of fluff instead of a fully graduated genin.

Kochi sighed, banging the back of his head against the door lightly this time. "If you see her, you can ask her to talk to Uncle Gaara about giving you higher ranked missions." It was a flat-out bribe to make his older sister move faster.

The young jinchuuriki gave a small squeal as the bathroom door he was leaning on was pulled open and he barely managed keep from falling down by grabbing the sides of the doorway. He looked up into his sister's face. "What'd you do that for?"

"You do know he's not really our uncle." Harusame pushed her little brother forward.

"He said I could call him that." Kochi pouted slightly, then ran to keep up with his older sister as she hurried out the door. He waved to his mother on the way out.

"Coat." Kimiko called out sweetly.

Harusame ignored the order, but Kochi ran back inside and grinned as he grabbed the light coat she was holding for him. Not that it got cold, but it was protection from the elements. Such as sand, sun and wind.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura looked down at the squirming bundle of energy and laughed.

Temari scowled. "It's not funny."

The pink-haired medic tried to still her smile, but was failing. "How did he get the ...uhm, why did he?" She pointed at her nose.

The four and a half-year old Aburame tornado that was her child wiggled out of Temari's lap and ran across the room to the door. "No shots! No shots!"

"Don't worry, I locked it after the last visit where we had to chase him for half an hour." Sakura smiled, then hurried to keep the door closed as little Shindai unlocked the door.

Temari smiled weakly. "That doesn't work anymore." She explained with a tired shrug.

Sakura scooped up the little boy, who arched his back and pushed against her with his baby arms. "No shots, I promise!"

The little boy stopped and glared at the pink-haired woman. "Pwomise?"

"Promise." Sakura handed Shindai back to his mother. "Now. How did he get the toy up his nose in the first place?"

Temari sighed. "He's seen his father's kikai come in and out of his body, and he wanted to be like Shino and his grandfather." She frowned sharply. "It doesn't help when Shibi gets a kick out of feeding him sweets all the time either. He's got enough energy without sugar as it is."

Sakura grinned. "My son drew whiskers on his face last week." She offered lightly, talking about her two year old. "In permanent marker, of course. Naruto is still grinning about it."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Kiba walked into his house smiling, carrying the groceries. "I got the type of sugar you like, Gigi."

In the living room, Shiho sat still as a statue, her back not touching the chair she was sitting in. Tense.

The elderly woman smiled beatifically. "I'm so glad, though I am shocked that you were out of it in the first place. How can you serve a good tea without it?" Her voice was pleasant, but dripping with venom as she glared at her grandson's wife. "A properly run home would never be out of the basics in case of visitors."

Shiho refused to rise to the bait. "I hope you had a pleasant journey, Grandmother Tayama." She used the word 'grandmother' because she knew it irritated the other woman. Kiba's grandmother didn't accept her as his wife, and probably wouldn't until she got pregnant.

"It is a lovely home you have here, Kiba my darling." The older woman cooed as her grandson brought her a cup of tea. Then frowned as he handed the second cup to his wife and kissed her. "I thought you would sit and have tea with me."

"I will, just don't have three hands." Kiba whistled as he went back into the kitchen and got a third cup, bringing it back to sit with his ladies.

Grandmother Tayama frowned. "You should have a tea service, a tray. Then you wouldn't have to make several trips." It was obvious that she felt the lack to be Shiho's when she turned and glared at the cryptologist.

Kiba shrugged, completely oblivious to any undercurrents.

"But after the tour of your new house, I am left wondering ...where is the nursery?" The elderly woman looked patently worried and sad.

Shiho pasted on a fake smile. "We have an extra room upstairs we can convert." She firmed her voice. "When it becomes necessary."

Kiba's grandmother sighed and put down her tea cup. "Have you consulted a medic on this ...problem you're having?"

This was a bit much, even for the Inuzuka. "Grandmother!"

"I'm sorry my dear boy, but this lack of a great-grandchild is disturbing." The older woman sighed dramatically.

Shiho sat back and thought about it for a second, then decided to throw fuel on the fire. "You already have a great-grandchild." Long pause, "and another on the way."

Kiba sucked in a harsh breath, his dark eyes flying from his wife's face to that of his grandmother. The older woman's face went white, then flushed almost a solid red.

"That hussy! Is she pregnant again?!"

Shiho smiled and sipped her tea. Akamaru laid down and put his paws over his nose. Kiba closed his own eyes with a shudder.

Grandmother Tayama gritted her teeth. "Have they bothered to get married this time at least?"

Shiho shook her head negatively, throwing her sister-by-marriage to the wolves.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Anko stalked into her husband's library and smiled to see him poring over some dull old treatise. She slid up behind him, running her hands down his strong back and moving his hair from his neck. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on the skin she just bared.

Hiashi closed his eyes and sighed. "You want something."

"Always." Anko nearly purred. "But it's nothing I need to seduce you for."

The Hyuuga turned and let her settle herself in his lap, pushing aside his work for the moment. He knew his wife and if he tried to tell her he was busy, she would make his life a living hell. "It's not a seduction if I'm willing."

Anko paused and gave him a long look. "Want to play captive and rescuer later, kingfisher?"

Hiashi ran his hand down her spine. "No. Last time you offered you wanted me to play the captive. No way are you tying me up."

"Aw." Pouted the kunoichi. "So proud, so strong, so manly ..."

Hiahsi pulled back, suspicious. "What have you done?"

"Katashi wants the mission to the Waterfall Village."

Hiashi pushed his wife's hands away from him, turning stern. "That's an A ranked mission, with a lot of unknowns."

"He made chuunin." Anko leaned in and snapped at her husband with her teeth, giving him pause because he knew she could actually do damage.

"Less than five months ago." Hiashi sighed. "The Hokage wants to send a jounin team, and I agree with her."

Anko cocked her head to one side. "So if we aren't going to play rescuer tonight, how about we play hostage and torture master?"

Hiashi shuddered. "I will not change my mind on this. No. Besides, it is ultimately not my decision who goes on missions. That's up the Hokage's office."

"So you have no say in the matter, trout?" Anko purred.

Suspicious, Hiashi shook his head.

Anko smiled and leaned in, biting his ear before whispering. "So you don't mind that I asked Tsunade and she agreed that it would be a good experience and is sending Katashi along with those jounin?"

The Hyuuga gritted his teeth and pushed Anko away far enough to look into her laughing face. "Like I said, I didn't need to seduce you for this. Think of it as a bonus."

o.O.o.O.o.O

Inuzuka Namika giggled and jumped on top of the puppy that outweighed her by a good twenty-five pounds.

Tsume grinned, watching her first grandchild with an indulgent eye. Another nin-dog came up and picked up the fun-loving two-year old by the seat of her pants and carried her back to her mother. Wherein the child sat up, grinned, and ran into the kennel again to repeat the game that she and the nin-dogs seemed to love so much.

"You're sure? It's a boy this time?" Tsume watched as Namika slipped in some mud and fell hard onto her bottom, but the young Inuzuka scrambled back up and kept going without a single tear.

"I'm going to name him Genji." Hana grinned, her hand on her belly that was barely showing.

Tsume grunted, and by not arguing she was approving of the name. Then she took a deep breath. "That guy of yours, he handling it better this time around?"

Hana shrugged, smiling. "He hasn't disappeared." She said, both women recalling the near panic Sai had gone through during the first pregnancy. "He still has his apartment though. Doesn't think I know."

Tsume chuckled. "Your father would go 'hunting' for ages when I was first pregnant. Scared him so much. Still he handled it better than Sai."

The Inuzuka heir gave her mother a long look. "Give him a break, emotions and caring are all new to him. He's come a long way in five years. So what if he keeps an apartment for when it gets to be too much. He rarely goes there anymore. It's almost like a storage unit now."

"Marriage?" Tsume broached the touchy subject.

Hana shook her head. "He's fine with how we are right now, and so am I. Frankly, I tried marriage. Don't want another. And didn't you get enough of all that ceremony crap from the first time I got married, not to mention Kiba's?"

Tsume groaned and nodded. "Rinako is planning something small and intimate. If Lee had his way, the whole world would be invited."

Hana laughed. "Can't believe Lee finally proposed. That boy has some strange ideas about what constitutes a 'proper' engagement."

The Inuzuka clan leader shrugged. "Lee is all that is proper. Sai doesn't give a shit about anything proper. And Shiho is clueless, she's proper only when she remembers to be proper."

Hana laughed. "Heaven help the Inuzuka clan."

There was a yip of distress from one of the nin-dogs and both women watched as little Namika apologized for pulling on a tail to keep her balance. The dogs immediately forgave the toddler.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Hoshi?"

Hinata looked up and smiled gently at her husband. Her smile broadened as she realized he wasn't alone.

"Mama!" Nowaki grinned, missing some teeth. "We ..."

"Were practicing!" Ryusei finished the sentence for his twin brother. "Daddy let us ..."

"We won!" Crowed the seven-year old Nowaki.

"Two against one." Kankuro laughed.

Hinata smiled. "It's never two against one, not against a puppeteer." She grinned gently at her boys. "Where is your sister?"

The puppet master frowned. "She sneezed twice and Hiashi wouldn't let her come with us this morning. It's not like she had a fever. He made me feel like I was a horrible father for even thinking about bringing her along."

Surprised, Hinata shook her head. Little Mirina had been a total shock to the entire Hyuuga clan. One look at his new granddaughter and the impossible happened. Hiashi became putty in her hands. One glance at the newborn had been enough to know she wasn't destined to use the Byakugan. Not with her dark violet eyes. Other than that she was the spitting image of her mother.

"Here's some money for the machines." Kankuro searched through his pockets, coming up with some change. "I promised you one drink a piece."

"Two!" Bounced Nowaki on the balls of his feet.

"Three!" Ryusei upped the ante.

"One." Kankuro handed the boys the change and watched them run off down the hallway making enough noise to mimic an entire herd of cattle.

Hinata laughed. "How did it really go?"

Kankuro shrugged. "They're not puppeteers. Mirina definitely has leanings toward puppetry though, that has been obvious for over a year. But not the boys."

"Neji says they do well with the Gentle Fist, because they can see chakra really well." Hinata smiled, putting away the work on her desk at the hospital so she could head home with her family.

"Surgery go well?" Kankuro asked, genuinely worried.

Hinata nodded. "Genma won't lose any range of motion in that shoulder. It went really well."

"Good, he's a good man." Kankuro grunted with approval, then returned to the original subject. "The boys can use the Gentle Fist, but not the traditional Byakugan. And using their abilities to control chakra? Too dangerous, they have to get close to an opponent to touch them. Yet the Gentle Fist is designed to keep people out being too close to the fighter.

"Then it's a good thing they have a master puppeteer to teach them." Hinata gave her husband a lingering kiss.

"Ew!"

"Gross!"

Hinata smiled against Kankuro's lips. "We have company again."

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I want ramen for supper." Katsuro said quietly.

Neji shook his head, even as Yugao told him "No."

Jishin made a face. "You just want it because Naruto likes ramen."

Surprised, Neji glanced between the two children. Where had they run into Naruto?

Yugao shrugged. "He was a guest at the Academy yesterday. Made a big impression."

Neji nodded, it made better sense now. "He's the front-runner for Hokage when Tsunade steps down in a year or two."

"He eats ramen, a lot!" Katsuro mentioned, with a slight air of hero worship. "And he's really, really strong."

The Hyuuga clan leader sighed and wondered about the ironies in life. He glanced at his beautiful wife. "Yugao, you craved ramen while you were carrying him too."

The former ANBU kunoichi smiled and nodded. "I did at that. Still, Lord Hiashi doesn't care for ramen and it will not be what we eat for supper."

Jishin pouted slightly, then nodded at Katsuro.

The young male Hyuuga nodded back at his cousin. Where there was a will, there was a way.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Shino made his son tilt his head up and then shook his head. "No more shoving things up your nose."

Shindai nodded and then ran off down the hallway with a squeal as he saw one of his many cousins come in the door.

Temari smiled and shook her head. They were at the Aburame main house for supper, not their own house. Better that Shindai's excess energy should be run off over here than at home. Less to fix that way.

Shino cleared his throat.

His wife's smile faded. "Out with it."

The Aburame heir shrugged. "You remember my cousin who died a few months ago?"

Temari nodded solemnly, she did remember. It had been really sad, the young man hadn't been someone she knew well, but he had seemed nice enough. "A mission that shouldn't have been ranked a "C" if I remember right."

Shino nodded. "Apparently his girlfriend was expecting."

Temari nodded. "I knew that, it was very sad. Shibi offered her a place to stay on Aburame land, right?" She knew her husband's clan took care of their own.

"Of course." Shino said, since that was a given. "But she has, well the mid-wives say the child will be an Aburame candidate for a hive."

The young blonde kunoichi smiled happily. "Congratulations. His family must be thrilled."

Shino shook his head, "His mother died young and his father can't take care of a newborn like that. Temari, they've asked us to take the child."

That made her stop. Her teal eyes widened. "Us? As in the clan? Or us ...as in you and me? Wait. What about the mother?"

Shino shook his head. "Apparently she is rather young and wants to start over, feels like being the mother of a hive-bearing Aburame is too much." He paused a long moment before continuing. "How would you feel about adopting? Giving Shindai a little sister or brother?"

Temari stared at her husband for a second, then grinned full out.

Shino nodded at her, pleased.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hiashi finally rolled up the last parchment and looked at the clock. He grunted. Even with Anko's ...interruption ... he grinned, he had managed to clear his desk in good time. Perhaps he could find some time to train with his daughter before dinner. Jishin was coming along nicely, even if she was too impulsive.

A slight sound from the doorway had the Hyuuga male look up.

Deep violet eyes looked at him, framed by long dark lashes in a heart-shaped face. Bee-stung lips gave him a sad smile. The little girl's long dark hair fell straight down her back. In her small white nightgown she looked like a miniature angel.

His look seemed to be all the permission little Mirina needed. She shuffled into the library and Hiashi smiled to see her tiny bunny slippers on her feet. Her ever-present stuffed bunny in her arms.

The tough-as-nails Konoha shinobi leaned down. Mirina smiled at her grandfather. "I was wondering ...could we have ramen for dinner tonight?"

"Yes." The answer was immediate.

Neji entered the room as his uncle nodded. "Of course we can have ramen for dinner."

The clan leader sighed. "You do know that Katsuro and Jishin put her up to this."

Hiashi scooped up his granddaughter and felt her snuggle into his arms. "I don't care."

"I was wondering ...can we get a pony?"

Neji laughed, then choked as he heard his uncle agree. "Kankuro will kill you, if Hinata doesn't first."

Hiashi laughed at his nephew. "Let them try. What is the point of being rich and powerful if you can't make use of it. Now, what should we name the pony?"

Neji sighed. "Heaven help us all when this one grows up. A spoiled master puppeteer. A beautiful one. Damn. Will Konoha even survive?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"I wasn't poisoned." Kaji yawned. "The caravan was late, storms. Our target didn't arrive on time. We had no choice but to wait."

Gaara eyed her suspiciously. "There's something you're not telling me."

"True." She grinned.

The red-head shook his head. Then sighed. She wouldn't tell him until she was damned well ready. Fine. He cleared his throat. "Mizu and Tei are in Suna. Will be until the end of the month."

"Nice!" Kaji grinned, genuinely pleased. "Michi will enjoy himself. Though Tei broke up with yet another girlfriend."

Gaara shook his head. "Why does he date more guys here in Suna, than in Konoha?"

The kunoichi shrugged. "Michi says he likes they way they grow men out here." She smiled. "I agree."

The Kazekage looked up to find his wife giving him a smoldering look. His pen went down onto the desk. "I'm not getting any more work done today, am I?"

Kaji shook her head, licking her lips slightly.

Gaara's eyes narrowed on her mouth. She laughed. He sneered.

"Have we ever actually had sex here in your office?"

The red-head sighed. "Yes. Many times as a matter of fact." He stood and looked toward the closed door. "Did you lock it?"

"Yes." She crooned. Then waited for him to round the desk and pull her to her feet. His lips found hers and her fingers found the fasteners on his shirt. "Yum."

"You promise you're not injured?" Gaara asked even as his lips traveled down the column of her neck.

"No. Just pregnant."

He grunted, kissed her pulse and then stilled.

Kaji held him as her poor husband stopped moving. "Gaara-coon? Remember the four year plan? Well, we made it five years without a child. But we won't be making six."

The Kazekage felt light-headed, then felt his wife pound him on the back. His breathing started back up again. She pulled back and looked at him in the face.

He pushed her masks off her own face, glaring balefully into her Hyuuga pale eyes.

"I love you."

Gaara's jade-pale eyes narrowed further.

"I'm carrying your baby."

He swayed.

Kaji laughed. "A little boy or girl just like me."

Gaara's lips twitched. "Or like me."

"Oh, no. There's no one else like you." Hanabi leaned in and wrapped her arms around her poor husband. "You're stuck with me and any child we have even if they are just like me. It was your non-courtship, remember? I just liked making things explode."

Gaara nodded and pulled her closer to him, though gently. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Even though I still appear to be your favorite target."

"Just shows you how much I love you."

o.O.o.O.o.O


End file.
